Pat Burkey Named EP of ‘NBC Nightly News'

Longtime NBC News producer Pat Burkey has been named
executive producer of NBC Nightly News
with Brian Williams
, the network said Wednesday.

He replaces Bob Epstein, who on Tuesday moved over to theSpecials unit where he'll serve as VP under Mark Lukasiewicz.

In his new role, Burkey will oversee the top-ranked evening
newscast. He was most recently executive producer of the weekend editions of Nightly News and Today, positions he held since 2006 and 2009, respectively. 

"Pat Burkey has played a pivotal role at NBC News for
years," said NBC News president Steve Capus in a statement. "His diligent and
dynamic work propelled weekend Today
and weekend Nightly into phenomenal
successes, and I know his return to NBC
Nightly News
will not only continue the broadcast's reign at number one,
but will take it to new heights."

Burkey first joined NBC News in 1995 where he was involved
in the launch of MSNBC and worked with Williams previously as a producer on his
primetime cable program The News with
Brian Williams
.