Jeffrey Dvorkin, executive director of the Committee of Concerned Journalists, assesses the current situation and offers his foresights as to what might be the new alternatives to traditional foreign correspondents.

After 9/11, the US public and press seemed to regain interest in foreign affairs. But financial pressure and renewed focus on hyper-local coverage and domestic issues progressively diminished the ‘importance’ – what was deemed as the importance – of foreign coverage and correspondents.

The Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Boston Globe are just some of major newspapers that recently shut down their foreign bureaus.

On the other hand, there are still some quality news organizations which are committed to “telling the story with American eyes for American readers, listeners and viewers,” says Dvorkin, citing CNN, The New York Times or The Washington Post.

As foreign coverage is left within fewer hands though, the responsibility lies upon the remaining news organizations to train and foster the next generation of foreign correspondents.

Dvorkin proposes three concrete alternatives to do so:

“First, there are local, foreign reporters who are knowledgeable and whose English is excellent. They need to be identified and trained.”

“Second, the role of the blogger in foreign reporting needs to be rethought. It is just possible that a blogger-correspondent might be the next phase of reporting.”

“Third, the BBC may be a model where eager and often young journalists are given the basics of news gathering then sent overseas to act as one-person bureaus. These journalists may not have all of the experience that old hands may have, but they are willing and adept.”

Dvorkin’s last strategy is more of a theoretical means than a practical method. In order to improve foreign coverage and build up talented foreign correspondents, there needs to be a renewed emphasis on their primordial function in good journalism. The revamping of their public image must take place both in the eyes of the public and within newsrooms.

“Finally, local newspapers and broadcasters need to be encouraged (by their journalists and their audiences) to continue their excellent tradition of foreign reporting for a local audience,” wrote Dvorkin.

For more details on foreign coverage, Michael Smith from the Readership Institute also discusss the issue. 

Source: Committee of Concerned Journalists - Readership Institute