TOM BETTAG NAMED PRODUCER, "ROCK CENTER WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS"

New NBC News Newsmagazine Premieres Monday, October 31 at 10pm

October 26, 2011 - New York, NY - NBC News today announced that Tom Bettag has joined "Rock Center with Brian Williams" as a segment producer. During his distinguished career, Bettag has served as Executive Producer at CBS News, ABC News, and CNN, but at NBC News, Bettag will return to his journalistic roots, producing top-notch pieces for "Rock Center with Brian Williams." The announcement was made today by Steve Capus, President of NBC News.

"Tom Bettag has one of the best reputations in television news," said Rome Hartman, executive producer. "The fact that he has decided to join the 'Rock Center' producing corps is another indication of the incredible talent we're attracting, both on camera and behind the scenes."

"You can't work in network television news without knowing the work -- or the legacy of Tom Bettag," said Brian Williams. "He was present at the creation of many of the production techniques we use today, and some of the titanic stories of the last few decades. He has worked with giants, always with modesty. We are flattered that he wants to be a part of us."

Most recently, Bettag was the senior executive producer of CNN's "State of the Union with Candy Crowley" and "Reliable Sources." In Bettag's more than four decades in journalism, he has also served as executive producer of "CBS Evening News" with Dan Rather, of ABC's "Nightline" with Ted Koppel, and of "Koppel on Discovery" on the Discovery Channel.

Throughout his career, Bettag has earned six duPont-Columbia University Silver Baton Awards, three Overseas Press Club Awards and 30 Emmy Awards. In 2004, Bettag was honored with Quinnipiac University's Fred Friendly Award, which recognizes those who have shown courage and forthrightness in preserving the rights of the First Amendment.

Bettag earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and a graduate degree from Columbia University's School of Journalism. He lives with his wife in Washington D.C. and they have two sons and two grandchildren.

Broadcast live from the historic Studio 3B in Rockefeller Center, the weekly, hour-long newsmagazine will be built around the week's most provocative events, compelling coverage, and newsmaker interviews. In this new venue, Williams and NBC's trusted global news division will take viewers deeper into the world's most talked-about stories -- and raise the curtain on stories begging to be told.

In addition to the weekly primetime broadcast, there will be constantly evolving digital editions of "Rock Center with Brian Williams" available online at RockCenterNBC.com and via the show's iPad app.