War, a view from the front

RBR shares with our readers a first hand read and the view through the eyes of ABC’s Steve Jones. Jones emails ABC Radio Network President Traug Keller on status and conditions of ABC reporters and the troops preparing for war. Keller was kind enough to share this with RBR and all radio executives.

From: Jones, Steve

Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2003 11:46 AM

To: Keller, Traug

Subject: ABC News Radio war coverage

Traug...

We are doing well on pre-war coverage...with reporters in key

places...telling this story. Our radio freelancer from Israel, Richard

Engel, has gone to Baghdad on his own. I believe we are the only radio

news operation with a reporter in Baghdad. Richard is an Arabic speaker

with several years experience in the region and we've told Richard that it

is his decision whether to stay in Iraq or leave.

Signs that war is imminent: ABC's Bob Schmidt is with Army Task Force 369

in the desert on the Iraq border. He reported this morning that tents are

coming down, trucks and armor are being fueled and loaded with food and

water.

On board the USS Constellation at 4AM local time, ABC's Jim Ryan sat with

troops watching the Bush speech live. The sailors cheered the president.

And, we getting the human angle that makes our troops' circumstances

relatable to listeners: Reporter Aaron Ketersky is along side the

Marines....and he was with an F-18 pilot who learned his wife in Dallas

had just given birth to their son. Good stuff.

Starting tonight and every night going forward, we will produce a one-hour

Instant Special: "On the Brink of War" its called...on the brink...for now.

sj

RBR Note: We are thankful for Keller sharing this information, moment, experience and thinking of RBR to present a first hand read on conditions as the hours keep ticking.