News & Events
December 16, 2021
Meet Washington DC’s new alumni chapter leader — Larry Miller
Larry Miller is an award-winning morning and midday anchor at WUSA9 in Washington DC — and a proud RIAS Berlin Commission alumnus. Miller has been an enthusiastic support of the alumni network for the last three years and recently agreed to the honorary position as Washington DC Chapter Leader.
It’s a difficult and sometimes thankless task bringing together RIAS participants from a variety of programs over the last 30 years in a busy city filled with so many other distractions but the indefatigable Miller is enthusiastic about developing the DC alumni network into the best in the world. Before moving to highly competitive Washington DC TV market, Miller worked as an anchor and reporter in Medford, Oregon and Birmingham, Alabama. We recently had the chance to talk to Miller about his hopes and plans for the Washington DC alumni chapter — which will also be hosting a big alumni gathering in late October 2022 for about 30 German alumni.
You’re the new chapter leader of the Washington DC RIAS alumni chapter. Is that an honor or a burden?
Larry Miller: I am thrilled to help lead the Washington DC RIAS Alumni Chapter. I have a lot of ideas for our chapter but it’s important to me that all of our alumni feel connected to RIAS and to the chapter. So, over the next few weeks, we’ll be spending time reaching out and engaging our alumni to get a better sense of what they want and how RIAS can help. Given the professionals within our chapter, it’s critical that RIAS expand and innovate to help journalists in various stages of their career while maintaining the foundation by which RIAS is built upon. I’m looking forward to the future and what we’ll do together.
Why did you agree to take on this assignment?
Larry Miller: I agreed to take on this assignment because I honestly feel RIAS has enriched my life and reginited by enthusiasm about journalism. When I applied to RIAS, I was looking for an experience that would get me thinking more globally, introduce me to new people, and provide an experience that would test me both emotionally and physically. I found all of those things in RIAS, it’s staff, and the fellows with whom I would spend two weeks touring Germany and other European countries with. I felt compelled to accept the role as leader of the Washington RIAS Alumni Chapter because I feel a sense of responsibility to make sure this organization and the alumni chapter is well functioning and supportive in the way it was and has been for me.
You’ve organized some incredible visits to your WUSA9 station for visiting RIAS journalists – putting in a lot of effort to line up several editors/journalists/anchors as guest speakers – and even getting a catered lunch for them. Why do you put so much heart and soul into RIAS?
How do you see the future of the RIAS alumni chapter in Washington DC?
Larry Miller: My hope for the Washington Alumni Chapter is to create and organize effective programming that serves our alumni interests and enriches their professional lives. We need to be in the business of doing substantive programming where people feel they are walking away smarter and better connected to the organization. When people feel like their membership provides unique benefits and opportunities that can’t be replicated anywhere else, I believe they’ll view chapter events not as a chore but as something they simply cannot miss out on.
Do you have any events planned?
Larry Miller: Right now, we are in the process of assessing the needs of our membership. We recently sent an email asking for feedback and suggestions on programming. Once that information is compiled, it will dictate how we move forward. I believe we have to be mission driven and focused in our programming. Give the alumni what they both want and need.
What’s your favorite part about RIAS?
Larry Miller: The people. Hands down. Everyone has an interesting story to tell and when we’re all together it’s like we’ve been friends for a lifetime.
RIAS Media Prize 2022 – Call for Entries
The RIAS Berlin Commission will hold its annual media prize again in 2022 and urges all journalists in the United States and Germany to submit entries for the prestigious competition. There will be a total of up to $12,000 (10,000 EUR) in prize money awarded for exceptional radio, television and digital stories that includes a $6,000 (5,000 EUR) grand prize for the single most outstanding entry that was broadcast in either the United States or Germany during 2021.
The winners in 2021 for the year 2020 included Ingo Zamperoni and Birgit Wärnke of ARD Television for their story about Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, the sharp political divisions in the United States, and his American wife’s family, as well as Ryan Delaney of St. Louis Public radio, who won for a series of stories about how Germany kept its schools open during the first stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The winners of several different categories including best TV production, best radio production and best fellow production will be invited to attend a gala awards ceremony in Berlin in May or June 2022.
The RIAS Media Prize is intended to help strengthen the diversity of transatlantic dialogue and to deepen interest in German-American relations. Germany and the USA are each facing new directions in many respects, both internally and externally. Committed, independent journalism can contribute a great deal to mutual understanding of and between countries as well as to an open social discourse about values and goals. The contributions submitted should go beyond daily and routine reporting, should process information and describe social reality in a remarkable way, and promote dialogue on similarities and differences in transatlantic relations.
Ideally, contributions worth consideration should: stand out thematically and/or in their execution; take on new questions in a creative way; critically examine and make the diversity of social reality clear; contain interesting suggestions for transatlantic debate; encourage reflection on problems and solutions; question clichés about Germans and/or Americans; describe trends in everyday life that are of general interest; contribute in a special way to mutual curiosity and understanding; be suitable to strengthen democratic and societal values.
Entries must be received by the RIAS Berlin Commission via Email no later than January 31st, 2022. All work submitted must be the primary effort of the person or persons making the entry. RIAS Berlin Commission reserves the right to create additional categories such as a “Jury Prize” for awards or decline to make an award in a category where only a few entries or those of poor quality are received.
