Brian Williams is an American television journalist best known for his work with NBC and MSNBC. He was born on May 5, 1959, in Ridgewood, New Jersey, United States, and grew up in Middletown Township, New Jersey. He attended Brookdale Community College, The Catholic University of America, and, later, George Washington University, but did not earn a degree. 

Williams began his broadcasting career in the early 1980s, working at local television stations before moving into national journalism. He joined NBC News in 1993 and became the chief White House correspondent in 1996. In 1999, he became anchor and managing editor of The News with Brian Williams, and in 2004, succeeded Tom Brokaw as anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News. 

He left NBC in 2015 and transitioned to MSNBC, where he launched The 11th Hour with Brian Williams in 2016. In 2021, he stepped down from MSNBC after nearly 28 years with NBCUniversal. In 2024, he joined Amazon Prime Video as the host of election night coverage. He is married to television producer Jane Gillan Stoddard, and they have two children, including actress Allison Williams.