Tom Brokaw facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tom Brokaw
Brokaw in 2015
Born	Thomas John Brokaw (1940-02-06) February 6, 1940 (age 85) Webster, South Dakota, U.S.
Education	University of South Dakota (BA)
Occupation	Television journalist author
Years active	1960–2021
Employer	NBC (1966–2021)
Notable credit(s)	Today co-anchor (1976–1981) NBC Nightly News anchor (1982–2004) NBC News Special Correspondent (2004–2021) Meet the Press moderator (2008)
Term	Anchor of NBC Nightly News
Predecessor	John Chancellor
Successor	Brian Williams
Spouse(s)	Meredith Auld ​ (m. 1962)​
Children	3
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Thomas John Brokaw (born February 6, 1940) is an American author and a retired television journalist. He is well-known for his long career at NBC News. He was a co-anchor of The Today Show from 1976 to 1981. Later, he became the main anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News for 22 years, from 1982 to 2004.

Brokaw is the only person to have hosted all three major NBC News programs. These include The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and, for a short time, Meet the Press. He was considered one of the "Big Three" U.S. news anchors during the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. The other two were Peter Jennings at ABC News and Dan Rather at CBS News. All three hosted their networks' main nightly news shows for over 20 years.

Besides his journalism work, Brokaw has written several books about American history. His most famous book is The Greatest Generation (1998). In 2021, NBC announced that Brokaw would retire after 55 years with the network. This made him one of the longest-serving anchors at the same news network in the world.

Brokaw has received many awards and honors. These include two Peabody Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Barack Obama gave him this medal in 2014. He also received the French Legion of Honor in 2016.

Early Life and Education

Brokaw (left) greeting the 20,000th visitor to the Gavins Point Dam in 1958. Brokaw worked as a tour guide there.

Tom Brokaw was born in Webster, South Dakota. His mother, Eugenia "Jean" Conley, worked in sales and at a post office. His father, Anthony Orville "Red" Brokaw, was a construction foreman. Tom was the oldest of three sons.

His family moved often because of his father's job with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. They lived in different towns in South Dakota, like Bristol, Igloo, and Pickstown. They finally settled in Yankton, where Brokaw went to high school.

While in high school, Brokaw was involved in student government. He even went to New York City with the South Dakota Governor, Joe Foss, for a TV show. This experience helped him build a long friendship with Foss. Brokaw later wrote about Foss in his book The Greatest Generation.

Brokaw first attended the University of Iowa. He later transferred to the University of South Dakota. He graduated in 1962 with a degree in political science. In 2010, he received an honorary degree from the University of Iowa. He also donated his personal papers to their library.

Broadcasting Career Highlights

Early Years in Television News

Brokaw interviewing President Gerald Ford in 1976.

Brokaw's television career started at local TV stations in Iowa, Nebraska, and Georgia. In 1966, he joined NBC News. He worked as a reporter in Los Angeles. In 1973, NBC made him their White House correspondent. In this role, he covered important events like the Watergate scandal. He also anchored the Saturday editions of Nightly News.

From 1976 to 1981, Brokaw was a co-host of NBC's Today Show with Jane Pauley. He later revealed that he was offered a job as the White House Press Secretary in 1969. However, he turned it down to continue his journalism career. In 2019, Brokaw wrote a book about his experiences covering the Watergate scandal. The book is called The Fall of Richard Nixon: A Reporter Remembers Watergate.

Leading NBC Nightly News

Brokaw with Nancy Reagan at the Republican National Convention in August 1984.

On April 5, 1982, Brokaw began co-anchoring NBC Nightly News. He worked with Roger Mudd from New York. After a year, he became the sole anchor of the program. NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw started on September 5, 1983.

During his time as anchor, Brokaw covered many major news events. These included the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Hurricane Andrew.

Brokaw preparing for a live broadcast after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

One of his biggest moments was on November 9, 1989. He was the first English-language journalist to report the Fall of the Berlin Wall. He interviewed an East German official who said people could cross the border "immediately." Brokaw then reported live from the Brandenburg Gate as people celebrated.

As anchor, Brokaw also conducted the first one-on-one American TV interviews with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In 1996, a man named Richard Jewell was wrongly suspected in the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. NBC News, including Brokaw, reported on the speculation. Jewell later sued NBC News. The network agreed to pay Jewell $500,000.

Brokaw with Vladimir Putin before an interview on June 2, 2000.

On September 11, 2001, Brokaw anchored NBC's coverage all day and into the night. He continued to report on the attacks for the next two days. Later that month, a letter with anthrax was sent to him as part of the 2001 anthrax attacks. Brokaw was not harmed, but two NBC News employees became ill.

In 2002, NBC announced that Brokaw would retire as anchor of NBC Nightly News after the 2004 Presidential election. He was succeeded by Brian Williams. Brokaw gave his final Nightly News broadcast on December 1, 2004. He thanked viewers and talked about the importance of working together.

By the end of his time as anchor, Brokaw was very popular. Nightly News was the top-rated nightly news program. Brokaw, Jennings, and Rather were famous for traveling the world to cover major events. Their retirements and Jennings's death marked the end of an era in TV news.

After Nightly News

Brokaw in 2006 speaking about the attack on Pearl Harbor.

After leaving the anchor chair, Brokaw continued to work for NBC as a Special Correspondent. He provided reports for Nightly News. He also worked as an analyst during the 2008 presidential election. He moderated a debate between Barack Obama and John McCain.

In 2008, Brokaw temporarily hosted Meet the Press after the sudden death of its moderator, Tim Russert. He was later succeeded by David Gregory.

Brokaw serves on the boards of several important organizations. These include the Council on Foreign Relations and the Mayo Clinic. He also provides voiceovers for University of Iowa advertisements.

In 2014, a new broadcast facility at Universal Studios Hollywood was named the Brokaw News Center in his honor. In November 2014, President Barack Obama presented Brokaw with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is America's highest award for civilians. He was honored for being "the chronicler of the Greatest Generation."

On January 22, 2021, NBC announced Brokaw's retirement after 55 years. This made him one of the longest-serving news anchors at a single network.

Personal Life

Tom Brokaw has been married to author Meredith Lynn Auld since 1962. They have three daughters: Jennifer, Andrea, and Sarah. They spend a lot of time at their ranch near Livingston, Montana.

In August 2013, Brokaw was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. This is a type of blood cancer that can be treated. He continued to work for NBC during his treatments. In December 2014, he announced that his cancer was in remission. His 2015 book, A Lucky Life Interrupted: A Memoir of Hope, is about his experience battling cancer.

Career Timeline

• 1960–1962: KTIV-TV Newscaster, weatherman, and staff announcer
• 1962–1965: KMTV-TV Reporter
• 1965: Anchor of WSB-TV late-evening news
• 1966–2021: NBC News
  • 1966–1972: NBC News West Coast correspondent and KNBC anchor
  • 1973–1976: White House correspondent and Saturday anchor of NBC Nightly News
  • 1976–1981: Today Show co-anchor
  • 1982–1983: NBC Nightly News co-anchor
  • 1983–2004: NBC Nightly News anchor
  • 2004–2021: Special correspondent
  • 2004–2021: Contributing anchor
  • 2008: Meet the Press moderator (interim)

Awards and Honors

Tom Brokaw has received many awards throughout his career. He has won seven Emmy Awards.

Honorary Degrees

See also

In Spanish: Tom Brokaw para niños

• New Yorkers in journalism