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: JANUARY 31, 2022
Entries must include:
– full name, title, business address, phone, e-mail,
– posting date(s) of the story, story running length, word count, – story title and brief description
– a brief description of your role
in the production of the story
Clearly indicate the category for your entry:
Categories are: 1) Television 2) Radio 3) Digital (includes podcasts and online) 4) “RIAS Fellow Prize” (best TV, radioor digital entry by a current RIAS participant or RIAS fellow alumni)
A maximum of two entries per person is allowed. An entry is considered to be one single entry when several shorter pieces relate in form or content to a specific category.
All entries must be submitted electronically via Email:
– with a valid URL that is active until at least March 2022 and can be accessed without proprietary information (password) by the RIAS jury.
ALL ENTRIES SHOULD BE SENT TO:
Email: info@riasberlin.org
The RIAS Berlin Commission is a binational organization for the promotion of German-American understanding in the field of broadcasting.
Gargiulo named RIAS Berlin Commission Alumnus of Year
The RIAS Berlin Commission has awarded Michael Gargiulo, a morning anchor at WNBC TV in New York, with its new Alumnus of the Year title for his indefatigable efforts to bring together American and German journalists. Gargiulo, who first took part in a RIAS program to Germany in 2002, has led the New York City alumni chapter for the last four years and helped organize a group of 17 American RIAS alumni for a week-long program to Berlin in September. The veteran journalist has also been a featured guest speaker at WNBC in New York for visiting groups of German journalists for many years, has recruited American journalists for RIAS programs, helped increase the numbers of entries from the United States for the RIAS Media Prize and has also served on the RIAS jury. But beyond all that Gargiulo has helped connect German journalists with contacts and tips for their stories in the United States and also helped connect American journalists with German contacts.
Gargiulo: I’m both honored and humbled, because so many German and American journalists do so much for RIAS. They invite us into their newsrooms and studios, or set up meetings on a porch in Washington DC in the midst of COVID lockdowns. They host German journalists and allow them to experience what it’s like to be a “one man band” covering an event in West Texas. They even bring us to the roof of RBB’s building in Berlin to discuss how German broadcasters worked through the pandemic. My own association with RIAS has meant so much to me in terms of new German and American friends,
professional growth and the chance to learn the German language and understand more about the country I’ve been fascinated with since childhood.
really wanted to go. Then Germany put the US back on the High Risk list. We were unsure if we would even be allowed into the country, or if we would be able to get into newsrooms and studios but the Fellows still wanted to go. We had about 23 folks committed, but just before we left, 5 dropped out. Two couldn’t get passports they had applied for months before. Others cited COVID concerns or were dealing with family health issues. We wondered “Should we just cancel?” We decided though that we should go ahead if the Fellows were still willing … they were and it was an amazing experience.
Gargiulo: When I first started my involvement with RIAS, I noticed that the German journalists would hang out together at an event and the Americans would gather in their own group… and after my first RIAS trip, my contacts were only with the American journalists I had traveled with. That’s totally changed. During and after 2021’s exchange programs, Americans and Germans went out to dinner together on their own… arranged outings together and sent group messages back and forth across the Atlantic on Slack. Personally, German journalists went from being someone we met during a tour at ARD or RBB… to friends. Martin Richter, Petra Gute, Mitri Sirin, Vladimir Balzer, Bartosz Dudek… I love the fact that they are my community in Germany … and that professionally I can call on them to help me go the right way on a story…but most of all, I treasure our friendships and look forward to when we can get together in Berlin or New York .
RIAS Media Prize Ceremony postponed, programs resume in March
The RIAS Media Prize ceremony that was planned for December 1 has been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ceremony is now planned for May 2022 and will honor RIAS Media Prize winners from the 2020 and 2021 competitions. The May 2022 media prize awards ceremony in Berlin will also pay tribute to the winners for productions aired in 2021 that will be selected by an independent RIAS Media Prize jury in early 2022.
RIAS exchange programs are also scheduled to continue again in March 2022, depending on the prevailing corona conditions. A standard program for German journalists is tentatively scheduled for March 7-25 with one week in Washington DC, one week in New York City and one individual “station week” working with an American journalist at a small station in the Midwest, West or South.
There will also be a student program from March 18 to April 8 with one week in New York and two weeks at an American university working with students on their campus radio and tv stations. A two-week program for American journalists to Germany and Brussels is scheduled for early June and a three-week student program for American students is scheduled for late June/early July. There area also plans for a second two-week program for Americans in September, a second three-week program for Germans in early October and a one-week program for German alumni in Washington DC in late October. Further information available at info@riasberlin.org
Observations from RIAS program in USA for alumni, senior editors
Thirty broadcast journalists from across Germany took part in a week-long RIAS Berlin Commission fellowship program in New York City in late October. After nearly 20 meetings with journalists, politicians, diplomats, actors, fashion experts, law enforcement, Africa-American leaders, Jewish leaders, NGOs, experts on the 9/11 trauma and experts from the world of fashion, here are some of their reflections:
Mitri Sirin, ZDF Berlin: It began by seeing Obama, and ended talking to the Crisis Communication Manager of Harvey Weinstein. What a program and what a truly fantastic week! 
This RIAS Alumni Program in New York has exceeded my expectations by far. I’m on the plane to Berlin, but would actually prefer to continue my time in NYC. The energy of New York, the intensity of the new impressions, of the people and their interesting talks paired with the pace of the city demanded and encouraged me. I have to thank RIAS for this incomparably good program, which has broadened my horizons and will certainly inspire me in the long term. I was also impressed with the energy of our group of veterans, if I may put it that way. Cool, nice, experienced and well-trained journalists, all of them incredibly curious and thirsty for knowledge, and their joy in the program could be felt every day and into the late night. To all of you: Thank you very much. My advice to all the other journalists who are reading this now and who are not yet part of the RIAS circle: Apply and get involved in this network. In short: RIAS inspires, informs and you surely benefit from being a part of it!
