Brian Williams reportedly turned down an offer to anchor "CBS Evening News" just years after he was ousted from "NBC Nightly News," according to CNN.
CBS News president and co-head Neeraj Khemlani had attempted to recruit Williams recently to lead the network's evening news program, according to sources close with the story. Two of the sources said Khemlani attempted twice, but neither were successful.
Norah O'Donnell, the show's current host, is rumored to be in danger of being replaced, as her contract is up soon, according to the New York Post.
However, Khemlani told the Post that CBS has no plans of changing its anchors.
“There are no plans to move the Evening News from Washington. Norah’s presence in Washington has elevated the CBS Evening News’ coverage on all fronts — politics, breaking news, to big interviews including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen just last week. Her reporting on the military and domestic abuse has won awards and changed policies in Washington. And in addition to making headlines, the program is gaining audience share.”
Williams reputation as a journalist and reporter was ruined after it was proven he embellished stories. He was suspended by NBC in 2015 for six months and then demoted to a breaking news anchor at MSNBC.
Williams hosted the "11th Hour" program on MSNBC and has improved his image. He announced in November that he will be leaving MSNBC and NBC after 28 years and is now a free agent.
"This is the end of a chapter and the beginning of another," Williams said in a statement. "There are many things I want to do, and I'll pop up again somewhere."
A CBS News executive told CNN that, "With all of our recent hires, Bob Costa joining, and today's streaming launch, it's no surprise people are wondering who's coming to CBS News next. But Brian Williams is not going to be doing the Evening News. End of Story."
The network is launching a rebranding its streaming news channel with a new name, more programs and well-known anchors.
"CBS News is overhauling its streaming news channel with a new name and a slate of programs presented by its big-name anchors that taps into the division's legacy," Los Angeles Times' Stephen Battaglio wrote Monday. "The ViacomCBS unit is announcing today that the free ad-supported channel, known as CBSN since its launch in 2014, will become CBS News Streaming. It will integrate the division's broadcast franchises into the channel — a shift in strategy, as it previously relied heavily on a cadre of lesser-known anchors."
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