Brian Williams will cover election night on Amazon Prime's First News

Former NBC News star Brian Williams is finalizing a deal to anchor live coverage of the presidential election results for Amazon's Prime Video, in the streamer's first attempt at live news coverage, according to two people familiar with the plans.

Williams, 65, has been off television since leaving her professional home of 28 years in 2021. He has spoken to several networks and streaming services about projects, but this is the first to come to fruition He will remain in his comfort zone at Prime Video, as he led NBC's presidential election night programming in 2008 and 2012 and its cable network MSNBC's coverage in 2016 and 2020.

A representative for Prime Video declined to comment. But those briefed on the matter said a deal was imminent.

Deep-pocketed Amazon's entry into live news coverage won't be a welcome development for legacy TV networks, which are struggling to maintain their financial footing as audiences shift to streaming. Almost every news operation is looking to cut costs after the 2024 election.

In recent years, Prime Video has become a powerhouse in live sports, carrying the NFL's Thursday night games. It will also be the NBA's streaming platform starting in the 2025-26 season. Live news could be the streamer's next frontier.

But for now, the election night show will be a one-time show and not part of a larger effort to bring Prime Video into the TV news business, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

Amazon executives were prompted to test the news as millions of young viewers who don't watch traditional TV are expected to tune in to the election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump. Many of them are turning to TikTok and YouTube as sources of information.

Prime Video's election coverage will begin from Amazon's studios in Culver City and will begin streaming live one hour before the polls close on Nov. 5. The plan is to keep Williams on stream until the winner is called, though there is a possibility of closure. Races that may take days to arrange.

Prime Video does not have its own news operation. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post, but the newspaper will not be officially involved in the project. Jonathan Wald, a veteran TV news producer and executive who worked closely with Williams at NBC, will oversee production.

The program will differ from traditional election coverage. The operation supporting Williams won't have a decision desk that checks the data and calls the winners. Prime Video will depend on state-by-state calls made by The Associated Press.

Prime Video's coverage will coincide with the nightly MSNBC program “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams,” where the anchor briefed reporters, historians and pundits on the day's events. Williams gained a strong following among audiences for his sharp wit and engaging conversational approach.

“The 11th Hour” rehabilitated Williams' career. He moved to MSNBC in 2015 after a scandal involving false statements about his experience covering the Iraq War, which led to his 10 years in the prestigious anchor position on “NBC Nightly News.”