Life on the frontlines of war reporting | Jane Ferguson (re-release)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Life on the Frontlines of War Reporting | Jane Ferguson (Re-release)

Podcast: TED Talks Daily
Host: Elise Hu
Guest/Speaker: Jane Ferguson
Original TED Talk Date: 2023 (Re-released March 23, 2026)

---

Episode Overview

This episode features seasoned war correspondent Jane Ferguson, who reflects on nearly two decades covering wars across Africa and the Middle East. Ferguson discusses the evolving landscape of war reporting—particularly the transformative, growing role of women in the field—and highlights how their perspectives are shaping not only what stories are told but also how the world understands conflict. Her talk is both a celebration of women journalists' achievements and a reminder of the vital importance of human-centered storytelling from war zones.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Face of War Reporting Is Changing

• Historic and Contemporary Pioneers: Ferguson challenges the assumption that war reporting is male-dominated, listing influential women war reporters who inspired her, including Martha Gellhorn, Claire Hollingworth, Marguerite Higgins, and Christiane Amanpour.
• Personal Inspiration: As a child growing up in Northern Ireland, Ferguson saw women on the news, setting a precedent that women belong front and center in conflict journalism.
  • Quote [04:45]: “Women have been doing this work for over a century… When I was a little girl … women reporting from all over the world on the BBC and the men were listening to them.” — Jane Ferguson

Why Are More Women Covering War?

• Generational Surge: Today, a majority of frontline reporters in some conflict zones are women.
• Why Are Women Good at This?
  • “Because we are really, really good at it. So good in fact, that war reporting today … has been changed by women taking the lead.” [05:54]
• Shifting Perceptions and Angles: With more women reporting, stories are less about only politics or tactics and more focused on civilians, daily life in war, and nuanced, empathetic perspectives.

Overcoming Gender Stereotypes and Barriers

• Not Just “Women’s Issues”: Female correspondents have long resisted being pigeonholed into only "soft" topics or "women's issues."
  • “If you've ever been one of the first women in a male-dominated field, that pressure to be one of the guys, do not be too emotional.” [06:26]
• Syria & Afghanistan Experience:
  • Early in her career during the Syrian war, Ferguson noticed the high number of female reporters, many of whom were influential in shaping coverage.
  • She recounts the camaraderie among women reporters in Lebanon and Afghanistan—often the majority on the ground, sharing both resources and lived experience.
  • Emotional tribute to Marie Colvin, a fellow female correspondent killed in Syria.
• Unique Female Camaraderie:
  • In Kabul during the 2021 evacuation, Ferguson shares a snapshot of mutual support: “Between the three of us, we shared everything from a precious clean shirt to eyeliner and hairbrushes. We may have been reporting from a war zone, but we all knew the pressures of being a woman who had to be on TV that night.” [13:48]

Shaping the News Agenda—Civilian and Human Stories

• Humanizing the Narrative:
  • “It’s humanizing images that are predominantly broadcast around the world that show how families and communities are impacted by war… It was these human images that connected millions of people to what it was really like there for people to live through that war.” [00:22, 12:55]
• Coverage in Ukraine and Iran:
  • In Ukraine, most widely disseminated stories—families separated, children in bunkers, elders on the run—were reported by women.
  • The Washington Post’s Ukraine team, largely female, was recognized for courageous journalism.
  • Female journalists and activists are central to reporting from inside Iran, ensuring the world hears and sees what’s happening despite great personal risk.

