Networks keep journalists in Japan during nuclear crisis

MSNBC host Chris Jansing told viewers Friday morning that she and her crew were evacuated from Tokyo the day before.

Jansing, anchoring from New York City, aired a segment showing her crew leaving the country amid the nuclear crisis caused by last week's deadly earthquake and tsunami. "This is strange," Jansing added. "It's a little hard. We're not wired to go away when a story is happening. It's a very rare situation."

Although Jansing's story might make it seem as if MSNBC was evacuating all of its news personnel, that's not the case.

"NBC News and MSNBC are not evacuating people," a spokeswoman told The Cutline, pointing out that Robert Bazell, Ann Curry and Ian Williams are still in the country, along with their crews. The network cut back staff in the country when the story moved from the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami to a nuclear crisis. Jansing and Lester Holt weren't evacuated, they were part of that downsizing.

Other networks still have a presence in the country. Fox News' Shepard Smith is still in Japan, where he'll anchor a special this weekend, along with correspondents Greg Palkot and David Piper. UPDATE: Fox News sends word that Smith is actually en route back from Japan, where he had pre-taped this weekend's special report.

Anderson Cooper will host his 10 p.m. CNN show from Tokyo on Friday night and the cable news network continues to have reporting teams throughout the country. ABC News' Clarissa Ward and David Wright, along with the rest of their respective teams, are still reporting from Japan. CBS News correspondents Lucy Craft and Bill Whitaker, and their teams have also remained in Tokyo.

(Tokyo Tower and other downtown buildings keep lights off on March 18, 2011: Gregory Bull/AP)