Tom Brokaw is used to delivering the news, not being at the center of it. So when NBC News on Monday said remarks made by the longtime anchor on Sunday’s “Meet the Press” “were inaccurate and inappropriate and we’re glad he apologized,” it marked just the latest bump in a tumultuous news cycle for the veteran.
Brokaw sparked social-media opprobrium on Sunday when he appeared on NBC News’ flagship public-affairs program and said “that the Hispanics should work harder at assimilation.’ He added: “They ought not to be just codified in their communities but make sure that all their kids are learning to speak English, and that they feel comfortable in the communities,” he added.
Backlash was swift, drawing condemnation from Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.
“I am sorry, truly sorry. My comments were offensive to many,’ Brokaw said Sunday via Twitter, after some other attempts to apologize were rebuffed. “The great enduring American tradition of diversity is to be celebrated and cherished.” He added; “Let’s go forward together.”
NBC News has had to make tough calls recently after anchors made racially or culturally insensitive or offensive remarks. The NBCUniversal unit parted ways with morning anchor Megyn Kelly after she started a discussion about wearing blackface for Halloween during an October broadcast of the now-shuttered “Megyn Kelly Today.” In December, “Morning Joe” co-anchor Mika Brzezinski apologized on air after she used crass language with homophobic overtones to refer to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.