NBC’s Tom Llamas climbed from 15-year-old intern to the top anchor chair—and still isn’t satisfied: ‘If you’re not growing, you’re dying’

As the face of NBC Nightly News, Tom Llamas has reached a milestone many journalists spend their entire careers pursuing: the anchor chair of one of America’s flagship evening newscasts. At 46, he’s following in the footsteps of the greats like Walter Cronkite, Tom Brokaw, and Lester Holt—the latter whom he succeeded last year. The role looks very different today from how it did during their eras, as traditional television news competes for relevance in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. Yet for Llamas, the career high has felt less like a finish line—and more like just another challenge to tackle. “I think as soon as you get comfortable—game over,” Llamas told Fortune. “I’m also just not wired that way. If you could interview 50 people that know me, and they will tell you that I’m never going to be satisfied.” That mindset has defined his first year leading one of television’s most recognizable news brands. Llamas has taken the broadcast far beyond its New York headquarters, reporting from Beijing, Jerusalem, and his hometown of Miami. He has interviewed President Donald Trump and soccer star Lionel Messi—all while competing in an ever-changing ratings battle. Nightly News typically draws just over 6 million viewers, compared with ABC’s roughly 7 million and CBS’s around 3.8 million. Even after the cameras stop rolling, however, Llamas remains focused on what comes next. Rather than dwelling on a successful broadcast, he spends his time dissecting what could have been done better—searching for ways to sharpen the journalism and better connect with audiences whose attention is increasingly divided across platforms. “I’m a firm believer that if you’re not growing, you’re dying,” Llamas said, adding that every single day, he’s thinking about improvement: “Did I watch the show yesterday? How could I get better? How could the show get better? How can I help the stories get better?” The secret to career success isn’t being the smartest pe