Petra Gute; rbb Fernsehen Berlin/ARD: “New York’s making a comeback – get on board” we read on a poster in the “Long Island Rail Road”, which took us, fresh from Berlin at JFK airport, straight to an “early voting campaign rally” with Barack Obama and the governor of New Jersey (and former USA ambassador in Berlin) Phil Murphy through the city to Weequahic Park in New Jersey. What a spectacular start to an intense, jam-packed, unforgettable week of thr RIAS alumni program in New York! We were among the first to get back in to New York, after a year and a half of the Covid19 pandemic that inflicted severe wounds on the “Big Apple.” These wounds could still be felt everywhere, not only in the many closed stores in the city or the many American journalist colleagues who still work from their home offices. We learned more about the other great wound of New York
that still hurts so many: Gordon Huie, surviver of 9/11 at the site itself, led us through the “9/11 Tribute Center” recalling how he had patched up many wounded people that day as a first-aid doctor, and how he learned on the evening of 9/11 that his sister Susan had died in the World Trade Center. He’s still traumatized, and he’s going to die soon himself, he says, struggling to breathe: the dust he breathed in lower Manhattan that day probably caused the cancer in his body. For me, 9/11 will now forever have two faces, the one of Gordon and the one of his sister Susan. In general, all the people
we met in New York, brought us closer to the city and offered us so many, different perspectives: first and foremost, Frieda Vizel, who took us on her very private tour through her old home, the Hasidic, Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Williamsburg. Or Alina Cho, who talked to fashion entrepreneur Tory Burch at the MET Museum, again showed us another side of the U.S. that involves a lot of money, and from Juda Engelmeyer, crisis PR consultant (to Harvey Weinstein, among others) we learned how dirty the movie business in Hollywood really is. Then there was our meeting with the young journalist Tiffany L. Zeno from NBCUniversal and the charismatic Reverend Dr. Calvin Butts at the “Red Rooster” in Harlem, where we learned so much more about everyday racism in the U.S. and the lives of African American residents. We also met with our many great American journalist colleagues like Adam Reiss (Thanks Adam for all your effort and your many great ideas!), Michael Gargiuolo, Clare Toeniskoetter and many more! We could never have managed and organized such an incredible program and the really great thing about this RIAS Berlin Commission Alumni Program in New York is that we got to experience all this together with so many wonderful, experienced journalist colleagues from all over Germany. In addition to the many connections in the U.S., the RIAS Berlin Commission program also creates a large, intra-German network of journalists. From my very first RIAS Berlin Commission program 21 years ago, lifelong friendships have developed, we have experienced together how our children were born and are now slowly growing up, we have followed each other’s professional careers, and we have always shared memories of our time together in the U.S. in October 2000. This week in October 2021 will be just as unforgettable! I just can’t get enough of this city. And of America. Which I was able to get to know so much better through these programs. Thank you, RIAS Berlin Commission, for this great gift! PS – Here is a story on NYC that Petra Gute did for RBB TV.
Nina Hansen, ARD Hamburg: A deep dive into the Hasidic world – definitely my highlight of the 
2021 alumni program. I loved that Frieda shared her story with us and answered all our questions so openly. As an outsider and a woman, it was – and to a certain extend still is – hard to grasp why so few women follow her example and leave the community, but at least I understand Hasidic life much better now than I did before. I am really glad I got to take the tour, it gave a unique insight. Thanks again Frieda – and thank you RIAS!
Iris Ollech, Phoenix Bonn: The program was like the Big Apple itself: exciting, diverse, colorful, stunning, fast-paced, unique, truly unforgettable. It was a journalist‘s dream come true. RIAS opened doors, allowed inspiring glimpses behind the scenes of the Big Apple and introduced us to 
many fascinating personalities. All of them were inspiring, each had unique stories to tell and interesting views to share. I was glad that they gave me an idea of how New York ticks. Now it is time to reflect. And wondering what I will remember looking back in ten, twenty years, there will be one encounter I will never forget: Gordon Huie who was affected by 9/11 in three ways: he is a survivor, rescuer and he lost his sister Susan in the attack. I was touched by his strength, positive attitude and gentleness. He asked us to share his story as one example of thousands to keep the memories alive – and I will, do along with many more special moments from this exciting trip! Thank you, RIAS!
Micha Wagenbach, ZDF Berlin: New York is always special. But coming to this city now, 20 years after 9/11 and at a time when it is just slowly recovering from the pandemic it suffered so much from, was very special. And through our great interlocutors, we were able to witness this 
process of recovery live. Many issues were familiar to us, but it was through the people we were able to speak with that they really took shape. The conversations with the Reverend of the Black community in Harlem, the drop-out from the ultra-orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg, the relative of a victim of 9/11 or even the UN Ambassador will remain unforgotten to me, just like this amazing trip! Thanks to RIAS for the opportunity to experience it all like this
Maren Hellwege-Beck, BR Münich: What a fantastic opportunity this week in New York was! It is always so stimulating to meet these many different people, to be in direct contact with them and to learn from them about so many different topics. I would never otherwise have been able to get such deep insight into t
hese personal views and unfiltered, direct and highly relevant information. I always find it very inspiring to experience how people from other countries with another cultural background and socialization look at things in a way sometimes very different from what we are used to and know from our lives in Germany. And at the same time, to also see what Americans think about Germany. Thank you, RIAS for this amazing chance, for this highly valuable network and for all the memories and all the valuable information and insights I got during this alumni week in New York!
