NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� NBC's veteran is stepping down as anchor of the network's flagship 鈥淣ightly News鈥� broadcast in the coming months.
Holt, who has been the face of 鈥淣ightly News鈥� for a decade, won't be leaving NBC altogether, however. In a memo to staff Monday, he said he would be expanding his work on NBC's 鈥淒ateline," taking on a full-time role.
The transition is expected to take place early this summer. No firm date or successor for 鈥淣BC Nightly News鈥� has been named yet.
鈥淚t 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,鈥� Holt in his note thanking colleagues. 鈥淎 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.鈥�
Janelle Rodriguez, executive vice president of NBC News Programming, applauded Holt's legacy at 鈥淣ightly News鈥� and reiterated that the anchor will stay at NBC 鈥渇or years to come.鈥�
鈥淨uite simply, Lester is the beating heart of this news organization,鈥� Rodriguez wrote in a prepared statement.
Holt, 65, joined NBC back in 2000. He became the permanent anchor of "Nightly News鈥� in June 2015 鈥� after anchoring weekend editions of the show for eight years. And he has been the principal anchor of 鈥淒ateline鈥� since September 2011.
According to NBC, "Nightly News鈥� currently averages at around 7 million viewers each week. The network the roots of its flagship show , when NBC first began broadcasting regularly-scheduled news programming each night. And the 鈥淣BC Nightly News鈥� name was .
NBC's 鈥淒ateline鈥� series, currently in its 33rd season, debuted in 1992. The series has made a name for itself in true crime programming 鈥� which has expanded into a and some scripted television content, including a spinoff of But 鈥淒ateline鈥� also covers a mix of breaking news, investigative journalism and other human interest stories.
NBC isn't the only major news network to see a shift in its anchor line up this year. Holt's announcement arrives just weeks after Norah O鈥橠onnell's final broadcast of 鈥淐BS Evening News,鈥� for example, where she had . And, on NBC's dayside programming, Hoda Kotb's last day for 鈥淭oday鈥� was .
MSNBC, which is to NBC News once formally takes effect later this year, is also seeing some changes to its prime time line up. In a Monday memo to staff, MSNBC's new president Rebecca Kutler announced that 鈥� marking an end to the political analyst and anchor鈥檚 show, 鈥淭he ReidOut."
Wyatte Grantham-philips, The Associated Press
