Brokaw sets departure date

Tom Brokaw, the face of "NBC Nightly News" since 1983, will retire Dec. 1, the network said Monday.

Brian Williams, who was named Brokaw's successor in May 2002, is expected to take over the next evening as anchor and managing editor of the show. Williams joined NBC News in 1993.

Brokaw, a former host of NBC's "Today" show and White House correspondent who joined NBC News in 1966, had been expected to retire at some point after November's U.S. presidential election.