Resilience and Collective Strength

• Physical and Emotional Toughness:
  • Ferguson dispels myths about women’s physical and emotional fortitude in war reporting.
  • “I get asked all the time, how do you take a shower? My male colleagues never get asked. It seems absurd that we have to keep answering these questions. But again and again, women have proven that they are just as tough, brave and stoic … as the men.” [14:39]
• Growth in Numbers and Confidence:
  • Rapid increase in women assigned to major war zones in the past two decades.
  • “We’ve not only increased in numbers, but crucially, we’ve increased in our confidence to tell stories that harness our unique perspective and our own unique strengths.” [15:24]
• Empathy as Strength:
  • Female journalists’ compassion and focus on civilian lives have influenced reporting across the board, including among male colleagues.
  • “Our compassion, empathy, and focus on civilian lives have become our greatest strengths.” [15:48]

The Broader Impact

• Changing How the World Connects To War:
  • The “female gaze” in reporting creates a more holistic, connected, and empathetic understanding among audiences.
  • “When the world is presented to you not just in television and radio and print and magazine by a male gaze, but by a female reporter as well, our attitudes to the outside world change too.” [16:55]

---

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the why of women’s excellence in war reporting:
  • “Because we are really, really good at it. So good in fact, that war reporting today, the very nature of reporting … has been changed by women taking the lead.” — Jane Ferguson [05:54]
• On the humanizing effect of women’s reporting:
  • “It’s humanizing images that … show how families and communities are impacted by war … that connected millions of people to what it was really like there for people to live through that war.” — Jane Ferguson [00:22, 12:55]
• On camaraderie and mutual support:
  • “Between the three of us, we shared everything from a precious clean shirt to eyeliner and hairbrushes. We may have been reporting from a war zone, but we all knew the pressures of being a woman who had to be on TV that night.” — Jane Ferguson [13:48]
• On the evolved strengths of female correspondents:
  • “We are not just good at this job because we are empathetic … We're good at this reporting because we're soft and empathetic and strong and tough and brave. We have extraordinary range, and it is female range that has added to the range of voices and stories and faces making it out in front of the public from war zones.” — Jane Ferguson [16:13]
• On the impact of shifting who tells war stories:
  • “We as journalists are at heart communicators and it is female reporting that is helping the world better commune.” — Jane Ferguson [17:37]

---

Key Timestamps & Segments

• 00:22–01:11 — The importance of humanizing, on-the-ground stories from war zones.
• 04:45–07:59 — Ferguson’s introduction: women’s longstanding role in war reporting and challenges faced.
• 08:00–11:30 — Personal anecdotes from Syria and Afghanistan, female camaraderie, and tributes to lost colleagues.
• 11:45–12:55 — Civilian-centric stories, particularly in Ukraine and Iran; recognition of female-led teams.
• 13:48–14:40 — The everyday realities and supportive networks among female war correspondents.
• 14:40–16:13 — Addressing myths about female toughness; evolution of gender perspective in war stories.
• 16:55–17:37 — The broader, societal impact of having diverse voices report from war zones.

---

Tone and Style

Jane Ferguson speaks with directness, humility, and a sense of purpose. She expresses deep respect for her female peers and predecessors and delivers her reflections with both warmth and clarity, moving seamlessly between personal narrative and professional analysis.

---

Takeaway

This episode powerfully illustrates how the rise of women war reporters is not just changing who tells the story, but how global audiences understand war. By centering the experiences of civilians and elevating empathy as a journalistic superpower—rather than a weakness—these journalists are making war reporting more human, diverse, and connected than ever before.

Transcript

[Elise Hu]

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hu. Covering global war stories can be hard and thankless, but it's critical work if the rest of us are to understand what's really happening when wars break out.

[Jane Ferguson]

It's humanizing images that are predominantly broadcast around the world that show how families and communities are are impacted. It was these human images that connected millions of people to what it was really like there for people to live through that war.

[Elise Hu]

That's journalist Jane Ferguson, who for nearly two decades has reported on hostilities across Africa and the Middle East. In this archive talk from 2023, which feels just as relevant today, she shares how she's witnessed firsthand the changing face of her profession. For Jane, it's also about supporting and honoring the women who have changed the way news captured, shared and understood, and why she says we must safeguard the ability of journalists to report humanizing stories from war zones.

[Jane Ferguson]

The very nature of reporting, and therefore how wars are perceived by those we report to, has been changed by women taking the lead.

