Reporter’s Notebook

Reporter’s Notebook: Top stories we covered in 2021

September 30, 2021

Music review: Gustaf closes the book on the pandemic

CGTN’s Owen Fairclough reviews punk band Gustaf’s latest album that speaks to the COVID-19 era.

March 21, 2021

What happens when two Lower48 journalists visit Alaska

See how two journalists from California’s Bay Area in the “Lower 48 states” of the U.S. fared in the last frontier of Alaska.

January 13, 2021

After the Capitol siege, what is the future for Trumpism?

A week after the deadly siege of the U.S Congress, Owen Fairclough reflects on where Trump’s insurrectionist supporters can take their movement

June 10, 2020

Reporter’s Diary: Covering the George Floyd protests

More than two weeks after George Floyd’s death, and subsequent protests around the country, correspondent Dan Williams reflects on what it was like to talk to people coping with the tragedy and report on the events happening.

March 16, 2020

Uncontained: the sound of a crisis

Owen Fairclough is unnerved by the timing of a post-punk masterpiece.

November 22, 2019

Cheetahs, baboons, and conservation: A Namibian adventure

A first hand look at traveling to Namibia to volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary.

August 15, 2019

Drab Majesty: the band we need right now

Owen Fairclough thinks Drab Majesty can save us from disinformation overload

April 26, 2019

Reporter’s Notebook: Iran’s foreign minister says country has ‘Ph.D in sanctions busting’

CGTN’s Asieh Namdar recently attended a meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Here’s what he said.

April 23, 2019

Reporter’s Notebook: Celebrating Cambodian New Year

CGTN’s Chanlee Saray-Yim describes Cambodian New Year celebrations in Silver Spring, Maryland.

January 11, 2019

Reporter’s Notebook: Remembering the 2010 Haiti earthquake

It’s been nine years since my deployment to cover the aftermath of Haiti’s earthquake in January of 2010. At that time, I was a correspondent for a Latin American Spanish news network.

November 20, 2018

Reporter’s Notebook: How the UN series on languages was produced

Part CGTN’s Liling Tan’s job as a journalist is to turn the language of diplomacy at the United Nations into normal-people words. In that effort she decided to report in the official languages of the UN. She reflects on what she learned in this Reporter’s Notebook.

November 5, 2018

Reporter’s Notebook: Covering guns in the midterm elections

CGTN’s Sean Callebs recounts how he covered guns in the 2018 midterm elections.

Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) Photo/Chris Bach

October 16, 2018

On the road through Lhasa to Kathmandu to Paro

Two weeks and over 700 miles through southern Asia provided amazing sights and adventure for CGTN Video Editor Chris Bach. Here is a first-person account of the wonders he experienced.

September 10, 2018

Reporter’s Notebook: Solitary confinement set me free

CGTN’s Shane Hahm isolated himself from the outside world, voluntarily, for 24 hours. In “prison” he set his mind free.

June 30, 2018

Russia 2018 proving skeptics wrong, but what will be the legacy for the country?

The 2018 Russia World Cup is in full swing, but once the final kick has been taken, what will the legacy of the tournament be for the people? Russian authorities hope it will have a long-term impact, boosting trade and tourism, but some economists are less convinced.

April 27, 2018

Reporter’s Notebook: Fighting human-trafficking by rescuing children in Thailand

CGTN’s Connie Lee recently volunteered in Thailand with a group fighting human-trafficking by rescuing children. She shares some of her observations from spending time with the kids.

January 17, 2018

Galapagos adventure is one more check off the bucket list

A visit to the Galapagos Islands to experience the beauty and wildlife was on CGTN Editor Chris Bach’s bucket list. He takes you on the journey.

November 26, 2017

One year after his death Cubans remember Fidel Castro

Thousands of Cubans gathered at the University of Havana on Saturday evening to pay tribute and mark the first anniversary of the death of former leader Fidel Castro. He died, age 90, on November 25, 2016. CGTN’s Michael Voss attended the rally and files this Reporter’s Notebook.

November 3, 2017

Reporter’s Notebook: Covering Trump in China

I hope to see China with the experience of the past seven years working for China Global Television, but the new eyes of someone who has read, dreamed and written about a place, but not yet had the privilege to visit.

October 14, 2017

Reporter’s Notebook: The Challenge of getting to the Northern California Fires

In one area, homes were burned to the ground…completely annihilated. But right next door, a home stood unscathed. CGTN’s May Lee shares personal observations while covering the massive wildfires in California in this Reporter’s Notebook.

October 1, 2017

Reporter’s Notebook: When the hurricane hits home

CGTN’s Nitza Soledad Perez has been covering the hurricanes in Puerto Rico, Texas, and Florida for the last few weeks. Here’s how she did it.

September 8, 2017

Reporter’s Notebook: Trying to get to Hurricane Irma

CGTN Correspondent Sean Callebs describes getting to Hurricane Irma.

March 28, 2017

This is China, too

When people talk about China, they mostly talk about the big cities. They talk about how modern and flourishing these crowded metropolises are. They rarely talk about the countryside like my hometown, or farmers like my grandparents.

November 9, 2016

Joining the dots on Donald Trump

CCTV business correspondent Owen Fairclough has witnessed two insurgent populist movements cause global shock waves this year and thinks it’s time to join the dots on historic changes.

October 25, 2016

Unique aspects of American baseball as the World Series begins

Tuesday ushers in the first game of America’s great national pastime of baseball. From the National League, the Chicago Cubs face off against the American League’s Cleveland Indians.

