December 30, 2009 a woman by the name of Michelle Lang became the first reporter to die in Afghanistan since the Canadian military began its mission in 2002. The armoured vehicle she was travelling in was hit by a bomb killing Ms. Lang and four soldiers. Michelle Lang was a brave and accomplished journalist but through the voices of the people who knew her well we also learned that she truly loved what she did. I don’t want to revisit the loss but instead speak to the passion and accomplishments of people like Ms. Lang and other women who report from the edge.

Reporters and correspondents who are embedded with the military, covering the conflicts around the world or whom takes us to epicentre of natural disasters, are a unique breed. Over the last ten years we have seen multiple examples of this; 911 coverage, 2004 Tsunami, New Orleans, Iraq invasion, conflicts in Afghanistan and Sudan. Beyond the locations, one of the curious things is a reporter’s love of a story. Risking life and limb they tell us what is happening in places, with real people and events. Through their eyes and ears a story develops to increase our knowledge and shape our opinions.

We watch as they place themselves in the middle of chaos, not exactly where most of us would wish to spend the day. It is equally fascinating to watch as a reporter digs deeper in an interview; going down a road of questioning with the interviewee that constitutes “the look” or in print it would be the “back peddling statement.” Getting such a reaction is the “Gotcha” moment, which I would think never hits the editing floor. The opportunity of a lifetime, a moment that has everyone talking or the story that launches a career is what any young reporter can proud to look back on.

There have been a number of female correspondents that have risen in the ranks to present powerful and unique perspectives both on television and in print. Early on, women had to fight to get past the stereotypical women’s stories they were expected to write or report. Gardening, health, cooking, society parties and etiquette just didn’t resonate with some; they loved the thought of the drama and excitement that can be had by covering politics, war and other heavy world issues. It’s not to say that there is anything wrong with the latter but the professional aspirations of some women could not be met through any other arena. To stretch their wings they had to leave the desk, travel to the unknown and cast their eyes for a story in the making.

One of the first known foreign correspondents was Nellie Bly. That was her pen name; her real name was Elizabeth Jane Cochran. Drawn more to investigative journalism, in 1885 she set out to learn and tell the story about the lives of Mexicans; but she was more famous for her undercover work which brought to light the neglect and abuse taking place in a women’s insane asylum. Her book Ten Days in a Mad House captured her report in detail and from which sweeping changes were made to address the systems failures.

This is a great example of the tenacity and shall I say “balls to the wall” approach to journalism, but maybe from a feminine perspective the telling of the story can be only part of the motivation. Reporting beyond policies and procedures is what made the higher grade. Nellie got the story for the newspaper and balanced it with the crucial human element, thus affecting change.

Martha Gellhorn was recognized for her work as a war correspondent. In 1930 she set off for Paris to pursue her dream which in turn set in motion a lifetime of investigative reporting, published books and articles. Spanning across Europe, South America and Asia, this woman covered the conflicts and casualties of war, the Great Depression, the rise of Hitler and other important issues until she was well into her 80’s.

Jurate Kazikas and Denby Fawcett laced up the boots and hit the ground in Vietnam and Saigon. That was certainly not an easy place to be, if ever there was a war marred in controversy and causalities it was that. There were many memories for each woman to take away from that part of hell, which also included the opposition to women being out there in the first place. Kazikas was injured while interviewing a group of marines, taking shrapnel in various parts of her body and face. It doesn’t matter whether you are male or female it can be very dangerous to chronicle war.

Diane Sawyer is a person most of us know as a journalist, political correspondent and news anchor for ABC. Covering politics was her claim to fame but she has interviewed a lot of people in her time and has taken her ranking as one of the world’s most powerful women. Ms. Sawyer’s documentaries have opened up discussion on many heavy topics, not previously even on the radar of other journalists. She has traveled to bring many riveting stories and interviewed people from all walks of life. She too, earned her stripes.

Two women who tackle the big stories around the globe and whom I admire very much are Christiane Amanpour and Lisa Ling. Christiane Amanpour has been reporting from conflict zones since the late 1980’s and is CNN’s Chief International Correspondent. The hot zones of the globe have been exactly where she has stood; Rwanda, Israel, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia to name a few. If you want to see what a real interview looks like, between an exceptional journalist and a leader few would even wish to be in the same room with, watch Ms. Amanpour. Her CNN show Amanpour The Power of the Interview debuted in 2009, already we have seen what makes this woman stand alone, she has a powerful presence.

Lisa Ling is what I consider the next generation of the great women correspondents. At the age of 18 she was already reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan. Ms. Ling brings another element to her chosen vocation and that is inspiration. To go beyond the confines of just politics and war she takes the diversity of her subjects on with apparent fearlessness. She has been inside a men’s maximum security prison, talked candidly with the MS-13 gang members, explored issues facing women and children such as gang rape in the Congo and child trafficking in India, exposed puppy mills and provided insight into a polygamists’ compound and gave us a rare view inside a convent in which she interviewed nuns.

Through the efforts of Lisa Ling and others like her, how we see the news may change even more. There is a growing emphasis on people, organizations, and openness to understanding the complexities of a situation, the horror and the hope. Whether reporting on human interest, wars, and catastrophes, interviewing a leader of a nation or the experiences of the people, the representation of women correspondents on both foreign and domestic soil have grown considerably. Women and men that report from the edge do so with great pride and risk but without them we have limited knowledge about and access to the story behind the story and that is what is most fascinating!

Dedicated to Michelle Lang and all the women and men who died doing exactly what they loved to do, your story lives on.
Jennifer Chandler - February 2010

Here is more information on some of these fascinating women:

Nellie Bly

Christiane Amanpour’s CNN show

Lisa Ling follow her on Twitter

Jurate Kazikas

Denby Fawcett

Martha Gellhorn