Michael Stang, Deutschlandfunk, WDR: New York is slowly waking up from its Covid19 hibernation and RIAS was there – a week before Europeans are allowed to travel to the US regularly again. Even though many appointments 
were difficult to organize due to the pandemic, we joined an exciting program. Especially the appointments at The Amsterdam News, the Anti-Defamation League and 1014, where we met Ulla Schmidt, member of the Board of Directors, I learned a lot. After a long time without international travel for all of us caused by corona, it became clear again how important the transatlantic exchange is for mutual understanding.
Martin Richter, Phoenix Bonn: A week with RIAS in New York- what a fantastic experience! Immersing myself in this metropolis of millions, which is struggling with the pandemic as dramatically as hardly any other in the USA. 
Together with 30 colleagues from German editorial offices, I had the opportunity to find out through many conversations how people in the Big Apple live with this situation, how they think, feel and cope with their everyday lives. Whether journalists, contemporary witnesses, politicians or artists – these encounters were an enrichment and a great experience for me. So many moments that remain in my memory and heart…Obama’s campaign appearance, Frieda Vizel’s tour of Williamsburg, Reverend Butts in Harlem, the touching tour with Gordon Huie at the 9/11 Tribute Museum… A thousand thanks to RIAS for such a great time! Once again RIAS has built a transatlantic bridge between American and German journalists.
Anja Heyde, ZDF/MDR: Each RIAS trip is intense. Each one is special. This one was very special. Coming to New York at a time when the city is just trying to get back to a state of normalcy – despite all the wounds caused by Covid – was incredibly enlightening. A Covid testing station on 
every corner and Broadway on the mend. But what is Covid, in light of 9/11? For me, one of the most touching meetings on this trip was the visit to the 9/11 Tribute Museum and the very personal conversation with Gordon Huie. An encounter that was as painful as it was beautiful, because of his authenticity. These personal meetings, in contrast to the political background-conversations, are pieces of a puzzle creating a picture of the city and the country that you don`t get from a distance. I`m grateful to be a part of the RIAS Alumni Community!
Boris Baumholt, WDR: What a great and inspiring week with such wise and moving people. I’m so glad to have had this experience. George W. Bush was still president when I was in the USA with RIAS for the first time 14 years ago. Racism was a big issue back then. Few seriously believed that a young black 
senator from Illinois would win the presidential election just a year later. A lot has happened since then. On this trip, we spoke with Reverend Calvin O. Butts and WNBC Producer Tiffany Zeno in Harlem about how the country has changed. It was an impressive conversation and, at the same time, a frustrating realization. Racism is still the same big issue in the United States as it was back then, maybe even more so. In Harlem, Obama is not seen as heroic as so many Europeans consider him to be. He has disappointed many in the black community. Trump has polarized the country even more. Reverend Butts impressed me by how he continues to fight for radical change. Giving up is not an option. Thanks, RIAS, for this fascinating and exciting week.
André Schünke, NDR: This was REALLY a deep-dive into New York City! A city slowly recovering from Covid19. There are free testing-stations all over the city, most of the people wear face-masks both on the streets and trains – and in every restaurant our proof of vaccination was very accurately checked. Now used to these restrictions, they couldn’t stop us from having a fabulous RIAS alumni week in this great, city, meeting so many different people – each of them fascinating in a different way. Starting out with “No. 44“ – Barack Obama – at an election campaign event in New Jersey, followed by Reverend 
Calvin Butts, talking to us on the troubles, especially for the people of color living in Harlem every day. The “Grand Finale“ was meeting with communications expert Juda Engelmayer on Friday: The only guy in the US (besides his attorneys), who is in contact with imprisoned Hollywood-mogul Harvey Weinstein nearly every week! Engelmayer tried to explain the “Weinstein Case“ to us from his perspective. This made it clear to many of us that it’s always worth it to at least try to change perspective, in particular, as a journalist! All in all, the most interesting part of this program for me was the tour of “Hasidic Williamsburg“ with Frieda, who was married to an Hasidic Jew, but got divorced (which is nearly impossible in the Hasidic community), and left him and all her family together with her son, to lead a free life: Extremely fascinating, how people in this part of Brooklyn still live like they did a hundred years ago – just a few blocks away from other “Williamsburg Hipsters“. New York still can be a place for everyone – as long as they can afford this costly place. The prices in New York were even higher than they were before Covid19. Special thanks to RIAS for all these great experiences – everything packed into just one week. Perfect!
Anja Martini, ARD Tagesschau: Great, interesting, impressive, powerful and exciting – these are the first words I think of after this week. We had the opportunity to meet a lot of exciting people: Reverent Calvin Butts talked to us about the situation in Harlem and the challenges of Covid to his community. We met Frieda – who walked with us through 
Hasidic Williamsburg. And we listened to Gordon Huie at the 9/11 Tribute Museum. He is a survivor and rescuer and told us his story in a very touching and personal way. Those were just three of the highlights of the week. RIAS opened the door for us to enable many conversations that allowed us to take a deeper, more differentiated look at American society. Although there are always opportunities to expand your horizons, the exchange between journalists is particularly valuable – not only among the German participants, but also between American and German journalists. All of this enriches my work and my life – thank you RIAS!!
