Lester Holt is out as anchor of the NBC Nightly News. He’s 65 and has been in the anchor seat for 10 years.
Who will replace him? A bot? AI? Two 22 year old influencers?
Lester will stay with NBC and continue with “Dateline.”
Holt’s time as NBC anchor should not be underestimated. He took over for Brian Williams after his weird scandal in which it was discovered he was fabricating stories about himself.
Lester has been an engaging straight shooter. I watch him all the time. His ratings have always been competitive.
But so is the dwindling network news business. At CBS they’ve replaced the very talented Norah O’Donnell with two men — John Dickerson and Maurice Dubois. Immediately the ratings dropped. The show, unwatchable in its new format, is still being worked on.
Over at ABC, David Muir continues at the number 1 evening news telecast.
Holt will exit around the end of June.
“A smile comes to my face when I think that with Nightly News, and Dateline, I have now anchored two of the most successful and iconic television news programs in broadcast history,” Holt wrote in a note Monday to “Nightly” and “Dateline” staffers. “As a 20-year-old radio reporter on the police beat chasing breaking news around San Francisco, I could never have imagined my career path would unfold in the way it has. What an amazing ride.”
