NBC News' new anchor is embracing his new role while focusing on family and the evolving media landscape.
Tom Llamas, who started working in the news business at age 15, has been traveling to local markets across the country to connect with news teams and listen to their perspectives.
"It's been a whirlwind, but it's also been great. I've been traveling a lot to different local markets and talking with our local news teams across the country," Llamas said.
He emphasized the importance of listening as a journalist, noting that it's crucial for telling people's stories effectively.
"I think it's important to know how to talk on television, but it's really important to be a good listener. I think the greats in our business have always been good listeners, because that's how you really tell people stories," Llamas said.
The new anchor reflected on his journey from starting as an intern to now leading the network's flagship news program.
"I started working in this business when I was 15 years old, and I haven't stopped since. I've lived in newsrooms for most of my life. It's incredible. It's an incredible opportunity," Llamas said.
Despite the demands of the new position, Llamas has found moments to celebrate with his family.
"We found time here and there for a good dinner and a quick vacation. But there's been so much news that it's also been sort of tough," Llamas said.
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He credits his wife, who also worked in the news business, as being "the rock" that keeps their family together during this transition period.
When asked about the relevance of network news in today's media environment, Llamas acknowledged the changing landscape while emphasizing NBC's multi-platform approach.
"Even though we don't have the same numbers maybe that we did a decade ago, I think people are still consuming news more than ever before. And so at NBC News, we focus not only on shows like Nightly News and Today Show and Dateline, but also on our website," Llamas said.
He noted that NBC News' digital presence has grown significantly, with their website sometimes outperforming major competitors.
"NBC news.com now on some days, beats the New York Times.com and beats CNN.com, so we've really invested in digital as well," Llamas said.
Llamas believes network news provides a crucial service in an era of information overload and misinformation.
"These are confusing times. I think the Nightly News is a place where people can go to to get the story, to get what's really going on, but also to learn something. We all have important decisions to make, and we want to give you the important information to make those decisions," Llamas said.
As both anchor and managing editor, Llamas emphasized the importance of a diverse newsroom that reflects all parts of America to provide proper context to stories.
"The newsroom should reflect the community. Our newsroom should look like all parts of America," Llamas said.
He also shared advice from his predecessor about balancing work and family life in such a demanding role.
"Everyone's going to want a piece of you now in this position. Your family and your job are going to both want you, and they're going to pull you in different directions," Llamas said.
Despite these challenges, Llamas expressed optimism about his new role and the support he's receiving from his family.
"My family is so excited about this. They're watching the news every night, maybe sometimes when they shouldn't, but they're watching every night, and everyone just is really excited and behind me," Llamas said.
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