Ep 483. Wed, Dec 17, 2014

On December 17, 2014, the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams aired its 483rd episode of season 44. The show began with coverage of the ongoing tensions between the United States and North Korea, specifically regarding the recent cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment. Correspondent Andrea Mitchell reported on the U.S. government's attribution of the attack to North Korea and the Obama administration's considerations of potential responses.

Next, the Nightly News featured a story about the potential impact of falling oil prices on the U.S. economy. Correspondent Tom Costello explained how lower prices at the pump could benefit consumers but could also lead to job losses in the energy industry and slowdowns in states that rely heavily on oil revenue such as Texas and North Dakota.

The show then shifted to coverage of the aftermath of the police shooting of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy from Cleveland, Ohio, who was playing with a toy gun when he was killed by police. Correspondent Stephanie Gosk reported on the reactions of the boy's family and community activists, as well as the investigations into the shooting and the actions of the police officers involved.

In a lighter segment, the Nightly News featured a story about a group of reindeer that had been brought to Chicago to help spread holiday cheer. Correspondent Kevin Tibbles reported on the reactions of city residents to the sight of the reindeer in downtown Chicago.

The show also included a report on the ongoing unrest in Ukraine, with correspondent Richard Engel providing updates on the fighting between Ukrainian military forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine as well as the diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

Finally, the Nightly News ended with a segment about the changing face of beauty pageants, featuring interviews with contestants and organizers of the Miss World competition. Correspondent Harry Smith explored how the pageant has evolved to be more inclusive of diverse body types, backgrounds, and talents.

Overall, the December 17th episode of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams covered a range of topics, from international conflict to local shootings to holiday cheer, while also highlighting the changing attitudes towards traditional institutions like oil production and beauty pageants.