News Presenters Must Not Express Opinions, But Emotions Are Perfectly Natural: CNN-IBN’s Suhasini Haider to JobsMedia

An ace in foreign affairs and a prominent face of the Indian broadcast scene, CNN-IBN’s Suhasini Haider believes in being well-read to stay ahead in the game. A reporter at heart, the prime time news anchor talks to JobsMedia about her career in foreign affairs, news anchoring and much more. The interview:

Could you tell us about your early days and what led to your taking up journalism?

I have always been interested in the news. Have rushed for newspapers first thing in the morning, was glued to DD and then BBC and CNN for their coverage in the early Nineties. Eventually, it was the obvious choice for my Master’s degree. I believe journalists are generalists — interested in anything, with a little knowledge of everything.

When did you begin taking an interest in foreign affairs?

I worked for CNN International for 10 years — I started out at the CNN UN bureau in 1994, and then joined the CNN New Delhi bureau in 1995. At the UN, I got a real sense of how small the world can be, and how every event in a far-off country can have far-reaching consequences for other countries. I have also been interested in how India is perceived in the world, and an interest in foreign affairs is key to that. Finally, I must say, it’s the excitement and the rush of interpreting another culture and important events in another country. I have been privileged with CNN-IBN to go cover major events in Pakistan, the war in Lebanon, the train to Lhasa from Beijing and the simmering tensions there, and travelled with the Prime Minister to Russia and Sharm El Sheikh, amongst other trips abroad.

How did the early part of your career prepare you for what you do now?

The early part of my career was solid grounding in fieldwork, which I encourage all young people in the profession to do. We were out every day — doing interviews, setting up shoots and editing stories. I think the best part of our job is to be out and about and meeting new people each day. It was those early years of training that still get me going in the morning even now!

Possessing facts and information is key to good news coverage. How do you prepare yourself for coverage? Which publications do you read? Which writers and bloggers do you follow?

Since news seldom gives you warning when it breaks, I can only say read, read, read everything you can. At least eight newspapers a day, five magazines a week, and two or three non-fictions a month. Read online if you can’t get your hands on the periodicals, also follow 10-15 sites regularly — both Indian and international (Salon, Slate, ForeignPolicy et al). In addition, try to build a niche, a subject that particularly interests you and read up on it in addition.

Politics and foreign affairs is a challenging beat. Ministers and diplomats are usually hard to reach, and it’s often very easy to get in their bad books. What’s your mantra to forging healthy working relationships with such personalities?

I think you have to be prepared that all personalities, especially politicians are going to be upset with you at some point, but if your story is correct, and your questions are well researched, they will not stay mad at you. We are on different sides of a tangible line — ministers and diplomats form and implement policies, journalists ask the questions to hold them accountable for how they do it. A friendship between the two is really impossible, but a healthy working relationship is possible, so long as it’s based on a mutual trust that we both work for a good purpose.

You juggle the roles of a reporter and a news anchor. How would you say the two roles are different? What do you enjoy more?

I have been a reporter most of my career, and a news anchor only for the past four years. The reporter ‘brings in’ the news, the anchor ‘puts it out’. The reporter is the expert of the story; the anchor is the expert on the ‘big picture’ who can simplify the story for the viewer. I do love both roles — but it’s the reporter’s ‘boots on the ground’ that is by far the more exciting than the anchor who is ‘confined’ to a studio.

TV debates can get ugly at times. How do you try and moderate such situations? Is there a particularly heated discussion that you remember?

Yes, they do, but the best you can do is to ensure each side gives the other a chance to speak. As long as the anchor stays calm, I think the participants do too. I do remember one discussion that followed the Mumbai terror attacks last year that got particularly heated. The spokespersons for the Congress and the BJP were pointing accusatory fingers at each other for who was to blame — far from what the nation was looking for at that time. We finally just had to end the discussion without even trying for a consensus. Sad.

How do you mentally prepare yourself for a breaking news situation when there’s only sketchy information available?

News breaks when you are least prepared for it. So the important thing is to keep calm and to remember that the viewer is looking at the anchor to bring in and explain what is happening. The best way is to think of the viewer constantly and not confuse them with too much information — just stick to what you KNOW, what your reporters can SEE, and what the officials TELL.

Being on TV is as much about being knowledgeable and eloquent as it is about being presentable. How important is grooming, styling and wardrobe selection? What are the things that you keep in mind?

Honestly, I have never been very good at grooming and styling, but luckily our channel has a very trendy look, and a very talented stylist who puts it all together. For me, what’s important is to look neat, clean and professional.

Would you agree that news presentation these days has become theatrical? How do you see this trend?

I would say the viewer has come to expect a certain ‘human’ quality in their news presenters, and presenters are more comfortable expressing emotions on air. In news, it is better not to express opinions, but emotions I think, are perfectly natural.

Would it be correct to say that TV being a high-visibility medium attracts a lot of raw talent for reporting and anchoring jobs these days?

Yes, I am always amazed by how many young people tell me they want to join the news. I would only tell them look beyond the ‘glamour’ and see the profession as a public service.

If you were to select young journalists for your channel, what would you seek in them?

I think any good channel is always on the lookout for young journalists who are enthusiastic, have a ‘can-do’ attitude, are willing to learn, and work above and beyond regular working hours. Most importantly they must be well-read!

What’s the one thing that you’d like to change about TV journalism today?

The best thing about TV news is really also its biggest weakness — its immediacy. As soon as a story breaks, everyone weighs in with information, analysis etc. But sooner or later, the viewer, the channel, or both move on very quickly. Sometimes I wish we had more opportunities to go back and look at an event and what it means after a few weeks.

(Suhasini Haider is Deputy Foreign Editor & Senior Anchor, CNN-IBN. She blogs at Head to Haid-ar on IBNLive.com. She also tweets at twitter.com/suhasinih.)

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