Cornelia Gerhard, Phoenix Bonn: Sitting on a train back to Cologne, I feel so full – with impressions, feelings, news insights, thoughts. Each time you get to New York, the city offers you so much of all of those things. I thought I knew about racism, but then we talked to Tiffany Zeno and Reverend Butts and their experiences every day. I thought I
had heard so much about 9/11, but then we met Gordon Huie and listened to his story with tears in our eyes. And that is exactly what makes the difference: talking, meeting people, exchanging views, feeling the atmosphere. I have been to New York several times, but never walked 6th Avenue in the middle of the street, still having that gospel from the service we just attended in my ears. What an intense and rewarding week! Thank you for everything RIAS.
Vladimir Balzer, Deutschlandradio Berlin: RIAS has always been a great opportunity to get incredible insights into the complex US society. Bringing German journalists to all parts of the country provides them with so many occasions to talk, to contribute, to exchange and, by that, to hold up the transatlantic ties. This trip was the first that brought German alumni back to the States since the start of the pandemic and it exceeded even the highest expectations. Not only did we see Barack Obama just two hours after landing, we also talked to Harvey Weinstein’s (crisis-) communication manager,
met famous Harlem Reverend Calvin Butts who talked on issues of racial justice and the challenges of Covid to his community, listen to the compelling stories of 9/11 survivor Gordon Huie (whose life turned upside down that day), stroll through the Chassidic neighborhood of Williamsburg led by Frieda Vizel, who left the community but kept ties. I could go on! In short: New York showed how much energy and strength it has, even though it’s been the US city that suffered most from the pandemic. This place is just incredible, inspiring and full of stories. And RIAS Berlin Commission provided an inspiring program – as always. This time enriched by the spirit of the ever-growing alumni network of American and German journalists. Surrounded by all these great and talented colleagues, I felt in the perfect place. We all benefit from each other and bring progress to our common journalistic goal: telling real stories of real people – through actually meeting and listening to them and, by that, improving the understanding of each other. Here is a story that Vladimir Balzer did for Deutschlandfunk radio on New York.
Vivienne Radermacher, WDR: The variety of the several meetings was impressive; experiences were enormous. From the black community and the talk with Rev. Calvin Butts about ongoing discrimination to the closed Hasidic community in Williamsburg and t
he guided tour there with Frida Vizel. From the emotional testimony of the triple 9/11 victim Gordon Haie to the crisis manager and friend of Harvey Weinstein, Juda Engelmeyer. From the German UN ambassador Sautter (deputy permanent representative at the UN) with his open judgement to the former FBI agent Peter Donald and the citizen App. It will take time to digest it all. This intense week shows once again how important the RIAS Program is. Even in these pandemic times, it was possible to have this exciting program, even before the US officially reopens. New York is waking up again and we were able to witness it.
Steffi Clodius, ARD Hamburg: And all that JAZZ!!! So, now the one-week trip to New York City is coming to an end. I am sitting at Newark International Airport, waiting for the flight back home to Frankfurt. Slightly exhausted after an outstanding week, a bit gloomy with having had to say goodbye, yet looking forward to being back home soon – and, finally, full of impressions. I am asking myself, “What comes first?”, and find it hard to say; so many interesting people, places, encounters, discussions. My personal favorite was probably Gordon Huie. His story of 9/11, his heart-breaking grief losing his beloved sister
Sue, and finally his own health suffering from the dust of the collapsing towers: I can say for sure that I am never going to forget that decent, calm and friendly man. I was comparably impressed with Frieda Vizel’s extraordinary biography, combined with being confronted with the utterly exotic life in ultra-orthodox Williamsburg. This really was like catching a glimpse of a completely different world, perhaps even universe. So those are the heavy weights of my trip, but of course there are also lighter ones…The legendary Schweinebar reminded me a good deal of what life was like before the pandemic. Finding a jukebox featuring my all-time favourite band Manic Street Preachers (Welsh and thus in the US widely unknown) in Manhattan – of all places! – was positively verging on a world wonder. Last but not at all least, there is New York itself: This amazing city with its lights and glimmer gives me a kick whenever I visit it. I love simply strolling along taking pictures! As a tied-to-the-desk editor who rarely travels, I have to say that these opportunities which RIAS offers really broaden my mind – so thanks to all you folks for making this trip unforgettable! Wish I had a selfie with the whole bunch of us – now it has to be Brooklyn Bridge filling in for you!
Marc Krüger, Podcast Freelancer, Berlin: How many impressions fit into one week? New York always asks you this question – but in the midst of a pandemic, and after lockdowns, standstill and crisis, I realize that everything felt a bit more intense, outstanding and challenging in this city: 9/11 survivors, ex-Hesidians, ex-FBI, 
communications professionals, human rights activists, Goethe employees, pastors, journalists, designers, the people on the streets, in the stores, in the parks, bars and restaurants. All in just one week. Wow! Thank you RIAS for a special experience, a return to normality and the feeling of being back, somehow. And thanks to the great RIAS 2021 alumni group.
Mirja Fiedler, NDR, ARD and RBB: NBC, New York Times and Wall Street journalists, United Nations and German diplomats, a 9/11 survivor and a Hollywood mogul’s PR manager, stakeholders in the African-American and Jewish communities – just some of the amazing encounters I experienced during the RIAS alumni program in New York City. It 
had been my dream to return to the United States for a long time. The German-American RIAS Berlin Commission made it come true. The program gave me unique insights into U.S. culture, politics and the transatlantic relationship which I’m going to benefit from at work. An inspiring week with a great group. These special moments will last for a lifetime.
