NBCUniversal suspends lying news anchor Brian Williams of NBC Nightly News on CNBC Africa for half a year without pay, calls it a 'painful period'.

NBCUniversal has suspended the lying American news anchor Brian Williams of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams for half a year and without pay, calling the swirling scandal a "painful period".

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams is broadcast nightly on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) in South Africa and the rest of the continent at 01:30.

A firestorm erupted last week after Brian Williams was forced to do a bad on-air apology for "misremembering" after he lied and said he was in a helicopter that was shot at in Iraq during the Iraq war - something which didn't happen.

Several other incidents of Brian Williams "misremembering" has since come to light, damaging his reputation as well as the credibility of NBC News and the NBC Nightly News. 

Speculation is swirling about whether Brian Williams will be replaced permanently.

"By his actions, Brian Williams has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News," says Stephen P. Burke, the CEO of NBCUniversal in a statement. "His actions are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate."

"We have decided today to suspend Brian Williams as managing editor and anchor of NBC Nightly News for six months. The suspension will be without pay and is effective immediately," NBC News president Deborah Turness told NBC News staff in an email.

"We let Brian know of our decision earlier today. Lester Holt will continue to substitute anchor the NBC Nightly News. As managing editor and anchor of Nightly News, Brian has a responsibility to be truthful and to uphold the high standards of the news division at all times."

"While on Nightly News on Friday, January 30, 2015, Brian misrepresented events which occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003. It then became clear that on other occasions Brian had done the same while telling that story in other venues. This was wrong and completely inappropriate for someone in Brian’s position".

NBCUniversal has launched an internal review of Brian Williams and the things he's said during interviews about stories he's covered.

FASCINATING STORY. The Who Wants to be a Millionaire? producer who gave it up to go and help in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (broadcast daily on CNBC Africa, DStv 410) had a fascinating story on Thursday night from international correspondent Ann Curry who travelled to the violence-torn Central African Republic (CAR) to talk to the Who Wants to be a Millionaire? TV producer who became a humanitarian.

In a fascinating and brilliant piece of television journalism, Ann Curry did the kind of story which South African viewers should be seeing on our own country's three 24-hour TV news channels in their coverage of Africa, but don't.

Ann Curry talked to Lindis Hurum, former producer of Norway's TV game show Who Wants to be a Millionare? but who left it behind to travel to the Central African Republic and the capital city of Bangui to help the people in this desperate place.

Violence erupted in the Central African Republic last March since a coup took place there; violence which recently intensified. Bangui airport in the capital has the country's biggest camp for displaced people, and this is where Lindis Hurum works.

More than a million people have so far fled their homes to escape the violence and of those 100 000 people fled to Bangui airport.

"At the end of the day its just a TV show. And I wanted to do something more with my life," Lindis Hurum told Ann Curry about why she left Norway and travelled to this desperate place.

She's now with Doctors Without Borders, building a 50 bed hospital, helping lost children, doing vaccinations, and runs a makeshift clinic which treats 400 people a day.

Maria Shriver returns to NBC News, will appear on MSNBC, CNBC Africa and NBC Nightly News.

Maria Shriver is returning to NBC News.

Maria Shriver used to be a TV correspondent for NBC News in America, and is the wife of, but is currently separated from, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

South African viewers will soon start to Maria Shriver again on NBC News with Brian Williams (seen on CNBC Africa, DStv 410, daily at 00:30), the 24-hour business news TV channel CNBC which means CNBC Africa (DStv 410) due to content sharing, and she will be doing stories for the 24-hour American TV news channel MSNBC (TopTV 410) as well.

In a press statement NBC News says Maria Shriver will be "reporting on the shifting roles, emerging power and evolving needs of women in modern life."

"Through a series of special projects, prime-time reports and appearances across multiple NBCUniversal properties – including NBC News, CNBC, MSNBC Maria Shriver will examine the profound impact that women's rising influence and leadership has had on all aspects of American culture and society."

"I've always believed that television can inspire and elevate humanity, and that's my mission with this new partnership," says Maria Shriver in the statement.

"I look forward to shining a light on all areas of a woman's experience – from faith and finances, wellness and work, to relationships and the new realities of modern life - and exploring these issues in a way that brings the voices of men into these critically important conversations."

BREAKING. 'Eery', 'shock to many', as Tropika Island of Treasure and Reeva Steenkamp makes the main news in America on NBC Nightly News and CBS Evening News.

Tropika Island of Treasure 5 which started on Saturday night on SABC1 with the now dead Reeva Steenkamp as a contestant made the main television news on America's big daily news bulletins on Saturday night there, the NBC Nightly News and the CBS Evening News.

Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead just two days prior, early on Thursday morning, in the home of the Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, who is facing a charge of premeditated murder.

On Saturday night both the NBC Nightly News (seen in South Africa on CNBC Africa) and CBS Evening News (seen in South Africa on Sky News) featured Tropika Island of Treasure 5 and Reeva Steenkamp prominently in the serious news bulletins.

Both serious news bulletins covered how South Africans are watching Tropika Island of Treasure 5 after the producers decided to go ahead with showing the advertiser-funded production (AFP) featuring the dead model.

NBC Nightly News and the CBS Evening News called it "eery" and "a shock to many" to describe the news as South African viewers watched Reeva Steenkamp in Tropika Island of Treasure 5 on Saturday on SABC1.

The Oscar Pistorius story and Tropika Island of Treasure 5 was the second lead story Saturday night on the NBC Nightly News in America with Michelle Kosinski of NBC News who reported from South Africa and from in front of the police station and jail in Pretoria where Oscar Pistorius is being held.

"A production company decided to air the first segment of a television show his girlfriend starred in and was excited about. This is a first look at model Reeva Steenkamp's first television show" said Michelle Kosinski. "Yet now it seems eery to see and hear someone, now gone, who was only days ago savouring life."

"The way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and you make your exit is so important. You either made an impact in a negative or a positive way," said Reeva Steenkamp in another of the clips from Tropika Island of Treasure 5 seen on the news broadcast.

"She was our mommy. She was our mom and she was always making sure that everyone was okay," Katlego Molai, a Tropika Island of Treasure contestant, told NBC Nightly News on Saturday evening.

"It has been a shock to many - especially seeing Reeva in life on their television screens," said Michelle Kosinski.

The Oscar Pistorius murder charge and Tropika Island of Treasure 5 was the second main lead story on the CBS Evening News on Saturday night as well.

The CBS Evening News also showed South Africans watching "the reality TV show that aired tonight". "The producers decided to go ahead despite her death. The family agree, even as they plan her private memorial."

FIRST LOOK. New set for the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, weeknights on CNBC Africa.

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, weeknights on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) at 00:30, just got a brand-new set.

The new NBC Nightly News set replaces the previous one which was used for exactly 4 years since 22 October 2007 and is housed in the 30 Rockefeller building in New York.

BREAKING. After an absence of months, the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and Meet the Press return to CNBC Africa.

You're reading it here first.

Both the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams as well as the weekly show Meet the Press with David Gregory will be back on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) from this week.

This past Tuesday I was first RIGHT HERE with the news that both shows are set to return to the business channel imminently, and now I can tell you that it will indeed be so. The NBC Night News with Brian Williams will return to CNBC Africa from tomorrow/Tuesday morning at 00:30 South African time, an hour earlier than before when the show disappeared. America's daily news show with the highest viewership in America will once again be going out at this new time on weeknights.

Meet the Press will return as well and my CNBC Africa source says it will probably be its old time slot again, meaning midnights on Sunday nights. As I've said previously, both shows were yanked due to technical CNBC Europe content rights squabbles, who is now trying again. With these shows now again being available for CNBC Europe, they're also available for CNBC Africa.

BREAKING. NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams set to return to CNBC Africa later in July.

You're reading it here first.

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams that very silently and quiety disappeared off of CNBC Africa (DStv 410) without the channel saying a word, might be back on CNBC Africa later this month.

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams disappeared in April without as much as a peep from CNBC Africa when the daily half hour American news bulletin was yanked by CNBC Europe whose channel feed CNBC Africa uses from about midnight until morning. CNBC Europe pulled the daily broadcast which also affected CNBC Africa's schedule, apparently because of technical broadcasting rights issues (too much syndicated content in the bulletin from Europe - which is fine for America, but then can't be shown again within Europe.)

The second of America's three prime daily news bulletins, the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric remains on Sky News (DStv 402). I'm awaiting word from CNBC Africa about the possibility of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams returning later in July.

BREAKING. CNBC Africa pulls the NBC Nightly News.

You're reading it here first.

I can reveal first that CNBC Africa (DStv 410) has removed the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams immediately from the schedule for the next two weeks. And I can also tell you why.

Why? Well of course NBC in America has the broadcasting rights for the Winter Olympic Games from Vancouver, Canada and the nightly American news bulletin is filled with footage from the event. Of course CNBC Europe and CNBC Africa don't have the broadcasting rights to the games and therefore can't show the news bulletin - portions would not be allowed, and therefore they're rather ditching the whole half hour.

I watch the bulletin daily - as I do with all three major American TV news bulletins, but I download it as a podcast, for free. You can get it too, RIGHT HERE.