October 18, 2016

Desert Trip: Three days of Oldchella amazed the world

The Desert Trip festival just ended its second epic concert, leaving the crowd totally amazed by the Oldchella. CCTV’s May Lee was there and shares her experience.

July 8, 2016

Dallas shooting: Tragic event’s impact on police brutality discussion

The opportunity to face injustice is unfortunately gone for all the wrong reasons. Now, the people who are looking for reasons not to listen have found it.

June 24, 2016

Brexit: I’m the outsider now

CCTV’s Owen Fairclough is traveling in his native England and has a first hand account of the country on the Brexit vote.

June 23, 2016

LeBron James crowned king of the basketball world with historic title

Now that Kobe Bryant has retired the mantle of best basketball player on the planet rests firmly on the shoulder of King James.

June 22, 2016

Brexit: Has the damage already been done?

CCTV’s Owen Fairclough is traveling in his native England and has a first hand account of the country on the Brexit vote.

June 10, 2016

My casual Friday with ‘The Greatest’

Around 1994 the epicenter of Black politico was Atlanta City Hall where legions of obnoxious incompetent people literally stole money by working inefficiently and collecting big paychecks often basking in the arrogance of their own ignorance.

June 3, 2016

A personal look at life in Iran

CCTV’s Elmira Jafari recently visited her home country and offers her personal observations on what she saw.

April 23, 2016

Falling in love with Prince; a lifetime affair

Do you remember the first time you fell in love? I do. I was 8 years old. The object of my affection: a diminutive young man from Minnesota named Prince Rogers Nelson.

April 18, 2016

Walking with lions in Zimbabwe’s Antelope Park

What is it like to spend two weeks around lions in Africa? CCTV America’s editor Chris Bach recently made the trip and brought back this story and images of his experiences.

March 7, 2016

The rise of Chinese football: Chinese investment in Portugal

Luís Aguilar is a journalist and sports commentator and has authored many books covering world football. Here he contributes to CCTV America with insight into how China is helping the sport of football in Portugal.

November 16, 2015

Hoop dreams: My Paris, a reporter’s notebook

CCTV America reporter Owen Fairclough shares his thoughts on on the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. He had previously lived in Paris for six years. For the second time in less than a year, I am thousands of miles away reporting on another atrocity in […]

October 5, 2015

10 questions about Iran, women and youth with Negar Mortazavi

Negar Mortazavi is an Iranian-American journalist based in New York City. She’s discussed the Iran nuclear deal on CCTV America, and we asked her to tell us more about the youth and women in Iran. Here’s what she had to say in a Q-and-A with anchor […]

September 4, 2015

Voices: The Iran deal moving forward

Elmira Jafari is a guest producer with CCTV America in Washington, D.C. She occasionally blogs opinions and observations about Iran and Iranian culture.

August 21, 2015

After Bangkok bombing, fears give way to strength

As the week of the Bangkok bombing comes to a close, life continues as normal for those unaffected by the events earlier in the week. But a sense of nervousness still permeates the city.

Iranians flash the victory sign as they hold their country's flag while waiting for arrival of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif from Lausanne, Switzerland, at the Mehrabad airport in Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2015. Iran and six world powers reached a preliminary nuclear agreement Thursday outlining commitments by both sides as they work for a comprehensive deal aiming at curbing nuclear activities Tehran could use to make weapons and providing sanctions relief for Iran. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

August 6, 2015

Hope: A new vibe in the streets of Tehran

There’s a new vibe in the city of Tehran. It’s optimism.

July 21, 2015

Backpacking the world with a purpose

Traveling has always been a passion of Clemens Sehi, but now he does it with a purpose. Elmira Jafari talked to him about his backpack treks.

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg addresses Tsinghua’s graduates

July 3, 2015

Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg addresses Tsinghua University’s graduates

Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg was the first female speaker to be invited as the guest speaker at Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management graduation ceremony.

March 18, 2015

Happy (Persian) New Year! Here’s how to celebrate

Elmira Jafari is a guest producer with CCTV America in Washington, D.C. She occasionally blogs about Iran and Iranian culture.

March 13, 2015

Going beyond the news headlines to the people, culture, land of Iran

The 1979 Islamic revolution, the U.S. hostage crisis, and the on-going nuclear negotiations: just some of the things that might come to mind when you think about Iran. But there is much more to this ancient land and its people than what’s portrayed in the […]

March 13, 2015

Iran: A visit home after 14 years

Elmira Jafari is a guest producer with CCTV America in Washington D.C. This blog contains some of her impressions on a return visit to Iran after being away 14 years.

January 25, 2015

Mike Kirsch’s reporter’s notebook: portraits from oil country

Read Mike Kirsch’s travel log from his visit to Williston, North Dakota.

December 31, 2014

Reporters Notebook: U.S. economy gets its groove back

In 2014, the training wheels came off the U.S. economy when one of the biggest stimulus programs in history came to an end, and in the last few months of the year, U.S. economy has outstripped every major developed country. However it still faces competition […]

December 31, 2014

Reporters Notebook: Havana’s doors open to global economy

Another major development for the U.S. economy in 2014 had to do with its Caribbean neighbor to the south, Cuba. CCTV America’s Michael Voss reported this story from Havana.

December 31, 2014

Our favorite images from 2014

Sometimes the biggest stories of the year included images so powerful they seared into our collective memories. Sometimes, they were from not so well known stories. Take a look at the images we at the Digital Media team for CCTV America found the most compelling, […]

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