Lyse Doucet
Encyclopedia
Lyse Doucet liːs duːˈsɛt (born 24 December 1958) is a senior BBC presenter and special correspondent from New Brunswick
, Canada
. She works for both BBC World Service
radio and BBC World News television, and also reports for BBC Radio 4
and BBC News in the UK, including reporting on Newsnight
.
. She has a Master's degree
in International Relations from the University of Toronto
and a Bachelor of Arts
Honours Degree from Queen's University at Kingston.
She is a fluent speaker of English, French and Persian
.
in the Ivory Coast for five years. She reported from Pakistan in 1988, and was based in Kabul
from late 1988 to the end of 1989 to cover the Soviet troop withdrawal and its aftermath. She was the BBC Correspondent in Islamabad from 1989 to 1993, also reporting from Afghanistan and Iran. In 1994 she opened the BBC office in Amman
, Jordan. From 1995 to 1999 she was based in Jerusalem, travelling across the Middle East. In 1999, she joined the BBC's team of presenters but continues to report from the field.
", reporting from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. She has covered all major wars in the Middle East since the mid 1990s. Doucet has been a frequent visitor to Pakistan and Afghanistan since the late 1980s. Her work also focuses on the aftermath of major natural disasters, including the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 which took her to India and Indonesia.
, when she volunteered in Côte d’Ivoire in 1982. She is now one of its honorary patrons. Doucet has been a Council Member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House
) and is currently a Council Member of the International Council for Human Rights Policy (ICHRP) based in Geneva. She is also involved with Friends of Aschiana UK which supports working street children in Afghanistan
.
.
In 2007, she was named International Television Personality of the Year by the Association for International Broadcasting
. She also received the News and Factual award from the organisation Women in Film and Television.
In 2003 she was awarded a Silver Sony Award
for News Broadcaster of the Year for her interview with Yasser Arafat
in his compound in Ramallah
.
In 2002, she was the only journalist to accompany the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai
, to his brother's wedding, where an assassination attempt was made. She and her team were later nominated for a Royal Television Society
Award for their exclusive coverage of the attempt. Doucet last interviewed Ahmed Wali Karzai
in April 2011, shortly before his assassination.
Doucet has an honorary doctorate in Civil Law from the University of King's College
in Halifax, Nova Scotia, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from University College
at the University of Toronto (2009), an honorary Doctor of Letters
degree from the University of New Brunswick
, and an honorary doctorate in journalism from Université de Moncton
.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She works for both BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
radio and BBC World News television, and also reports for BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
and BBC News in the UK, including reporting on Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
.
Education
Doucet was born in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada. Her sister is Andrea DoucetAndrea Doucet
Andrea Doucet is a Canadian sociologist and writer. She is Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at Brock University, and holds the Canada Research Chair in Gender, Work and Care. She is also the editor of the academic journal Fathering...
. She has a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in International Relations from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Honours Degree from Queen's University at Kingston.
She is a fluent speaker of English, French and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
.
BBC
Doucet joined the BBC in the early 1980s in West Africa, and was based in AbidjanAbidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
in the Ivory Coast for five years. She reported from Pakistan in 1988, and was based in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
from late 1988 to the end of 1989 to cover the Soviet troop withdrawal and its aftermath. She was the BBC Correspondent in Islamabad from 1989 to 1993, also reporting from Afghanistan and Iran. In 1994 she opened the BBC office in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan. From 1995 to 1999 she was based in Jerusalem, travelling across the Middle East. In 1999, she joined the BBC's team of presenters but continues to report from the field.
Assignments
Lyse Doucet is often deployed to anchor significant news events from the field, and to interview key players. She played a leading role in the BBC's coverage of the "Arab springArab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
", reporting from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. She has covered all major wars in the Middle East since the mid 1990s. Doucet has been a frequent visitor to Pakistan and Afghanistan since the late 1980s. Her work also focuses on the aftermath of major natural disasters, including the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 which took her to India and Indonesia.
Other activities
Her first overseas experience was with Canadian Crossroads InternationalCanadian Crossroads International
Canadian Crossroads International is a Canadian international development organisation based in Toronto and Montreal. Funded in part by the Canadian International Development Agency , CCI is dedicated to fighting the root causes of global poverty and advancing the rights of women and girls in West...
, when she volunteered in Côte d’Ivoire in 1982. She is now one of its honorary patrons. Doucet has been a Council Member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House
Chatham House
Chatham House, formally known as The Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in London whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs. It is regarded as one of the world's leading...
) and is currently a Council Member of the International Council for Human Rights Policy (ICHRP) based in Geneva. She is also involved with Friends of Aschiana UK which supports working street children in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Awards
Lyse Doucet won a Peabody and David Bloom award in 2010 for her film on maternal mortality in Afghanistan, along with producer Melanie Marshall, Shoaib Sharifi, and cameraman Tony Joliffe. She won Best News Journalist at the 2010 Sony Radio Academy AwardsSony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
.
In 2007, she was named International Television Personality of the Year by the Association for International Broadcasting
Association for International Broadcasting
The Association for International Broadcasting - AIB - is the industry association that represents and supports international television and radio broadcasters....
. She also received the News and Factual award from the organisation Women in Film and Television.
In 2003 she was awarded a Silver Sony Award
Sony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
for News Broadcaster of the Year for her interview with Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
in his compound in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
.
In 2002, she was the only journalist to accompany the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
, to his brother's wedding, where an assassination attempt was made. She and her team were later nominated for a Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
Award for their exclusive coverage of the attempt. Doucet last interviewed Ahmed Wali Karzai
Ahmed Wali Karzai
Ahmed Wali Karzai was a prominent politician in Afghanistan and the younger paternal half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and son of Abdul Ahad Karzai. As an elder of the Popalzai Pashtun tribe, he was elected to the Kandahar Provincial Council in 2005 and served as its chairman. Karzai...
in April 2011, shortly before his assassination.
Doucet has an honorary doctorate in Civil Law from the University of King's College
University of King's College
The University of King's College is a post-secondary institution in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. King's is a small liberal arts university offering mainly undergraduate programs....
in Halifax, Nova Scotia, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from University College
University College, University of Toronto
University College is a constituent college of the University of Toronto, created in 1853 specifically as an institution of higher learning free of religious affiliation. It was the founding member of the university's modern collegiate system, and its secularism contrasted with contemporary...
at the University of Toronto (2009), an honorary Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
degree from the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
, and an honorary doctorate in journalism from Université de Moncton
Université de Moncton
The Université de Moncton is a French language university located in Moncton, New Brunswick serving the Acadian community of Atlantic Canada...
.
Quotations
BBC World Affairs editor John Simpson describes her in his book News from No Man's Land: Reporting the World as 'ebullient' and 'great fun'.External links
- Lyse Doucet profile at BBC NewsWatchNewsWatch (BBC)NewsWatch is a weekly BBC television programme presented by Raymond Snoddy that provides a viewer and listener right of reply for BBC News.-The programme:...
- Lyse Doucet on twitter