Andrew Meldrum reported from Zimbabwe for The Economist and The Guardian from 1980 to May 2003, when he was illegally expelled after the government objected to his reports exposing state torture. He is the author of Where We Have Hope, a memoir of his 23 years as a journalist in Zimbabwe. Current job: Assistant Africa Editor for The Associated Press, in Johannesburg – helping to shape AP’s coverage of Africa by commissioning, editing and publishing stories from all of sub-Saharan Africa.
Hometown: Hudson, Ohio
Age: 63
Education: Middlebury College, history major; Columbia University School of Journalism; Nieman Fellowship at Harvard
Languages: English, French
First job in journalism: Editor of Hudson Times, my hometown weekly, circulation 3,200. I went into journalism with the goal of becoming a foreign correspondent so I could go out and see the world and get away from the small town where I grew up. My first job was in that small town and I learned so much about reporting, writing and developing contacts. I redefined myself in that town. People came to know me as a journalist.
Countries reported from: Angola, Botswana, Britain, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Joining the OPC: I joined the OPC in 2003, relatively late in my career. I wish I had joined sooner because I could have benefited from its activities, information and support for journalists. The OPC’s internship programs impress me; they give great starts to young journalists.
Major challenge as a journalist: To accurately report on African events in a way that captures the attention of readers and gives them a better understanding.
What did your expulsion from Zimbabwe teach you about the news media: I was put in a position that every journalist hates – I became the story. I was surprised at how much international attention was focused on my case. I learned how important it was to stay on message. I kept saying, “This is not about me, it is about the Zimbabwe government’s attempts to stifle independent and critical reporting.”
Best journalism advice received: From Jonathan Kapstein of BusinessWeek, a valued mentor when I first came to Africa in 1980: “Always make sure you have a good way to file. You can have the best story in the world but if you cannot transmit it, it will be lost.” When he told me that, access to phones and telex machines were crucial. Now it is making sure my cell phone is charged and I have a good connection. But the advice stays the same.
Worst experience as a journalist: In Zimbabwe, I was held in jail for two days but worse was being on trial for two months for allegedly publishing a falsehood. (Thanks to a brilliant defense by my courageous lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, I was acquitted.)
When traveling, I like to … read up on the economic and political situation and then be open to observations that contradict what I have learned.
Hardest story: Immediately after my expulsion I wrote a piece for The Guardian about my years in Zimbabwe, which matched the country’s independence in 1980 until 2003, when I was expelled. It was also one of my best pieces of work.
Best story to contribute to: Nelson Mandela’s death on Dec. 5, 2013 – The news broke late at night and after we filed the alerts, I went to Soweto to get reactions. It was dark and after midnight. When I got to Mandela’s old home, I found about a dozen people dancing and singing in a circle, paying tribute to Mandela. Soon there were 60 people and then 100. The crowd grew and grew. There was a celebratory, joyful atmosphere. It was gratifying to work on that story, to try to do justice to Mandela, whose life loomed so large throughout my time in Africa – from his years of imprisonment, to his release and time in power and then his final years.
Journalism heroes: James Foley, the American journalist beheaded by the Islamic State group, and Carlos Cardoso, the Mozambican journalist murdered in 2000 following his investigation into corruption. Both were courageous journalists and I am proud to have worked with them.
Advice for journalists who want to work overseas: Learn the craft of journalism and look for a country and region that interests you. Develop your knowledge of its history, culture, literature, everything. If you find a news organization to send you to the country – great! If not, look for freelancing opportunities and go for it. The best opportunities are those you create for yourself. My best reporting was done on a shoestring budget where I scrambled to get the news.
Dream job: To work as a journalist for another 40 years.
Favorite quote: By Nigerian author Chinua Achebe: “The foreign correspondent is frequently the only means of getting an important story told, or of drawing the world’s attention to disasters in the making or being covered up. Such an important role is risky in more ways than one. It can expose the correspondent to actual physical danger; but there is also the moral danger of indulging in sensationalism and dehumanizing the sufferer.”
Place most eager to visit: Lagos, Nigeria – I’ve never been there and I hear it is teeming with life and stories.
Most over-the-top assignment: Travel to and write about the Seychelles, one spectacular beach after another.
Most common mistake seen: Journalists who come in thinking they know it all.
Country most want to return to: Zimbabwe.
Twitter handle: @A_Meldrum