Getting ready for the Foreign Reporting panel. Graeme Smith of the Globe and Mail, Murray Brewster of the Canadian Press, and Michelle Shephard of The Star will be today's panelists. The moderator will be Darryl Konynenbelt former Global TV and CTV reporter.

Konynenbelt introduces panelists and invites the audience to ask questions?

Mislead by "the disconnect between the rhetoric of the government, but also the abismal misunderstanding of the war"-- Brewster

Smith has been to Libiya four times, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Still working on stories he uncovered in Tripoli

Rueters is expanding their coverage-- Smith
"we need to have those resources there"

The need for accuracy, Shephard reiterates the importance of being right over being first/or fastest to post a story.

Seneca prof. speaks about the misunderstanding of students who believe Canadians are on a peace keeping mission in Afghanistan

Brewster says news org. needed to have more men/women on the ground in Afghanistan reporting on the war.

Shephard covers what she calls a foreign beat. Due to the amount of coverage she has done in areas like Yemen, Somolia, Pakistan and Gitmo. She views herself as a specialist of those areas.
Brewster believes this will be the future of foreign journalists. Stay based in Toronto become a specialist and parachute in to cover stories.

Shift from foreign focus to hyper-local news is doing Canadians a diservice.

Sometimes you can be in a bubble reporting over seas, especially in countries w/out electricity.

Shephard feels that the use of technology can be overwhelming at times.

"Canada's reputation is good but keep an eye out over the next couple years because we are starting to become more right leaning than our American neighbours."-- Brewster

for freelancers they reccomend traveling w/ a journalists visa.
Brewster says to speak with the papers you will be pitching your stories to before you leave.

Shephard says main reason she had an interest in covering Gitmo was Omar Khadr the obviuos Canadian connection between the rest of Canada and the prison in Cuba.
While covering Somolia she found "Candian stories"--- stories that will relate back to Canadian readers

audience member asks about the dificulties related to reporting against the military when your embedded with them

Brewster thinks a little different recounting the military's reaction when he found the family of the murdered teen.