It's been 20 years since any of the major networks successfully launched a news magazine."Dateline" broke through for NBC News back then, and Monday night it gets company. "Rock Center with Brian Williams" debuts at 10pm eastern.
"It will be a serious journalism, hard news magazine in the great tradition," Williams says. That means multiple, in depth stories each week, including one in the debut from Harry Smith about a midwest town coping with a labor shortage.
"Rock Center" correspondents include legendary newsman Ted Koppel, as well as an array of NBC News veterans including Kate Snow, Richard Engel Meredith Vieira, Matt Lauer and Ann Curry.
Williams will anchor each week's broadcast live to enable it to respond breaking news.
Monday's premiere will also include a story from Kate Snow about what's called "birth tourism".
NBC's new prime-time news magazine debuts on Monday. Mark Barger has an early look:
