Hello to all my Nightly News and Dateline colleagues. I want to share with you a big decision I have made about my future at NBC News. A future that I’m happy to say will keep me here for years to come and doing what I love.
After 10 years, 17 if you include my years on the weekends, the time has come for me to step away from my role as anchor of Nightly News. It has truly been the honor of a lifetime to work with each of you every day, keeping journalism as our true north and our viewers at the center of everything we do.
But before we play the walk off music, I have another announcement. I’m excited to report I will be continuing as anchor of Dateline NBC, but for the first time in a fulltime capacity whereby I will be expanding my footprint on the broadcast and crafting Dateline hours on subjects I care deeply about. I am thrilled to be able to work more closely with my enormously talented friends at Dateline as the broadcast continues to grow and attract new viewers in new places.
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. 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.
All of you at Dateline and Nightly News are part of a formidable team, and in my opinion are the greatest group of journalists one could hope to work with. It is a true privilege.
Thank you in advance for your kindness and understanding during this transition.
I plan to continue anchoring Nightly through around the start of summer. As we get closer, I’ll of course firm up the date and keep all of you in the loop. In the meantime, to my Nightly friends, I look forward to sharing some banana pudding as is our send-off tradition!
With deep affection and admiration,
Lester