[Elise Hu]

It's coming up after a short break.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

This podcast is supported in part by Bill, the intelligent finance platform that helps businesses and accounting firms scale with proven results. We often talk about the habits and systems that help people do their best work. For many leaders, that might include building processes that reduce friction and create clarity. That is exactly why so many finance leaders turn to Bill with AI powered automation. Bill isn't just moving money, they're simplifying financial operations for nearly half a million customers. They're even trusted by over 90 of the top 100 US accounting firms to get it right. That trust is built on scale. Bill has securely processed over a trillion dollars in real transactions, supporting teams in handling payables, receivables and expenses. When financial tasks are organized and visible, it can free up time and energy to focus on what matters most, whether that's your team, your mission, or your community. Visit bill.comproven and get a $250 gift card as a thank you after speaking with a bill expert. That's bill.comprov proven terms and conditions apply. See Offer page for details. This episode is brought to you by Duck AI. AI can be incredibly useful, but sometimes it gives me pause to think that my chats might be saved somewhere forever. Between work stuff and embarrassing personal questions, a lot of us share more with AI chatbots than we realize, and information shouldn't come at the cost of your Privacy. That's why DuckDuckGo built Duck AI so you can chat privately with the same AIs you might already be using, like ChatGPT or Claude, and protect your data from hackers, scammers and data hungry companies. There's no account required, it's completely free. Plus it's from DuckDuckGo, known for protecting your data, not collecting it, so you can chat freely without worrying about your AI conversations getting stored or exploited. If you want to use AI without giving up your privacy, visit Duck AI Talk today. That's Duck AI Talk, a private way to chat with AI from DuckDuckGo, where AI is always optional and private. This episode is brought to you by Bombas. Lately I've been thinking about the small things that make a big difference in my day. You know those upgrades you don't realize you needed until you try them? That's exactly what happened with Bombas. I picked up their women's Pima cotton V neck tee, which is what I own, and now I reach for it constantly, whether I'm recording or just doing school pickup. It works. Dress it up with a blazer. Keep it casual with jeans. It's that rare piece that adapts to whatever your day throws at you and their base layers. Just game changing. The underwear and tees are so soft and breathable you'll wonder why you settled for anything less. Here's the best part. Every purchase means an essential clothing item goes to someone experiencing housing insecurity. One purchase equals one donated. They've already given over 150 million items. Ready to upgrade your basics? Head over to bombas.com TTD and use code TTD for 20% off your first purchase. That's B O M B-A-S.com TTD code TTD at checkout.

[Elise Hu]

And now our TED Talk of the Day.

[Jane Ferguson]

When you think of a war reporter, who do you picture? I'm asked all the what does it feel like to be one of the only women working in your field? How do you cope in such a male dominated industry as frontline war reporting? The question continues to baffle me. Women have been doing this work for over a century, from Martha Gellhorn to Claire Hollingwood, from Margarita Higgins to Christiane Amanpour. In fact, one of the reasons I wanted to become a foreign correspondent and a war reporter was watching these women in the field reporting. They were professional role models every evening at 6pm on the news. When I was a little girl in my living room growing up in Northern Ireland, women reporting from all over the world on the BBC and the men were listening to them.

[Jane Ferguson (continued)]

Today.

[Jane Ferguson]

