Brian Williams' 'News' is one of NBC's few hits

NEW YORK — Forget Jay Leno. Maybe NBC should have considered Brian Williams for a prime-time job.

The week before last, Williams' "Nightly News" was seen by an average of 10.1 million viewers each evening. Not only was that more than Leno, it beat every other program NBC showed in prime time all week, with "The Biggest Loser" closest at 9.7 million, the Nielsen Co. said.

That's not bad for a format — the network evening newscast — considered on its deathbed longer than most college students have been alive. It's equally impressive for NBC News, which has thrived even though everything else at the network is falling apart.

Both the "Today" show and Williams' flag-shift newscast have increased already substantial leads in the ratings over second-place broadcasts on ABC News since each of those competitors switched anchors in December.

Five years into his job, competing with ABC's Diane Sawyer and CBS' Katie Couric, Williams is now the dean of evening news anchors.