F.Y.I.

ABC moves to Kabul

The ABC will open a bureau in Kabul, Afghanistan – aiming to increase coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan.  

The announcement:

The ABC will open a new bureau in Afghanistan in 2011 as part of a comprehensive review of its international operations.

The new bureau in Kabul recognises the importance of Afghanistan to an Australian audience, and underlines the ABC’s commitment to maintaining Australia’s best network of overseas correspondents.

“Maintaining a strong network of ABC correspondents overseas is vital to our reputation and performance as a public broadcaster” says ABC Director of News, Kate Torney, “and we need to ensure our correspondents are where the big stories are.”

The Kabul bureau will operate for at least 12 months, and will provide a secure base for coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“The next twelve months of the war will be crucial and the ABC’s audience has a significant interest in the region,” says Ms Torney.

“It is ten years next year since 9/11 and since coalition forces arrived in Afghanistan, but the conflict is escalating. A record number of coalition troops are being deployed, and Australia’s involvement remains a major issue. After covering the region extensively through regular on-the ground reporting, it is sensible to increase the ABC’s focus and attention.”

The details of the location and staffing of the new bureau are still being finalised, and will be announced soon.

The decision to establish a presence in Kabul follows a comprehensive review of the ABC’s international bureaux, and a reorganisation of bureau resources and administrative arrangements around the world. The review does not involve the closure of any existing bureaux or a reduction in the number of correspondents, but provides for more efficient and flexible resourcingarrangements which will result in stronger and more extensive overseas coverage.

The new Kabul bureau is a result of that, and will join the ABC’s existing bureaux in London,Washington, Jerusalem, Moscow, New Delhi, Beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok, Jakarta, Johannesburg,Auckland and Port Moresby.

Source: ABC press release

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