When I go to war zones, very often it is a majority of women who are actually reporting there. So when I point out that I'm no trailblazer, the next question to come is why? Why are so many women becoming war reporters? My answer to this question is quick and easy. Because we are really, really good at it. So good in fact, that war reporting today, the very nature of reporting, and therefore how wars are perceived by those we report to, has been changed by women taking the lead. The types of stories that are covered, the angles that are taken, have been shaped by the fact that more and more women are reporting them. The debate over whether or not men and women are different in the workplace, whether that we should highlight these differences, whether it matters, has gone on for years in war reporting. It hasn't always been a given that we should lean into our gender lens. For years, women who have fought to be at the front line, to be given assignments in major wars, often by male editors, have felt the pressure not to be pigeonholed into covering women's issues or softer topics. If you've ever been one of the first women in a male dominated field, that pressure to be one of the guys, do not be too emotional. I was first struck by the number of female war reporters when covering the war in Syria. It was one of my first ever major assignments for a TV news network. I was to be smuggled across the border from Lebanon into a rebel stronghold in early 2012. The activists who were smuggling journalists in typically took us one at a time. The journalists who preceded me was was a female correspondent for El Pais newspaper in Spain. Two journalists came after me together, one of them a female correspondent for cnn, the other a female correspondent for the Times of London called Marie Colvin. Colvin wouldn't make it out of Syria alive. She was killed by the Assad forces while reporting on their war crimes. Yes, this is dangerous work. When I moved to Beirut in 2014, the war in Syria raged on and the Lebanese capital had become a hub for international journalists who were living there and covering the war across the border. I was struck by how many of them were women. More obviously, of course, those who were on camera, TV reporters, but a huge amount, in many cases, the majority of of print reporters as well were women. Walk into any bar in Beirut back then frequented by international and Lebanese journalists and you would have been faced with a small crowd of smiling, waving female foreign correspondents catching up between assignments and deadlines. Now, while there was plenty of camaraderie on the assignment In Syria. The war in Afghanistan in recent years has felt different. The US Press, as the war came to an end, was less interested in that conflict beyond what it meant for the geopolitics in the region or U.S. foreign affairs and national security. The few times that I did bump into female journalists there, the few times I bumped into any journalist there, they were almost always women. One day, about six months before Kabul fell to the Taliban, I went out to visit a checkpoint on the outskirts of Kabul. At the time, there was already concern about whether or not the Afghan forces could hold off a Taliban attack on the capital. Shortly after I arrived, another crew came and the soldiers got very excited. This was a news team from Tolo tv, and the correspondent was one of the most famous journalists in Afghanistan. Her name was Aneesa Shahid. The soldiers crowded around trying to get a photograph with her in a selfie. So did I. This sort of thing happened all the time in Afghanistan, women bumping into one another, reporting on that war between us. We covered civilian casualties, women's rights, access to education, and the hopes and dreams Afghans had for their future. Of course, we also covered the major news of the day, the politics, the frontline fighting, and the conditions for the Afghan security forces. But we relentlessly interviewed civilians, profiling doctors and teachers and business people, many of them women, elevating civilian voices. Now, of course, Afghanistan had evolved and changed, but so too had those who were carrying the lens through which the world would see it. Now, none of this is to negate the vital and important work our male colleagues do in the field. Male journalists have been and continue to do brilliant reporting. But what I want to draw attention to is the rapid growth of female journalists in the field and also the impact they've had on the reporting itself that has come out of war zones around the world. Now, when wars break out, it's humanizing images that are predominantly broadcast around the world that show how families and communities are impacted by by war. They're no longer the exception, they are the norm. When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the images that were broadcast around the world were of families saying goodbye to fathers at Kyiv train station, children clutching their pets in underground bunkers, and the elderly clamoring over broken bridges trying to escape. It was these human images that connected millions of people to what it was really like there for people to live through that war. Many of the stories coming from the war in Ukraine were reported by women. Earlier this year, the Ukraine reporting team for the Washington Post was awarded an award for courage in journalism for its huge female led teams of editors, writers, photographers and journalists. And who could forget the women of Iran, who not only are protesting against the repressive edicts of their government, but leading the fight to make sure the world covers their story? Every day, women activists and journalists in Iran fight to make sure and risk their lives to make sure the images and videos of their struggle, their protests, and the crackdown against them make it out. It's those voices that I remember most filling my apartment in New York City in the middle of the night. For journalists like me and many others who cannot access the country, we have been able to make contact with these women. They use slow Internet connections and outlawed VPNs. Now, if you're going to report from a war zone, female camaraderie does help too. When Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021, I was part of a small group of international journalists who decided to stay at the airport and continue on their reporting on the evacuations. Part of that group included a female producer for British TV as well as a female correspondent for Danish television. Between the three of us, we shared everything from a precious clean shirt to eyeliner and hairbrushes. We may have been reporting from a war zone, but we all knew the pressures of being a woman who had to be on TV that night. And I know what a lot of people what about the tough stuff? What about the sleeping in trenches, lugging gear, coming under fire, and the generally rough living conditions? I get asked all the time, how do you take a shower? My male colleagues never get asked. It seems absurd that we have to keep answering these questions. But again and again, women have proven that they are just as tough, brave and stoic when faced with the physical and emotional challenges of reporting from war zones as the men. Why wouldn't we be? We've been doing it for decades, since the Spanish Civil war, World War II and the war in Vietnam. Even though women at the time were a tiny minority, since those who came before us nudged the door open just enough, the number of women who have been able to in the last 20 years get assigned stories as editors, photographers, writers, and broadcasters in major war zones has massively increased. We've not only increased in numbers, but crucially, we've increased in our confidence to tell stories that harnesses our unique perspective and our own unique strengths. Now, many of the things we may have feared in the past would be held against us. Our compassion, our empathy, and our focus on civilian lives have become our greatest strengths. We're also seeing that reflected in our male colleagues reporting as well. A focus on how war impacts communities and families more broadly has become the norm. We are not just good at this job because we are empathetic and softer and have a really good eye for a human story. We're good at this reporting because we're soft and empathetic and strong and tough and brave. We have extraordinary range, and it is female range that is added to the range of voices and stories and faces that are making it out in front of the public from war zones. Today, when the world is presented to you not just in television and radio and print and magazine by a male gaze, but by a female reporter as well, our attitudes to the outside world change too. We feel more connected. We can see beyond the statistics, the politics and just the war fighting. We as journalists are at heart communicators and it is female reporting that is helping the world better commune. Thank you.

