NBC Voice Addresses USCC Corps

Tom Brokaw, legendary NBC newscaster and author of The Greatest Generation, addressed a cadet-packed Robinson Auditorium on Tuesday, April 23, as part of the Department of Social Sciences’ Class of 1952 Distinguished Lecture Series. Professor and Department Head Colonel Cindy Jebb ’82 introduced Brokaw to the Corps by referencing a line from his own 2006 Thayer Award acceptance speech: “Warriors and journalists come from the same gene pool.” Brokaw himself warmed up to the crowd by saying that he was happy to be back at the United States Military Academy, joking, “if I were at the Air Force Academy I’d have to speak more slowly and use shorter words.” Jebb asked Brokaw a series of questions about his experiences in media, paying particular attention to issues surrounding the recent wars, before turning the discussion over to questions from the audience. One cadet asked Brokaw about the impact of social media technology on journalism—“Very transformative,” he said, “but we need to have a national dialogue about the best use of this technology and its impact.” Another asked about media bias and the quality of journalism today. Brokaw surprisingly remarked that objectivity is a “canard,” but that viewers have a responsibility and an obligation to be critical consumers. “You have to put as much effort into where you get your news as you do when buying running shoes or a flat-screen TV,” Brokaw said. Prior to the lecture, Brokaw attended a private luncheon at the Department of Social Sciences with members from the Class of 1952 and 13 cadets who were picked by course heads to be representatives of the SOSH major. He thanked the Department for inviting him to speak and said that he remains personally committed to efforts started with his 1998 book—to make the civilian population aware of the obligation of the military and to create an enduring template for bridging the civilian-military gap.