Martin Savidge in the Worldfocus studio. |
Martin Savidge, who hosted the show for much of its run, comments on the end of the program:
Well, gang, our nightly global road trip has come to an end. There’s no point dwelling on the why. Sometimes that is just the way it is.
Even so, I will miss the show and all of you. We shared a common passion and interest wanting to know more about the rest of the world which we share. We wanted more than just the big, mostly violent, headlines preferring the simple intimate portraits of life and people in other places. We traveled far to find stories that in many ways reminded us of our own. The good news was it wasn’t all bad news.
So maybe it’s time to take a break and unpack. You know, catch up on the laundry and the mail all that kind of stuff you do when you come off the road. It’s also time to recharge, rethink and plan for the next journey. I’ll be out there somewhere. There is still too much to see and get to know.
Not sure where I’m going just yet but isn’t that the fun of it? Let’s stay in touch, I’m not a hard man to track I’m on Facebook so look for me.
Yes it’s sort of sad but it’s also not so bad. We had a wonderful adventure I know that because like any great journey it feels ended too soon.
Wishing you safe travels and friendly customs agents!
The Worldfocus newsroom, with Sally Garner in the foreground. |
Sally Garner, who was a producer at Worldfocus, writes about her experience:
More than 2,000 viewers have written to say they will miss Worldfocus. Ratings surveys show more than 300,000 were watching. But behind the scenes there were just a few dozen people writing, editing, reporting, researching, telephoning, creating graphics, searching for experts, and on every single day — laughing.
Yep, a newsroom filled with generally happy people. That’s what happens when a good idea gets off the ground with a great staff.
We found out, whether it was our first job in TV news, or maybe our last, that it’s a team sport. We may be going off the air, but there’s not a chance I will forget looking across three long tables in an open workspace and marveling at what was happening.
Our newsroom (pictured above right) might look like a meeting room to you, but that was the whole place, the whole staff. I’m proud to have been a part of it and I will miss every person who shared the experience of Worldfocus.
Oh, and may I say to my colleagues — table one rules.
Mohammad Al-Kassim at work. |
Mohammad Al-Kassim, a Worldfocus associate producer, recalls his time on the show.
The last 18 months have been the best in my life — with all its ups and downs. I was blessed with the honor of working with some of the best in the journalism profession. I came here with a little bit of knowledge of the profession of journalism, and I leave today with the experience of a lifetime. Worldfocus has enriched my life in so many ways, and it made coming to work every day a moment I looked forward to.
Edie Magnus, a Worldfocus correspondent who reported from Chile, Canada and Brazil, writes about her memories:
I was always pleased and proud to contribute to the content of Worldfocus.
Edie Magnus fills in at the anchor desk.
Whether I traveled overseas to report or watched from home, I always learned something that was actually NEW in the Worldfocus news.
Worldfocus offered a window into the lives of others beyond our shores that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else. Each night was a gift.
I hope PBS will find another way to put the world’s pressing issues on our collective radar. In the meantime, the Worldfocus staff should feel very proud of the work it did to make it happen, and I wish my colleagues success as in taking this experience into the next meaningful project.
04/09/2010 :: 01:35:43 PM
rita lynn tome Says:
How are the American people going to know what is going on from other peoples’ perspectives? We need to continue to broaden our way of thinking in the world as a nation as well as individually. Thank you for all that you were able to give us in those short 18 months.