[Elise Hu]

That was Jane ferguson at TED Women 2023. This talk was originally published in November of the same year. If you're curious about Ted's curation, find out [e-mail] curationguidelines and that's it for today. TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective. This talk was fact checked by the TED Research team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Greene, Lucy Little and Tansika Songmanivong. This episode was mixed by Christopher Faizy Bogan. Additional support from Emma Tobner and Daniela Balaurazo. I'm Elise Hu.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh

[Elise Hu]

idea for your feed. Thanks for listening.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

This podcast is supported in part by Bill, the intelligent finance platform that helps businesses and accounting firms scale with proven results. We often talk about the habits and systems that help people do their best work. For many leaders, that might include building processes that reduce friction and create clarity. That is exactly why so many finance leaders turn to Bill. With AI powered automation, Bill isn't just moving money. They're simplifying financial operations for nearly half a million customers. They're even trusted by over 90 of the top 100 US accounting firms to get it right. That trust is built on scale. Bill has securely processed over a trillion dollars in real transactions, supporting teams in handling payables, receivables and expenses. When financial tasks are organized and visible, it can free up time and energy to focus on what matters most. Whether that's your team, your mission, or your community, visit bill.comproven and get a $250 gift card as a thank you. After speaking with a bill expert. That's bill.com proven. Terms and conditions apply. See Offer page for details.

[Jane Ferguson (continued)]

You have the vision for your business, you have the plan, and you just got handed a huge opportunity. But is your business connectivity reliable enough to make a move? Spectrum Business delivers fast, reliable Internet, phone, tv, mobile services so you're always connected when it matters most. Get connectivity packages built for your business with savings that keep your budget in check. And with fast, reliable Internet and 100% US based customer support, you'll stay connected and ready to bring your vision to life. Learn [e-mail] business restrictions apply services not available in all areas Just because something on the job runs out doesn't mean you have to order it on the Lowes app. My Lowe's Pro Rewards members get free same day delivery on eligible orders over $25. Get the fasteners, hardware or tools you need to keep the job Moving. Order by 2pm and get eligible in stock items delivered right to your job site by 8pm members get more at Lowe's Loyalty program Subject to terms and conditions Subject to availability restrictions and terms@lowe's.com shippingterms subject to change.