Sarah Harman

Born in:
Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Languages:
English, German

Degrees/Journalistic experience:
I have a BA in English and Psychology from Georgetown University (Hoya Saxa!!!). I edited the Arts & Leisure section of the Georgetown Voice and worked as a nightlife reporter for Brightestyoungthings.com. Next I reported for United Press International in Washington, D.C., before moving to Germany to work as a radio reporter for DW, where I filed stories from around Europe. I then moved to Berlin to join the DW TV newsroom.

With DW since:
2009

Favorite quote:
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” (Oscar Wilde)

My personal hero:
Malala Yousafzai. She stood up to the Taliban in Pakistan and insisted on her right to an education. She survived being shot in the head, and she continues to be an amazing advocate for women’s rights. Her courage and conviction give me hope for future generations.

What do I strive to be as a journalist?
Honest. Curious. Balanced. Brave.

7 things I particularly love about live TV news:
1. That rush of adrenaline before you go on-air
2. Asking important questions – I basically get paid to be nosy!
3. Coming up with creative solutions to inevitable technical problems
4. Being part of a team. It sounds cheesy, but when I’m in the studio, I’m relying on our editorial team and technical crew, who work really hard behind the scenes to make our show awesome. You don’t get that same sense of community as a lone-wolf reporter.
5. I learn something new every day. Sometimes multiple things.
6. Getting instant feedback from our viewers via Twitter and Facebook. It’s an amazing gift to be able to connect with people from all over the world and hear their perspectives.
7. When the show’s over, it’s over. You can’t go back and edit the things you didn’t like. It’s just like life.