Last Friday night, as NBC was beginning its coverage of the Vancouver Olympics, legendary newsman Tom Brokaw did a feature on the long relationship between the United States and Canada.
Brokaw’s moving feature was a huge hit, as it struck an emotional chord with viewers in both countries. When I contacted him in Vancouver he was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response to his feature.
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JW » When you set out to put together your feature on the long relationship between the U.S. and Canada, did you have any idea that people from both countries would be so touched by your work?
Brokaw » No. But as I began to work on it I realized that the combination of natural wonders, long cooperative relationship, shared values and immigrant roots bound us together in a manner unmatched in the history of neighbors. And we need to be reminded of that, especially when there is so much global strife.
JW » NBC has been getting record ratings. Do you think that people, in these tough times, are looking for an uplifting story — the type that seems to happen at the Olympic Games?
Brokaw » I think people are looking for the uplifting story — and more of them are staying home these days because of bad weather and economics. And, to brag on my NBC Sports brothers and sisters, they’re simply the best at this.
JW » What sports do you like to follow at the Olympic Games?
Brokaw » As a skier, I’m always drawn to the alpine events — and I love all the new boarding events. But I’ll never forget the night in Salt Lake City when I watched Sara Hughes light up the ice and win the gold.
Brokaw, a reporter, anchor and bestselling author, is one of the greatest storytellers of a generation. Few people can paint pictures with their words as well as he can. Brokaw, by the way, is enjoying his stint as a sports storyteller. His features can be seen on the “Today Show” and in primetime.
Many readers have asked me about seeing a replay of the Brokaw feature. The fine folks at NBC Sports public relations assure me that it will be posted on NBCOlympics.com very soon. In the meantime, you should visit the site for hours of interviews, highlights, video on demand and live streaming of events.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on washingtonexaminer.com.
