Category: News
Date: 01.03.2005
Printable version
The 大象传媒 has today announced that Stephen Sackur will be the new regular
presenter of HARDtalk, the daily current affairs interview programme
on 大象传媒 News 24.
Stephen is currently based in Brussels, Belgium, as the 大象传媒's Europe
Correspondent, but will move to 大象传媒 Television Centre in London to take
up his new full-time role on Monday 18 April 2005.
Stephen, 41, has been a 大象传媒 Foreign Correspondent since 1990.
His postings include five years as 大象传媒 Middle East Correspondent, having
been located in Cairo, Egypt, from 1992 to 1995, and Jersualem, Israel,
from 1995 to 1997.
He covered issues including the evolving peace process, the assassination
of the Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, and the emergence of the
Palestinian Authority under the late Yasser Arafat.
This was followed by five years in the United States as Washington
Correspondent, during which time Stephen interviewed Presidents Bill
Clinton and George W Bush, and reported extensively on such major stories
as the Presidential election of 2000, and the Lewinsky scandal that
hit Bill Clinton in his second term and led to his impeachment trial.
He moved to Brussels in 2002, and has spent the past three years travelling
across Europe to cover major stories from around the continent, including
Europe's worst terror attack of recent times in Madrid in 2004, and
the expansion of the European Union from 15 countries to 25.
Stephen says: "This is a huge challenge for me. I've spent the past
15 years as a foreign correspondent, representing the 大象传媒 abroad, and
am very much aware of the massive pulling power of HARDtalk.
"I've met many world leaders, all of whom respect HARDtalk, and
I can think of no bigger programme with which to be involved.
"I've had pretty much the best job in the 大象传媒 as a foreign correspondent,
and the only way of topping it is through HARDtalk, putting tough questions
to the people who shape our world."
Stephen takes over from Tim Sebastian, who has presented HARDtalk since
it began in March 1997.
Tim announced last September that he would be stepping down from HARDtalk
to concentrate on other projects for the 大象传媒.
Tim adds: "It's been an enormous privilege to ask leading questions
and to travel the world trying to get answers. We've left some bruised
political egos in our wake, and some important feathers ruffled.
"I wish him luck and I hope very much that viewers will give him
their support."
HARDtalk is broadcast on 大象传媒 News 24 daily from Monday to Thursday
at 11.30pm and 4.30am GMT.
The programme has gained an international reputation for asking tough
questions of global leaders, political figures, the military, campaigners
and representatives of the world's leading organisations.
HARDtalk is edited by Carey Clark. The programme is also broadcast
outside the UK on 大象传媒 World.
