Diana Goodman
Encyclopedia
Diana Goodman is a New Zealand-born journalist who became the BBC
's first female foreign correspondent.
Goodman was educated at Lytton High School
, Gisborne
, and Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
for Girls, Wellington
, before studying journalism at the Wellington Polytechnic School of Journalism.
After graduating, she worked for the Cook Islands Broadcasting and Newspaper Corporation, The Dominion
, and the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation
. She moved to Britain in 1975 and started out in commercial radio before joining BBC Radio Manchester
as a news producer in 1978.
Goodman became a network radio reporter in 1982. The following year she was sent to Australia and New Zealand to cover the Prince and Princess of Wales' first tour abroad. In 1984, she reported from Beirut
on the Lebanese Civil War
. The BBC attracted some criticism from listeners who objected to a woman being sent to cover a conflict.
In 1986, Goodman was posted to Bonn
as the BBC's first-ever female foreign correspondent. As well as reporting on West Germany
, she covered Kurt Waldheim
's election as president of Austria. During the political upheavals in Eastern Europe in 1989, she came under fire while reporting on the overthrow of President Nicolae Ceauşescu
.
In January 1990, the BBC was able to open its first bureau in East Berlin
and Goodman was based there as Eastern Europe correspondent from 1990 to 1993. She reported on the first democratic elections in Eastern Europe, the reunification of Germany, the dissolution of Czechoslovakia
and, from Moscow, the resignation of General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev
and the end of the Soviet Union.
In 1994 Goodman was posted to Russia, serving as Moscow correspondent until 1998. She covered the political ramifications of the war in Chechnya
, Boris Yeltsin
's presidency and the effects of economic change. A dispatch for From Our Own Correspondent on the plight of handicapped children in Russia's orphanages produced a strong response from listeners.
On her return to London, Goodman worked for BBC Newsgathering management and was project editor for two books published by BBC News: The Day that Shook the World (pub. 13 December 2001] and The Battle for Iraq [pub. 12 June 2003].
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's first female foreign correspondent.
Goodman was educated at Lytton High School
Lytton High School
Lytton High School is the only co-educational state Secondary School in Gisborne, New Zealand. The school was opened in February 1961 with 159 students...
, Gisborne
Gisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
, and Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School is located in the Wellington suburb of Karori in New Zealand. It has a socio-economic decile of 10 and provides private preschool to year 13 education for girls, but with co-educational kindergarten facilities...
for Girls, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, before studying journalism at the Wellington Polytechnic School of Journalism.
After graduating, she worked for the Cook Islands Broadcasting and Newspaper Corporation, The Dominion
The Dominion (Wellington)
The Dominion was a daily morning newspaper based in Wellington, New Zealand.In 2002 it merged with The Evening Post, the other Wellington daily, to form the Dominion Post....
, and the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation
New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation
The New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation was established by the New Zealand government in 1962. It was dissolved on 1 April 1975, and replaced by three separate organisations: Radio New Zealand, Television One, and Television Two, later known as South Pacific Television....
. She moved to Britain in 1975 and started out in commercial radio before joining BBC Radio Manchester
BBC Radio Manchester
BBC Radio Manchester is a BBC Local Radio station broadcasting to Greater Manchester in North West England. It broadcasts 24 hours a day from studios at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays via a transmitter at Holme Moss, with a small repeater at Saddleworth covering Tameside and Saddleworth...
as a news producer in 1978.
Goodman became a network radio reporter in 1982. The following year she was sent to Australia and New Zealand to cover the Prince and Princess of Wales' first tour abroad. In 1984, she reported from Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
on the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
. The BBC attracted some criticism from listeners who objected to a woman being sent to cover a conflict.
In 1986, Goodman was posted to Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
as the BBC's first-ever female foreign correspondent. As well as reporting on West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, she covered Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Josef Waldheim was an Austrian diplomat and politician. Waldheim was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and the ninth President of Austria, from 1986 to 1992...
's election as president of Austria. During the political upheavals in Eastern Europe in 1989, she came under fire while reporting on the overthrow of President Nicolae Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
.
In January 1990, the BBC was able to open its first bureau in East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
and Goodman was based there as Eastern Europe correspondent from 1990 to 1993. She reported on the first democratic elections in Eastern Europe, the reunification of Germany, the dissolution of Czechoslovakia
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on 1 January 1993, was an event that saw the self-determined separation of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, entities which had arisen in 1969 within the framework of Czechoslovak federalisation, became...
and, from Moscow, the resignation of General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
and the end of the Soviet Union.
In 1994 Goodman was posted to Russia, serving as Moscow correspondent until 1998. She covered the political ramifications of the war in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
, Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
's presidency and the effects of economic change. A dispatch for From Our Own Correspondent on the plight of handicapped children in Russia's orphanages produced a strong response from listeners.
On her return to London, Goodman worked for BBC Newsgathering management and was project editor for two books published by BBC News: The Day that Shook the World (pub. 13 December 2001] and The Battle for Iraq [pub. 12 June 2003].