Keeping an eye on global affairs

Anna Coren is an anchor and correspondent for CNN International, and hosts World Report, broadcast live every weekday from CNN's Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Although she made a name for herself in "tabloid" television in Australia, she is now the regional face of the international 24-hour news network. She reported on last year's red shirt riots, has interviewed former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva among a host of world leaders and was in Bangkok at the end of last year for a week of "Eye on Thailand" programming.

She sat down with Brunch to speak about the network, her career and her own celebrity.

LIVING IN THE LIMELIGHT

In Australia, as a presenter for Nine Network and, more famously, as host of Seven Network's popular Today Tonight programme _ often the television equivalent of tabloid journalism _ Coren was a frequent subject of parody and satire. Or if she had a drunken night out with friends, broke up with a boyfriend or had a bad hair day, it would be in the tabloids or gossip columns the next day. In presenting news and reporting celebrity gossip she herself became a celebrity.

Since joining CNN in 2008, she has hosted World Report, a news programme televised internationally that is potentially seen by millions every day. Although CNN has a far greater reach, she says she has more anonymity now than she had working in Australia.

"It's funny, since coming to CNN it [being in the public eye] is not something I have to worry about. Living in Hong Kong you certainly aren't recognised. Back in Australia it's different; it's a much smaller market and I did encounter that. I'm not interested at all in that side of the industry. I like being a journalist. It's about the story, it's not about me."

She pauses, then concedes with a laugh, "Even though I'm sitting here with you."

CNN colleagues have described Coren, 36, as someone who enjoys the spotlight. It can be a difficult balance, she admits, trying to juggle a personal life with her jet-setting career.

"This job can be all-consuming at times. You love it for that, and the adrenaline of covering a big story. You just have to know that it can get crazy with calls, work and travel, and you have to set aside some time. You then reconnect. You have to keep communicating [with loved ones], otherwise you get caught up in your bubble."

THE DAILY GRIND

Her day in Hong Kong begins around 4.30am. She is on air at 7am after being briefed by the production crew at CNN's global HQ in Atlanta, who have already been working all day. At noon she hosts another hour-long programme, and the interim is spent finalising material, organising studio guests for interviews and being briefed on background and pronunciations.

The jump from Australian network television to 24-hour international news, she says, "was a huge learning curve".

"I thought I was up on my international affairs and politics, but I was thrown into the world of 24-hour international news. Having to learn issues and places and people, the politics of a place, how it all interconnects. It was an exciting challenge. I wanted to broaden my horizons and expand my world. Joining CNN you become a global citizen."

She also enjoys living in Hong Kong _ "dynamic and vibrant with a lot of expats, and like Bangkok, a great hub to travel from" _ even though Cantonese remains inscrutable.

"I know how to speak to taxi drivers," she says with a laugh. "I know my 'please' and 'thank you', 'hello' and 'goodbye'. Luckily in Hong Kong you can get about [in English]."

She does have a say on programme content and deciding what news gets coverage, she says _ not just the face of the news but an active correspondent.

"In the morning I speak to the producer in Atlanta and find out what we're doing. If I feel there's something happening in our part of the world that I think we should be covering, a guest we can bring on, I'll certainly make those suggestions."

'EYE ON THAILAND'

A week of special programming to shine the spotlight on the Kingdom was planned before the floods, she says, to coincide with HM the King's 84th birthday celebrations.

"It did look at one stage that we might not go ahead, but it seems that with the water levels receding it was a good time to come in and show people how Thailand is recovering."

The series looks at the culture of a country, its politics, history and people, she explains. Other destinations she has hosted shows about include Mongolia, Macedonia and Indonesia.

The Thailand programming included a visit to an elephant sanctuary in Ayutthaya, a profile of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and features on the popularity among Middle Easterners of medical tourism, how the Kingdom's tourism industry hopes to rebound after the floods and the rising popularity of Thai football.

Unfortunately, her hectic schedule didn't allow for much sightseeing. But Coren has been to Thailand several times, for reporting and also on holiday, as she has family that live here.

"Everything's run smoothly and everyone's been extremely gracious and helpful," she says of her stay.

WHY DAN RIVERS WAS VILIFIED

She prefers being out in the field to studio duties, even when reporting involves danger. As Los Angeles bureau chief for Seven Network she was sent as far as Haifa to cover the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

"I thrived in that environment," she says of the tension. "There were air-raid sirens and bombs going off. You'd meet people who live like that all the time. It was amazing to get a snapshot of what it must be like to be in their shoes. You realise how lucky you are."

She was also in Bangkok in 2010 to cover one of the most volatile episodes of the red shirt protests.

"The protests went on for about two months, and I think I came in May. It was when they stormed the television station. It was the weekend one of the Reuters cameramen [Hiroyuki Muramoto] was killed."

Despite the intensity and violence of the clashes, she says she wasn't worried about her personal safety.

"I've been in some hostile environments, and I think as a journalist you can feel a bit removed from what's going on. You're lulled into a false sense of security that you are there to tell the story and not become part of the story, but sometimes it happens, doesn't it?"

There were many complaints in Thailand about CNN's coverage of the protests, especially Dan Rivers' reporting, with detractors calling it "superficial" and "lacking balance".

Nevertheless, Coren defends the network's coverage.

"Certain people have a particularly loud voice and they get on social media and these things get blown out of proportion. Dan Rivers is one of the best reporters at CNN and he is always exceptionally fair. There is no way CNN's coverage was pro-red shirt. I can pull out the stats for you, our interviews with officials on both sides was even, we had voices from yellow shirts, from government, from red shirts. The whole spectrum."