Oliver Sallet, Deutsche Welle Washington DC: Having lived and worked in the US for 3 years now and having travelled to New York fairly frequently, I was particularly surprised 
to see the city from a different angle and learn so many new details that I wouldn’t have without RIAS. For me, the program has always been about getting to know a different side of America, and the Alumni week stood up to that expectation, be it in talks with Harvey Weinstein’s communication advisor or meeting Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn. One of the best aspects of RIAS is the transatlantic Alumni network of truly enthusiastic German and American journalists, that has been ever-growing over years. What a unique chance to meet many of them in one city. I will take many new impressions, contacts and story ideas back home to Washington.
Anne Sieger, ARD Cologne: Coming to New York with RIAS this time felt like emerging
from a bubble of numbness. Still mostly working from home, it has been a long time since I was last around so many people and got so much input. Walking through Hasidic Williamsburg with Frieda, listening to Gordon at the 9/11 Tribute Museum or talking to Reverend Butts in Harlem were just three of many highlights. Apart from the official schedule, it was the little unplanned encounters that made this trip special: The ferryman telling me how he went back and forth all day on 9/11, saving people but also helping a man who desperately wanted to go to Manhattan to find his wife and child. Although the ferryman wasn’t allowed to take anyone back to Manhattan, he finally agreed. Only minutes after that man got off the ferry in Manhattan, the second tower collapsed. The ferryman felt guilty, but after two awful weeks the family came to see him – they had all survived. We have all read about these things happening, but listening to someone in person still is very different. I‘m grateful to RIAS for being able to experience this jam-packed, tiring but inspiring week. So, although the Jaume Plensas sculpture on the Hudson river waterfront may suggest that Manhattan should stay quiet, I certainly enjoyed the noise.
Kerstin Ruskowski, Freelance Reporter/Deutschlandfunk Nova, WDR: What a week! Despite the ongoing pandemic, we had lots of interesting appointments – already making the first two days feel like an entire week: We met fellow journalists at NBC, 
WNBC and from the New York Times Podcast ‘The Daily’, as well as in Harlem at the New York Amsterdam News. A 9/11 survivor shared his very personal story of how he had experienced the attacks and how they completely altered his life. Plus, we got to take a guided tour through the Hasidic neighborhood of Williamsburg, which was one-of-a-kind. The alumni week in New York was inspiring in many ways: full of input, interesting talks and new friendships. I am very thankful that I got the opportunity to take part and share in this wonderful experience. Thank you, RIAS! Keep up the good work of bringing together US and German journalists to broaden everyone’s horizon.
Lydia Leipert, Bayerischer Rundfunk: A week in New York. To be honest, the RIAS
Alumni trip to NYC in the fall of 2021 felt so much longer; because of the great input we had the chance to get every day: from great insights into the culture of the Hasidic community in Williamsburg – a restricted life surrounded by the dazzling metropolis – meeting with the PR advisor of Harvey Weinstein, to the chance to find out more about the world of Broadway from a true Broadway performer and singer. I really appreciated the chance to experience the city for the first time since the pandemic began to see how it has recovered. Thanks so much for these exciting, inspiring and charming days in the “city that never sleeps”. Thank you RIAS.
Björn Heckmann, RTL: It’s the people that make a difference. The people we met in New York City told us their stories and gave us their perspectives on life in the United 
States. They helped us understand and hopefully also explain to others why things sometimes appear to be so different here from a European perspective. It’s such a gift to meet all these special and hospitable people during this RIAS program. To get the opportunity to gain insight into so many exciting and surprising aspects of US society, media, business, politics, religion – you name it. One of the most impressive encounters for me was to talk to a 9/11 survivor and rescuer who explained very personally what he had experienced and what severe impact this has had on his life every single day since then. “I still see it, I hear it, I taste it.”, he said, describing the moment when the first tower collapsed and the poisonous and destructive wave of dust and debris covered him and everything around him. The RIAS program enables a big step to be taken in the direction of mutual transatlantic understanding and makes the US much more personal, visible, understandable. Thank you, RIAS, for having me as an alumnus. I consider myself lucky to be a part of your community. It is a “win-win-win” for everyone!
Michail Paweletz, NDR Hamburg: This is me on “SUMMIT One Vanderbilt”, feeling slightly dizzy at this height, which allows me a new perspective on a world I thought I knew. I made similar perspective-changing experiences on every single day at RIAS by listening to Reverend Dr. Calvin Butts, who gave a historical overview about the instruments of racism – housing and medical issues to dominate POC, methods, I have 
never heard about before. There was Tiffany Zeno, a brilliant Black colleague, describing the effect of racism on her work ethic. The credo “failure is not an option” made unambiguously clear how exhausting it is to be black. Then, there was the opposite, the Hassidim who refused to fulfill the expectations of western society. The tour that Frieda, a former member of the Satmar-Hassidim, was breathtaking. The impact of the Holocaust seemed visible, and it reminded me that there are two kinds of freedom. “Frei von etwas zu sein“ or “frei sein, etwas zu tun”. There were glimpses of hope for a change. Supported by a mostly female team, Senior Producer Clare Toeniskoetter from New York Times created the world’s most successful podcast “The Daily”. It was such a fabulous moment when Clare explained how the project became so successful and what kind of mindset it took to get there. There was the PR Manager Jude Engelmayer who calls himself a “truth doctor”. His eloquence and method of looking for weak spots in journalists’ work to control and change narratives of “bad guys” into stories of “vulnerable individuals” were impressive. It reminded me how conscientiously we should do our work as journalists. As journalists, we need insights from people like Jörg Schumacher from the Goethe Institut, Michael Fatica, Gordon Huie, Scott Richman ADL, Lou Charbonneau UN, Alina Cho to give us an idea of their work. Thank you all. But the biggest “Danke” goes to Adam Reiss from NBC who put this great program together and to Erik Kirschbaum, who did a great job in setting up moments in which we got the idea that things can work differently. Perspectives which sometimes cause a slight dizziness.
