Intelligence Squared Lyse Doucet on Reporting from the Frontlines (Part One)
Oct 21, 2025
Lyse Doucet, BBC's Chief International Correspondent, has spent four decades reporting from conflict zones, shaping her unique perspective on global conflicts. In a riveting conversation with Lindsey Hilsum, she shares her early career moments in West Africa and traces her journey to Afghanistan amidst the Soviet withdrawal. Doucet highlights her new book’s theme, using the iconic Inter-Continental Hotel as a lens to explore Afghanistan's turbulent history, showcasing the resilience and hospitality of its people even in times of turmoil.
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Take Calculated Risks Early In Reporting
- Doucet advises young journalists to take calculated risks and choose postings where they can get noticed but aren't competing with established correspondents.
- She emphasizes volunteering, learning on the job, and persistence when doors initially close.
Use Kindness As A Career Multiplier
- Doucet highlights the power of kindness from strangers and sponsors in advancing a journalism career.
- She encourages cultivating and accepting small acts of help as career catalysts.
Quetta Assignment That Shaped A Career
- Lyse Doucet describes choosing to report from Quetta, Pakistan, in 1988 and meeting key Afghan figures like Hamid Karzai.
- That accidental posting became her entry point to four decades of Afghanistan coverage.
