There was a time — a time before the Internet — when the news anchor reigned supreme; when people believed everything they heard on TV. This was an age where people actually watched the news and, at the National Broadcasting Company, one man was watched more than the rest. His name is Tom Brokaw.
Although his supposedly Ambien-fueled slurring on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” gained Brokaw infamy among the younger generation, there was a time when the magnitude of a news event was judged by whether or not Brokaw covered it.
Brokaw is the only person to ever host all three major NBC news programs: “Meet the Press,“ “The Today Show“ and “NBC Nightly News.“ He is also an author, whose books include “Time of Our Lives: a Conversation about America” and “The Greatest Generation.”
At his peak, Brokaw was to television journalists as the Rolling Stones were to rock musicians. He brought about an era in which the industry was dominated by a select few lavishly paid and widely influential news anchors.
Brokaw is a living piece of history. The first man to conduct one-on-one interviews with Soviet leaders Mikhail Gorbachev and Vladimir Putin, Brokaw has presided over some of the most momentous events of the last few decades.
Upon arriving at the scene of the second tower collapse on Sept. 11, 2001, he famously uttered, “This is war.”
Later that year, Brokaw was also the target of the infamous anthrax attacks, although he was not harmed.
The Guilford community will have an opportunity to engage in a bit of journalistic history on Thursday, Nov. 29, at War Memorial Auditorium, where Brokaw will speak as part of the Bryan Series.
Ticket registration for the Brokaw event is Nov. 5–9, which makes Friday the last day to register for tickets.
Faculty and staff may register for up to two free tickets, while students may get one. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Email [email protected] to register.
“This is the authoritative voice in television journalism for my parents’ generation,” said senior Taylor Sutton. “I don’t want to miss this one.”