Sabine Krebs, ARD Nairobi Kenya: What a week, what a fantastic time! Just back from vibrant Nairobi with a few days off inbetween I started directly to New York. I have 
been there several times, but I’m always fascinated. It is so colorful, so progressive, so diverse … I could stay there for months. This single week was so fully packed – with such impressive people. First of all, I will never forget listening to Gordon at the 9/11 Tribute Museum: „I don’t need a script, I livedthrough it“ – he told us. And I felt it. He was terribly affected through the loss of his sister, Susan. But he survived when the first tower collapsed. Even the Williamsburg Tour with Frieda was impressive – It’s such a different world. I’m so grateful to RIAS for the chance to meet all these peopleand to connect with colleagues. I will go back with a lot of new ideas, impressions and contacts. I am grateful to be part of the RIAS Alumni community!
Guido Meyer, Deutschlandfunk Bonn: The view says it all. This is MY city now. On a 
2nd thought – no, of course it’s not. New York has so much more to offer. I hadn’t been here in more than 20 years, and it was great to be back – to be together with a really interesting group of alumni and to meet people I would not have met without this RIAS program. Be it through cultural, political or social appointments or speakers – the program offered great insight into the city but also into the American “way of life, which you never can learn enough about. Cheers from Manhattan!
Marius Zekri, NDR Radio Hamburg: As journalists, we deal with news from the US every day. But during this week, that news became alive. This RIAS alumni trip was a 
deep dive into American society. First and foremost, this was made possible by all the interesting people that we met. It is different hearing about racism in the US through a first hand account of someone who experiences it on a daily basis verses simply reading about it in the news. It is different seeing the images of 9/11 on TV verses talking to a person who was at Ground Zero on that day and who saw all the horror with his own eyes. Walking through the Hasidic neighborhood of Brooklyn with a former member of that community or getting insights from an actor into life on Broadway after Corona. RIAS made things like this possible and brought people together to create opportunities to meet and exchange real-life experiences. What do I take home from this trip? A lot of information and inspiration that will last a long time.
Philipp Eins, freelance radio/podcast Berlin: The US is always ahead of us 
Europeans when it comes to digital media development. What can we learn from the New York Times podcast division? Which digital formats will prevail? Urgent questions for me as a freelance podcast producer. And exciting insights that the RIAS program offered. It’s great to be part of this network!
Bartosz Dudek, Deutsche Welle
The new RIAS Alumni Program in New York has not only met, but entirely exceeded my
expectations. Meeting great speakers like Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts and David Harris, listening to the 9/11 survivor and helper Gordon Huie and taking part in a guided tour throughout the Hasidic borough of Williamsburg gave me in-depth insights on the current social and political issues of the US. All of this complemented by the networking both with American and German colleagues: what a great personal and professional enrichment!
Susan Kalmbach, BR Radio Munich
Soon, a small, red Isetta vintage car will be painting the streets of downtown Manhattan. 
The owner is Markus Koch, who we visited in his Brooklyn office with RIAS last week. Markus is a German Wall Street Journalist, living and working for more than 20 years in New York City. He is hoping to snatch up some new interview partners, such as big financial players and company bosses, with his extraordinary car. The RIAS fellowship offered us the opportunity to learn more about Germany’s role in the United Nations. Executive ambassador Sautter emphasized the necessary perseverance to keep diplomatic conversations alive. Further, we had an impressive encounter with the crisis communications expert Juda Engelmeyer, who currently works for disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Reflecting on my week with my RIAS fellows, the single week feels like ten weeks of experiences gained. We had enriching insights into the day-to-day routine of our American colleagues. And there was time left to enjoy the multifaceted city of New York. Thank you very much, RIAS, for this unique experience!
Obama, Murphy highlight of RIAS Berlin Commission alumni program in USA
Thirty top journalists from across Germany took part in the first RIAS Berlin Commission program designed especially for RIAS alumni and senior editors from Germany. The aim of the week-long program in New York at the end of October was to learn more about how the country’s largest city has emerged from a difficult 20-month period coping with the Covid-19 pandemic.
It featured nearly 20 meetings with a wide variety of journalists, politicians, diplomats, law enforcement experts, African-American community leaders, Jewish leaders, non-government organizations, experts on the trauma of 9/11, a Broadway actor and experts from the world of fashion.
Because many of the American newsrooms and offices were still closed to external visitors and in some cases to their own staff members, most of the RIAS guest speakers held their meetings either outdoors in parks, in front of or in the lobbies of iconic buildings like Rockefeller Center, on walking tours or in cafes or restaurants.
