Former NBC News star Brian Williams is finalizing a deal to anchor live coverage of the presidential election results for Amazon’s Prime Video, in the streamer’s first attempt at live news coverage, according to two people familiar with the plan.
Williams, 65, has been off of television since leaving his professional home of 28 years in 2021. He has spoken with a number of networks and streaming services about projects, but this is the first to come to fruition. He would be in his comfort zone at Prime Video, as he led NBC’s presidential election night programs in 2008 and 2012 and its cable network MSNBC’s coverage in 2016 and 2020.
A representative for Prime Video declined comment. But those briefed on the matter said a deal is imminent.
Deep-pocketed Amazon’s entry into live news coverage will not be a welcome development for the legacy TV networks, which are struggling to maintain their financial footing as audiences shift to streaming. Nearly every news operation is looking to cut costs after the 2024 election.
In recent years, Prime Video has become a powerhouse in live sports by carrying the NFL’s Thursday night games. It will also be the streaming platform for the NBA starting in the 2025-26 season. Live news could be the streamer’s next frontier.
But as of now, the election night program would be a one-time-only event and not part of a larger effort to get Prime Video into the TV news business, according to one person familiar with the discussions.
Amazon executives were persuaded to experiment with news as millions of young viewers who don’t watch traditional TV are expected to participate in the election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump. Many of them are turning to TikTok and YouTube as information sources.
Prime Video’s election coverage will originate from Amazon’s studio in Culver City and start streaming live starting an hour before the polls close Nov. 5. The plan is to keep Williams on the stream until a winner is called, although there is a possibility of a close race that could take several days to sort out.
Prime Video does not have its own news operation. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post, but the newspaper would not be formally involved in the project. Jonathan Wald, a veteran TV news producer and executive who worked closely with Williams at NBC, would oversee the production.
The program would be different from traditional election coverage. The operation supporting Williams would not have a decision desk that examines data and calls winners. Prime Video would depend on the state-by-state calls made by the Associated Press.
Prime Video’s coverage will be closer in style to the nightly MSNBC program “The 11th Hour With Brian Williams,” where the anchor debriefed reporters, historians and pundits on the day’s events. Williams gained a strong following among viewers who tuned in for his sharp wit and breezy conversational approach to topics.
“The 11th Hour” also rehabilitated Williams’ career. He moved to MSNBC in 2015 following a scandal over false statements he made about his experiences covering the Iraq war, which cost him the prestigious anchor position at “NBC Nightly News” he held for 10 years.