Brian Williams has always had the ability to tell a great story. It is one of the things that has endeared him to NBC viewers for the last decade. Williams would be sent out in the field to work, and then when he popped up as a guest on a late-night talk show, the stories would be epic. Now we know that his tales may not have been rooted in truth and it is that embellishment problem that has prompted NBC to suspend Williams for six months without pay. There is already a debate over whether or not he will ever return, and the fallen anchor's fate may be decided by a morality clause in his contract.
Williams recently signed a new five-year contract with NBC that is worth $10 million. It also contains guidelines for an employee of his stature and prominence.
According to a report by Page Six, Williams's future "could hang on a 'morality clause' in his contract -- which means he could be fired if he offended 'a significant portion of the community' or brought himself 'public disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule,' among other concerns. The anchor has lawyered up with Bob Barnett, the distinguished attorney who also repped Ann Curry during her dealings with NBC."
It is not at all surprising to learn that Williams has hired a legal team to help him navigate through this current scandal. He could be preparing to fight to keep his job at NBC, something that at this moment does not look too likely. In the last week the network has taken the anchor's name off NBC Nightly News's branding and it has thrown him completely under the bus while reporting on his instances of "misremembering" things.
It is hard to imagine that Williams is feeling like the network will reinstate him later this year, when they have taken steps to distance themselves from him. Do you think Lester Holt's temporary replacement status might eventually turn into his new, full-time gig at the network? Will Williams be back as a credible reporter in a few months? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
