Scott Vazin: "We need to make sure all voices are heard"

“There are many diverse and divergent opinions in society. We need to make sure all voices are heard, so no one group stands above another”, said Scott Vazin, Vice President and North American chief communications officer of Toyota Motor Corporation. 

Vazin spoke those words at the 2020 AFC-USA scholarship awards ceremony, live-streamed on Dec. 22. Vazin also shared his hopes for the future of journalism and announced the winners of the Toyota scholarship. 

“In our business, it’s critical to provide accurate and factual information, but with the rise of social media and a 24-hour news cycle, we’ve seen the importance of factual, non-biased opinions declining,” Vazin said. “We need to make sure the next generation is doing what they can to tell better stories that are more engaging, help improve the way society is informed, and ensure our first amendment rights are never eliminated.”

Vazin has been a part of the communications business for about three decades. Over the years, he’s become saddened to witness a change in journalism and reporting. Toyota partnered with AFC-USA to help combat this unethical journalistic pattern. Toyota is a multinational automotive manufacturer. Vazin and the North American Toyota branch are premium sponsors and supporters of the AFC-USA, their scholarship, and programs. AFC and Toyota share the values for respect of people and continuous improvement.

Regarding the three recipients of the Toyota scholarship awards, Vazin said: “Reading the resumes of our scholarship recipients. I’m blown away by the depth and breadth of their studies and experiences. And have no doubt they will set the benchmarks for their chosen fields.”

Vazin hopes the scholarship awardees will uphold the Foreign Press Correspondence’s traditions, values, and integrity.