The problem with Brian Williams's foggy memory

Lie. Conflate. Misremember. Whatever you call it, NBC News anchor Brian Williams, thanks to his own doing, is deep in the muck.

The man described recently by his boss as the most trusted journalist of our time is accused of betraying that trust and breaking the first rule of journalism. That is — Get it right!

How could this have happened? Certainly, he's not the first journalist to be exposed playing loose with the facts.

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Experts may theorize about the "fog of memory" — Williams's term for why he said what he said — but I find it hard to imagine how the memory of what happened in the Iraqi desert that day wouldn't be crystal clear, even 12 years on.

If a helicopter you're travelling in is hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and forced to land, it would be seared in your mind.

Rich Krell, a veteran helicopter pilot who was widely quoted as being part of the crew when Williams flew (though he later admitted his memory might also be playing tricks), told CNN, "We were all scared, that's the truth."

And maybe fear feeds that fog Williams speaks about. But in the immediate aftermath, even his own reporting didn't put him in the helicopter that was hit by the grenade.

In the years that followed, it is possible that Williams simply became caught up in what he thought was a more compelling story.

Krell seemed to cut Williams some slack when he said "After a while with combat stories, you just go, 'whatever'."

Nevertheless, Williams has spoken often about his respect and honour for those American soldiers who risk and lose their lives.

Now, this conflation of events, to perhaps tell a better story, clouds the sincerity of that sentiment.

Journalists also risk their lives, and some die, covering war and conflict.

They, too, are hurt by his inflation of his own role in this retelling, not to mention his laxity with the facts.

Williams is the face of NBC news — the anchor and managing editor of the flagship news program for one of the most respected TV news organizations in the world.

Those who hold that position in any news organization should be held to the highest standards.

They are not just representing themselves, but also all those reporters, producers, editors, and video journalists who actually get the program on the air every night.

So it is not just his own credibility that has been affected, he has damaged that of his colleagues, too. What's more, given his profile, some would argue he's hurt journalists everywhere.

Now, Williams's friendly, funny appearances on Saturday Night Live and other talk shows, will likely have a different kind of edge.

Both Williams and NBC appear to be hoping the furor will eventually die down.

Williams is, after all, touted as the most popular news anchor in the U.S. His program, the Nightly News, tops the ratings.

Reportedly a $10-million-a-year guy, Williams likely isn't going anywhere. To borrow a phrase, he's too big to fail. Or is he?

Alison Smith is a former CBC network news anchor and correspondent for both TV and radio.