Robyn Curnow is relocating to Atlanta with Kim Norgaard CNN International confirms to TV with Thinus.
Robyn Curnow left South Africa earlier this year to visit Atlanta - in hindsight clearly for talks and on-camera testing - but said that she isn't going anywhere and would be back to South Africa. She did return but will now be moving permanently to Atlanta in the United States.
Robyn Curnow has been CNN International's South African based correspondent since 2008 and also did the magazine strand CNN Marketplace Africa talking to business, company and investment leaders on the continent.
It was Robyn Curnow's simply terrific coverage and stellar reporting on both the Oscar Pistorius murder case and the death and funeral of former president Nelson Mandela which elevated her into a whole new bracket of international news reporting status as she showcased her exceptional communication skills on television as well as her immense background knowledge and off-the-cuff insight.
Robyn Curnow and Kim Norgaard's upcoming relocation signals an ongoing, quick and very dramatic gutting of CNN's pool of extremely talented and experienced TV news people in South Africa as an exodus continues of highly qualified, highly experienced and highly trained TV news people moving out of South Africa to CNN in Atlanta, and elsewhere.
Nkepile Mabuse left CNN International last year for eNCA's (DStv 403) new investigative magazine strand Checkpoint, and eNCA's chief meteorologist Derek van Dam resigned and will be leaving South Africa soon to become a meteorologist for CNN International in Atlanta too.
Errol Barnett, who was based in Johannesburg for CNN International and who was the face of Inside Africa, was also extracted and replaced, with no announcement, as Soni Methu suddenly took over as host of the magazine programme, from Kenya.
Errol Barnett has moved in behind the news desk doing anchor duty on CNN.
The exit from Africa of Robyn Curnow and bureau chief Kim Norgaard - who will apparently work at CNN's foreign desk - together with Nkepile Mabuse and Errol Barnett leaves a big hole in terms of recognisable, trusted, and experienced TV news people to cover South Africa and Southern Africa for CNN International on the ground.
Of course Derek van Dam's relocation is also a loss to South Africa's TV industry.
There's been no word to the South African press of the specific moves and changes, nor replacements so far.
"Robyn Curnow is moving to CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta, where she will be starting a new chapter in her CNN career," the South African PR firm representing CNN International, Burson-Marsteller, tells TV with Thinus.
"Kim Norgaard is also moving to CNN's headquarters, where he will be taking on a new role in the network's senior editorial team. CNN will be announcing details of these new roles soon, as well as both Robyn Curnow and Kim Norgaard's replacements in CNN's South Africa bureau".
