Octavia Nasr, Senior Editor and Anchor for CNN World Report and also the network’s resident Middle East expert, answered our questions in Atlanta where CNN’s global headquarters is located. We asked Ms. Nasr questions about International journalism as she oversees the day-to-day worldwide news gathering operations from the 150 contributing broadcasters at CNN and hosts the daily World Report program, the world’s only news show that features reports from the perspectives of international broadcasters.
Bilnews: What are the basic requirements to be an International Journalist?
O.N.: The very first thing is knowledge. It is the knowledge about different regions of the world and knowledge about local cultures. This knowledge develops by reading international papers such as the New York Times, the Guardian, the Economist… So that you become aware of the conflicts centering on the different regions of the world. Secondly, a journalist should go after a story, suggest an original story. And finally, experience is acquired, and this comes as a result of the first two.
Bilnews: There are people coming from different parts of the world, but they all meet under the roof of CNN. What is the force that makes CNN workers such a coherent group, resulting in making CNN such a globally impacting news agency?
O.N.: The structure of CNN… For CNN it does not matter where you are from. If you follow the structure and system that works here, if you bring your origin, your background, rather than keeping them to yourself, if you share ideas and put them into the teamwork structure, then you are under the international roof of CNN. So, simply, the diversity of our staff comes from this “unique” structure. Also, CNN International covers various stories about different parts of the world and brings opposite viewpoints to the same medium.
Bilnews: What qualifications should future journalists have?
O.N.: Future journalists should be multi-functional. You should be a photographer, a storyteller, an editor all at the same time. Also by following technological developments and combining them with your knowledge, you become better equipped for the future of journalism. Also, the news channels direct their staff to do so, as in "video phones". By using a video phone, although you are very far from the news station, you gather news, process it and as a reporter you are able to contribute to a live program by using your video phone with all your information and with your live image as well.
To Be Continued Next Week