Knighted in their profession: How foreign correspondents are selected by Australian press

The preparation of newspaper correspondents for postings overseas has always been an inexact business. A decade ago it was suggested that such jobs were more likely doled out as a reward for services rendered or as a means of dealing with a problem within the domestic newsroom. There appears to be little evidence that this situation has changed. Given that the number of postings overseas is shrinking and the commitment of publishers to maintaining discrete foreign bureaus appears static, the low priority given to the training and education of correspondents is hardly surprising. There are signs, however, that journalism education in a general sense is beginning to be taken more seriously by the industry and perhaps in this trend lies hope for the better preparation of future correspondents.