Clarissa Ward’s journalistic skills are more than proven. She had to be huge to succeed Christiane Amanpour, and she has risen to the challenge.
CNN’s chief international correspondent had caught the world’s attention during both her coverage of the deadly U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and Russian invasion of Ukraine. She has demonstrated her talent for broadcasting live from the scene with a humane and empathetic eye for the victims, reminding us that the best journalism will always be done on the ground.
Despite the growth of digital platforms—which try to give a complete coverage of the information that transcends from official sources (making a complex work of discernment between propaganda and facts)—television continues to monopolize the resources to cover in person the conflicts that affect our world.
The risk of sending a journalist, a cameraman, a translator and a fixer to a conflict zone is enormous, but the journalistic result will be impeccable.
Contrary to what you may think, journalists who like to cover the news on the ground are in the minority. If you go to a university you will find young people with a desire to be in a studio and be the face of a newscast; others simply yearn for a job as remote editors for a prestigious portal; and then there are those who seek fame by giving their opinion in front of a green screen to make YouTube videos. The magic of the reporter seems to be dismissed—and this is a serious mistake.
A good journalist must be an excellent reporter.When I entered college in Mexico, the first day they asked us who our references were. I answered: Christiane Amanpour—my Mexican classmates did not know who she was. Now I can imagine that there will be someone entering their academic training who will answer: Clarissa Ward. And that is the real prize for talent.
