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What is a War Correspondent?

Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick

A war correspondent is a professional journalist assigned to cover events in a war zone or other areas of conflict. This is generally not an entry-level position, since the reporter is expected to provide thorough coverage while simultaneously dodging enemy fire, improvised explosive devices and other battlefield hazards. Out of thousands of professional journalists working today, only a relative handful actively volunteer for the role of war correspondent.

Some war correspondents work in field offices for newspapers or television stations, venturing out into the war zone only when it is relatively safe for the press to enter the area. Much of their time is spent interviewing military commanders or attending official press conferences arranged by the military. A war correspondent's job is not necessarily to report from the front lines, but to provide a summary of the most recent activities or speculations.

War correspondents spend much of their time attending press conferences organized by the military.
War correspondents spend much of their time attending press conferences organized by the military.

Other types of war correspondents are actually embedded in an active military unit and permitted to file reports directly from the battlefield. An embedded war correspondent can wear special insignia which designates his or her status as a non-combatant, but this doesn't always protect him or her from harm. An embedded journalist and his crew may be assigned bodyguards, but there are no guarantees of complete personal safety. An embedded war correspondent must know when it is safe to file a report and when it is better to duck and cover.

War correspondents have famously brought Middle East conflicts into the living rooms of America.
War correspondents have famously brought Middle East conflicts into the living rooms of America.

Many well-known journalists and political figures have been special war correspondents over the years. Legendary British prime minister Winston Churchill served as a war correspondent before starting his political career. Broadcast journalism pioneer Edward R. Murrow also filed nightly radio reports as a war correspondent based in London during World War II. Former CBS anchor Dan Rather spent many months reporting directly from Vietnam during the late 1960s, as did future senator and vice-president Al Gore, Jr.

There are a number of modern war correspondents who have become household names as well. Christiane Amanpour, a female war correspondent who has worked for CNN and other news organizations, is famous for her live reports from war zones around the world. Lara Logan, a South African journalist currently working for CBS news, has covered events in Iraq and Afghanistan for several years. Other embedded journalists may not be as recognizable, but they have all been responsible for providing citizens back home with images and accounts of the nation's military actions.

Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick

A regular WiseGEEK contributor, Michael enjoys doing research in order to satisfy his wide-ranging curiosity about a variety of arcane topics. Before becoming a professional writer, Michael worked as an English tutor, poet, voice-over artist, and DJ.

Learn more...
Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick

A regular WiseGEEK contributor, Michael enjoys doing research in order to satisfy his wide-ranging curiosity about a variety of arcane topics. Before becoming a professional writer, Michael worked as an English tutor, poet, voice-over artist, and DJ.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

screenwriter

Seeing how modern semantics are redefining war, perhaps it would me *most appropriate* if we retired this term War Correspondent in favor of something like International Dispute Propagandist, out of deferential respect for the likes of Floyd Gibbons and Frank Kafka.

ellefagan

for fans of the Hobbit - author J.R.R.Tolkien's job as 2LT Signal Corps was in that neighborhood for tasks, but included fighting in France and being eaten alive by trench lice which ended his military career "at the front", though he helped "back home" in training for a bit and a promotion to 1stLt.

The perils of warzone communications and news are most worthy of our respect. And when we idolize war correspondents, I don't think we are being silly romantics - it takes some special gift from the Gods to dart about in the maelstrom and come home with the story and "in one piece" -holy golden trenchcoat! My heroes!

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    • War correspondents spend much of their time attending press conferences organized by the military.
      By: picsfive
      War correspondents spend much of their time attending press conferences organized by the military.
    • War correspondents have famously brought Middle East conflicts into the living rooms of America.
      By: bogdanserban
      War correspondents have famously brought Middle East conflicts into the living rooms of America.