This is the only answer of the interview that sounds a little rehearsed. But there is a general openness and honesty to Coren _ on the day wearing blue jeans, jacket and her affable smile _ that convinces you she wouldn't say anything she didn't believe.

"Politics in Thailand is such a passionate subject. It's an issue that polarises people. When you're trying to show both sides, the side you're not speaking to at that particular moment might get upset. But by and large, CNN is straight down the middle in its coverage of all news stories."

And compared to other 24-hour news channels, such as Fox, MSNBC, Al Jazeera and the BBC, she also considers CNN's political stance to be balanced.

FAVOURITE CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

Coren enjoys meeting, talking to and connecting with people. Of the many celebrities _ actors, musicians, artists and sports personalities _ she has interviewed over the years, she says one stands out.

"I met with Sigourney Weaver in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. She was just inspiring. Not only her body of work and her accomplishments, she was just such an intelligent, articulate woman who felt passionate about certain things, particular issues, green issues. I thought 'Here's this woman who has real celebrity but who isn't caught up in it all. She has her family and a career she's proud of and is passionate about.' It's an art for her; she just doesn't get caught up in the hype.

"She's a really strong woman. In saying that, she's a role model to other career women."

THE SPIN

Conversely, there have been many interviews that have disappointed her. "You sometimes walk away from interviews," she says, "and you think that person is not how they seem, that their public persona is a bit of a fabrication."

We are discussing celebrities, but she includes politicians in that assessment.

"What disappoints me is the political spin," she says. "Or not just political spin, but spin. When you have an opportunity to reach out to people, I find that discouraging."

The many prime ministers and premiers she has interviewed include Australia's Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd. Is she a hard interviewer?

She laughs. "I try to be. I think you have to balance it. You sit down with these people for a half hour or an hour and you can't alienate them with the first question, otherwise it won't go too well for the next 30 minutes. I think you're there to help tell their story, you're sort of a vehicle for that, but you have to challenge them on the decisions they've made, their vision _ that's your duty and a responsibility of all journalists."

She also interviewed then prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva when he was on a trade visit to Hong Kong. In person, she says she found him "a very intelligent, well educated man, a great communicator".

"It's a privilege to be in this position," she says of journalism. "It's important to present the news as it is so people at home can form their own opinions. We don't need to present any angles."

Nevertheless, many news channels are increasingly relying on dominant, opinionated personalities to channel the news, and she acknowledges the trend.

"I think that the way the industry is evolving, there are more programmes that have editorial content. Fox has a programme based on Bill O'Reilly and his views. If you're a fan of Bill O'Reilly's then you're going to watch that and regurgitate what he has to say."

Isn't that a danger in her work _ that people will simply skim through various on-air opinions and choose one to mimic?

"I think if you watch CNN you don't get that _ you're given the news."

FREEDOM PROJECT

On whether CNN has helped make the world a better place since its first broadcast in 1980, Coren answers unequivocally in the affirmative. One example she gives is the network's "Freedom Project", a series that exposes human trafficking and sexual slavery.

"This is some of the most credible journalism I've seen in a long time. It's exposing the atrocities to the world, shining the spotlight on stories you don't always pay attention to. I had to go to a conference in Chiang Mai, and someone was trying to get people to focus on human trafficking in a particular village in Cambodia, trying to get the authorities involved for two years, and then CNN comes along and does this documentary. The very next day the government is calling him saying we will close this down, we will help you. Suddenly there's action, and that's the power of the media."

The series has worked with Hollywood and Bollywood stars such as Demi Moore and Anil Kapoor, a move that has certainly raised its profile.

"It's giving a voice to the victims. I think this is one area where CNN will present a particular person's story and that is the voice of the victim. Hearing the voice of the perpetrator just isn't relevant. This is telling the story of people who otherwise wouldn't have a voice. It's so easy to turn a blind eye, to say that's not sexy news, that's not titillating, doesn't bring in ratings, but it's almost the cornerstone of our network in a way."

AN EYE ON HOME

For the "Eye on ..." series, she says she hasn't been able to influence production decisions on which countries to profile, although she patriotically suggested "Eye on Australia".

Originally from Sydney, Coren's family later moved to Byron Bay, which she calls "God's country" for its natural beauty.

Coren still considers Australia home, and goes back three or four times a year. "Living in Hong Kong it's only nine hours away, so I can jump on a plane on Friday night and be back in Sydney on Saturday morning.

"You fly into Sydney and the bridge and the opera house, the harbour and beaches _ it's stunning. You're making me homesick," she says.

There are a lot Australians at CNN, however: "Phil Black, Michael Holmes, Stan Grant, Andrew Stevens, Rosemary Church ... there are a lot of Aussies on-screen and also behind the scenes."

With Australians also prevalent in print media throughout the region, what attributes make them such good journalists?

"I think Australians have an adventurous spirit about them."

MISTAKES ON LIVE TELEVISION

Live broadcasts can present any number of difficulties and obstacles _ interrupted satellite feeds, mispronunciations, teleprompters on the blink, uncooperative studio guests. So what was her worst on-air blunder?

"I think it was in my early days in Australia. I was reading the morning news. The head newsreader of the network came in that evening and said, 'Oh Anna, we didn't have a very good morning, did we?'

"Those tricky pronunciations can always catch you out. I think the key in those situations is to speak to your audience, to be personable and own up to it, explain it, apologise, and then move on _ and try to forget about it!"

CNN's 'World Report' with Anna Coren is broadcast live in Thailand every weekday at 6 and 11am.