Melissa Roberts, who has co-edited a new book telling the stories of female reporters on the frontline of conflict, will be one of the speakers at a literary event to be held on March 18 at Wagstaffe Hall.
Roberts co-edited the book, Through Her Eyes, with colleague Trevor Watson.
CCN interviewed her about how the book brings new perspectives, arguing that war reporting was changed by female reporters who brought the personal perspective to audiences directly from conflict zones.
Through Her Eyes tells the story of well-known women correspondents for major media organisations inside and outside Australia including the ABC, BBC, SBS, CNN, The Associated Press of America, UPI, Reuters, The Times of London, Al Jazeera, China Global Television Network, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and the Australian Financial Review.
Roberts covered China for Time Magazine, the Christian Science Monitor and The Daily Mail as a freelance journalist from 1988 to 1990 covering the chaotic years around the Tiananmen Square uprising. She has worked as a staff correspondent for The Australian in Sydney and Papua New Guinea, reported on federal politics from the press gallery, and covered Singapore and Australia for Newsweek magazine.
Roberts will be one of four speakers at the Words at Wagstaffe literary event on March 18 at Wagstaffe Hall. The event is organised by the Words on Waves writers festival. Tickets can be purchased at wordsonthewaves.com.au
David Abrahams – Sources: zoom interview Feb 20, 2023, and publisher notes from Hardie Grant Books.