NBC News Honors Martin Fletcher’s 40-Year Career as Foreign Correspondent With Special Christie’s Exhibit

By Mark Mwachiro 

In his almost forty years as a correspondent, Martin Fletcher has reported on many impactful events across the globe.

Now NBC News, in conjunction with Christie’s Auction House, is honoring fletcher with a special exhibit titled Martin Fletcher, Teachers: The Ones I Can’t Forget.

The special collaboration, named after Fletcher’s latest book, will be located at Christie’s House at Rockefeller Center and features 11 unique digital collages of archival freeze-frames and documentation from Fletcher’s nearly 40-year career as a renowned NBC News foreign correspondent. The images, created by Fletcher, represent some of his most powerful reports and lessons from the field, including unforgettable people he met along the way.

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“We’re thrilled to honor Martin’s storied career, which represents the best of NBC News and our mission in reporting on historic events around the world,” said NBC News Editorial president Rebecca Blumenstein. “We are proud to celebrate his legacy as he continues to add to ours.”

“We are proud to host Martin’s thrilling exhibition of works that encompass art, journalism, and history,” said President of Christie’s Americas Bonnie Brennan.  “As always, Christie’s doors are open to all, free of charge, and we look forward to sharing this moving presentation with the world as we congratulate Martin on his magnificent career.”

Fletcher discussed the exhibit with TVNewser.

“There are people I met, often on the worst days of their lives, that I never forgot,” he said. “In experiencing and coping with their tragedies, they each taught me something, and still I think of them often. So I got the idea of bringing some together, a kind of homage. But I didn’t want to use them as stories, as the subjects of news reports. So I worked on the images in order to create something new – journalism meets art. I wanted to evoke an emotion, a reaction, much like viewing a painting. I didn’t want to tell people what to think, I wanted the viewer to feel something, especially compassion.”

Fletcher remarked that going through the archives, “was difficult and fascinating.” He added, “It’s a real untapped treasure trove. Archive footage is always used for documentaries or movies, but this was looking at it with a completely fresh perspective. Looking for instants, moments that I could work with. I joined NBC News as a cameraman so I’ve always had a slightly different perspective.”

Fletcher began his award-winning journalism career in London with the BBC before transitioning to NBC News in 1977, where he spent most of his 35 years with the news organization as their Tel Aviv bureau chief and correspondent. He has reported from nearly every country across the world.

Fletcher has received numerous television awards, including five Emmys, a DuPont Award, multiple Overseas Press Club awards, and Edward R. Murrow Awards.

He continues working with NBC News serving as a writing instructor for the network’s many correspondents.

“It is rewarding, challenging and especially a great way to make friends,” said Fletcher. “Such a talented, ambitious bunch. Many are hired because they’re great at what they do, but are then asked to do something different. That’s where I come in. I’ve been helping them for about ten years, mostly with my brilliant writing buddy M.L. Flynn, so an entire generation of TV news reporters has passed through. Also, although I’m writing books now, I love having one foot in the door at NBC News, it’s a way of still being part of the team. I love that team!”

The exhibit, which will be open to the public and supported by Tishman Speyer, starts on Wednesday, March 29, and runs through Friday, April 7.

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