Anvar Samost, editor-in-chief of ERR's news and sport, said of the appointment that: "There was great interest in the position of correspondent and the competition was tight – there were several strong journalists from among the candidates."

Kalam was picked by the selection committee, consisting of newsroom chiefs, mainly due to her interest in and knowledge of U.S. politics and society. Her versatile skills across various types of media also stood out, the committee found.

Laura Kalam has been working in media and communication for over 10 years, and up to now has been working as a video reporter with Delfi Meedia AS, one of the two major private media groups in Estonia.

She holds a Masters in journalism from the University of Tartu, and worked as a U.S.-based intern 2019-2020.

Kalam will start in her new post in early 2024 as things stand. She will replace Maria-Ann Rohemäe, who had been in the role since 2016, and whose fixed-term contract is due to expire.

"We thank Maria-Ann for her long lasting, meaningful and good work," Samost added.

The role of ERR's Washington correspondent is to relay and convey news, not just from the District of Columbia, but from the whole of the U.S., and to all ERR platforms.

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