Quick Facts
Biography
Step Vaessen (born 11 February 1965) is a Dutch broadcast journalist, currently working for Al Jazeera English.
Early life
Vaessen is of Dutch origin and was born in Simpelveld in the province of Limburg, in 1965.
She graduated in psychology in Nijmegen and then took a postgraduate course in journalism in Tilburg. During her student years, she was involved in the Nijmegen squatter movement, and worked on the squatter radio-station Radio Rataplan.
Career
- NOS
In 1994, she began working the Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) news-department. In 1996 she became the NOS South-East Asia correspondent, based in Jakarta.
- Al Jazeera
After a decade working NOS in Jakarta, she moved to Al Jazeera English in 2006. She has been with Al Jazeera English since its foundation and is still based in Jakarta, as the station's correspondent for Indonesia.
- Guest appearances
On Sunday, August 7, 2011, she was the third guest for the 2011 season on the television programme Zomergasten on the VPRO. On 20 June 2012 she was the speaker for the Arondéus Lecture, to discuss the theme of intolerance in the Netherlands and attempts by politicians to limit free speech.
Publications
- Jihad met sambal, August 2011 (Prometheus : Amsterdam). ISBN 9044615378
