Most Australian radio stations are planning coverage of September 11th.
One year on from the attacks on the United States, ABC Radio, TV and Online will reflect on the events that wrote new pages in history.
ABC programming will survey the changes the attacks wrought on America and its people, as well as looking at how international relations and Australia was changed as a result of the unprecedented terrorist attack on the USA.
Broadcasting live from New York, Mark Colvin (PM) and Virginia Trioli (774 ABC Melbourne) will present a special broadcast commemorating the people and events of September 11. The programme will be produced by Michael Carey, who will bring to the special, his experience as the ABC radio correspondent at the scene when the World Trade Center buildings collapsed.
Colvin and Trioli will present the special broadcast looking at the city twelve months on, beginning at 9.30pm EST across the country on ABC Local Radio. The broadcast will include live crosses to the official memorial service to commemorate the anniversary which takes place at the World Trade Center site.
ABC Radio National Breakfast and the Religion Report will join forces from 8am to 9am for a special program looking back at Sept 11 with a focus on the religious issues surrounding this anniversary.
Late Night Live (10pm) with Phillip Adams, Asia Pacific (8.30pm) and all ABC Current Affairs programs will also present coverage of the anniversary.
Triple J’s Francis Leach (9 am – 12 noon) will be looking at whether the world is or isn’t a safer place since the terrorist attacks on America and ABC NewsRadio will provide full coverage of the first anniversary of September 11, including a special edition of “All Things Considered” from America’s National Public Radio.
This week ABC Radio’s Media Report took an analytical look at the events of September 11th, assessing the media coverage with some prominent, but very different, voices including New York based Australian author, Peter Carey, veteran US TV journalist Walter Cronkite and ‘gonzo’ journalist Hunter S. Thompson. They expressed their strongly held views on how journalists have met the challenge of reporting the current crisis in a program titled ‘Patriot games – American journalism and the war on terror.’
The US Consulate told radioinfo that most radio networks are sending someone or using freelancers such as Brett de Hoedt to provide coverage. Southern Cross will have reporters in New York and Corryn McKay will cover the commemoration ceremonies for the Macquarie Network.
Let’s hope Australian radio presenters do not slip into the habit of reporting the date in the American style as 9/11, which in Australian dates is 9th of November and nothing to do with September 11th.
Contacts for Brett de Hoedt – 0414 713 802 or email [email protected]