Exclusive! A woman takes over NBC Nightly News

While Brian Williams is away in Baghdad, trying to drum up ratings with stunt reporting, NBC News is about to announce the replacement for his Nightly News executive producer, who got the axe last week amid a ratings slide:

MEMO from Steve Capus
President, NBC News
Subject: Nighty News Executive Producer

NBC News, today, begins a new era with an outstanding announcement. Alex Wallace has been named executive producer of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. As you know, Alex has been my primary deputy in the front office, serving as a vice president responsible for news coverage, Nightly News, Specials and much more. Alex will continue to serve as a vice president while handling the executive producer's responsibilities. I'm thrilled for Alex, Nightly News, NBC Universal, and frankly, for women in our industry. This is a proud day across the board.

Enclosed is the press release we are about to send out, but I wanted to be sure you saw it first.

Alexandra Wallace has been named executive producer of "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams," it was announced today by NBC News President Steve Capus. Her appointment makes Wallace the first woman to lead a weeknight network evening newscast in a decade, and she becomes one of a small group of women to serve in the top post of a Big Three daily newscast. Wallace, whose appointment is effective immediately, will also continue to serve as NBC News Vice President. NBC News veteran producer Bob Epstein will continue to serve as senior broadcast producer for "Nightly News."

In making the announcement Capus said, "Alex has been an invaluable contributor to 'Nightly' and to the division as a whole since the day she arrived at NBC News. Giving her direct day-to-day responsibility ofour flagship broadcast makes sense in every way, and I know she will be a key part of our continued success."

Wallace replaces John Reiss, who has served as "Nightly News" executive producer since June 2005. Capus continued, "I want to thank John for his tremendous work at keeping 'Nightly' incredibly strong throughout his tenure - not only winning the ratings race every quarter since his arrival, but also for being instrumental in leading the program to win every major journalism award last year - an unprecedented achievement."

Wallace was first named Vice President of NBC News in January 2006. In that capacity she has had oversight for a number of areas in the News Division, including NBC Special Reports, newsgathering and executive oversight of "NBC Nightly News."

Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor said, "Alex is a pro, and a there is no one better qualified to lead this broadcast. She is the right person in the right job at the right time, and we're lucky to have her."

"I am honored to have been asked to take on this new role," said Wallace. "'Nightly News' has the best team of journalists in the business and I cannot wait to get started."

Prior to being named Vice President, NBC News, Wallace served as executive producer "Weekend Today" and senior producer of "Today" beginning in March 2005. Under her direction, "Weekend Today" provided extensive coverage of major news events including Hurricane Katrina and the death of Pope John Paul II. During her time as executive producer, "Weekend Today" ratings remained dominant and "Saturday Today" was number one across the board.

Wallace came to NBC News from CBS News where she was a senior broadcast producer for CBS' "The Early Show" starting in May 2000. Before that, she was a senior producer for both "The Early Show" and "CBS This Morning." From 1996 to 1998, Wallace was producer for the "CBS Evening News with Dan Rather." From 1990 to 1996, Wallace served as an associate producer for "CBS This Morning," "48 Hours" and the CBS foreign desk. She began her network career at the CBS News London bureau.

She has been honored with six News and Documentary Emmy awards.

Wallace graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Columbia University and lives in New York City with her husband and two children.