It was the third such program for RIAS alumni — some of the 1,900 journalists on both sides of the Atlantic who have taken part in standard two- to three-week or longer programs in the past 25 years. A first group of 30 American RIAS alumni took part in a similar week-long alumni program in November 2019 to observe and accompany events marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
A second group of 17 American RIAS alumni took part in a week-long program in September 2021 to observe and accompany the German federal elections on September 27 — and many of them reported on the elections to their stations back home in the United States. The group of 30 Germans who visited New York were originally scheduled to visit Washington DC in October 2020 right before the U.S. presidential election but that program was postponed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The goal of these new alumni programs is to help keep alive the spirit of the Cold War-era radio and TV station RIAS as well as to strengthen the ties and networks between German and American journalists in both countries,” said RIAS Berlin Commission Executive Director Erik Kirschbaum. “It’s exciting to see how many German and American journalists have kept in contact with each other over the years and even more exciting to see how many new contacts are made among German and American journalists are made on each of our first three alumni programs.”
On their trip to New York: the German alumni watched with press passes as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy campaigned for re-election at a rally in nearby Newark together with support from former President Barack Obama; learned more about NBC news from Adam Reiss, Bryan Weakland, Jake Ward, Tiffany Zeno and Michael Gargiulo; learned more in Harlem about racism from the Reverend Calvin O. Butts from the Abyssinian Church and New York Amsterdam News publisher Elinor Tatum.
The Germans also had an eye-opening walking tour of the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn with Frida Vizel, who left the Hasidic Jewish community many years ago and expertly describes how the closely knit families there have managed for generations to stave off the usual assimilation processes in the United States. Vizel has been giving small-group tours of the fascinating section of Brooklyn that is just across the East River from Manhattan that many Americans know precious little about.
The German broadcast journalists from leading networks across the country also visited Jörg Schumacher, director of the Goethe Institute in New York, AJC Executive Director David Harris and had the chance to interview Broadway actor Michael Fatica before seeing the musical “Chicago”.
There was a visit to the 9/11 Tribute Museum and a moving talk with survivor Gordon Huie, a talk with Anti-Defamation League New York Director Scott Richman, Germany’s U.N. deputy ambassador Günter Sautter, General Consul David Gill, DAAD North America director Benedikt Brisch, and a talk with New York Times “The Daily” senior producer Clare Toeniskoetter before a RIAS reunion meeting with New York-area American alumni and former German Health Minister Ulla Schmidt at “1014” Fifth Avenue — the former Goethe House in the heart of New York City designed to create a space to explore global challenges and opportunities that is quickly becoming an important home for German-American encounters.
NTV stock market guru and entrepreneur Markus Koch, former NYC police commissioner and security analyst Peter Donald, fashion mogul Tory Burch, crisis communication manager Jude Engelmayer, U.N. director Human Rights Watch Lou Charbonneau, ARD’s New York offices, and Spiegel correspondent Marc Pitzke were also featured guest speakers. The next RIAS Berlin Commission alumni program is scheduled to take place in late October 2022 in Washington DC just ahead of the 2022 midterm elections in the United States. Anyone interested in that program should contact their alumni chapter leaders in Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich or Mainz or write info@riasberlin.org. The next alumni program for Americans will be in 2023.
Here are the participants from the October 2021 RIAS alumni program to New York:
Martin Richter, Phoenix, Bonn, Michail Paweletz, NDR Hamburg, Vladimir Balzer, Deutschlandradio, Berlin, Mitri Sirin, ZDF, Berlin, Anja Heyde, ZDF, Berlin, Mirja Fiedler, NDR, Hamburg, Andre Schünke, NDR, Hamburg, Anja Martini, ARD, Hamburg, Anne Sieger, ARD, Cologne, Björn Heckmann, RTL, Cologne, Cornelia Gerhard, Phoenix, Bonn, Guido Meyer, Deutschlandfunk, Bonn, Iris Ollech, Phoenix, Bonn, Kerstin Ruskowski, Deutschlandfunk Nova/WDR, Cologne, Lydia Leipert, BR, Munich, Marc Krueger, podcast freelancer, Berlin, Maren Hellwege-Beck, BR, Munich, Nina Hansen, ARD, Hamburg, Petra Gute, RBB, Berlin, Philipp Eins, freelance radio/podcast, Berlin, Sabine Krebs, ARD, Nairobi, Kenya, Steffi Clodius, ARD, Hamburg, Susan Falkenstein, BR radio, Munich, Boris Baumholt, WDR, Duesseldorf, Bartosz Dudek, Deutsche Welle radio, Bonn, Marius Zekri, NDR radio, Hamburg, Micha Wagenbach, ZDF, Berlin, Oliver Sallet, Deutsche Welle, Washington DC, Vivienne Radermacher, WDR und Michael Stang, WDR Cologne
October 30, 2021
Observations from Fall 2021 RIAS Berlin Commission participants in USA
Brief observations from RIAS Berlin Commission participants in the October 2021 exchange program to the United States:
Frauke Holzmeier, RTL, ntv
I’m really happy to be part of the RIAS community now. In two weeks in the US with stays in Washington and New York City, we met so many different and inspiring personalities. I will benefit from it for a long time to come. As a journalist and also for me as a person, I learned that the United States is a deeply divided country. Trump was and still is a symptom of this division. This should concern us all. But simultaneously there is so much hope and strength in this country. Thanks to the people who live here and their cordiality, warmth and hospitality. Thank you, RIAS for having me!
Jan Fritsche, ZDF
What an incredible program this has been! Getting to know excellent journalists from both sides of the Atlantic, meeting high-ranking officials 
such as the German ambassador to the United States Emily Haber, gaining unique perspectives like the one of a 9/11 survivor – RIAS was all of this and so much more. Every day we learned about a divided society struggling with its own identity. But, also about a people full of optimism and generosity. This country has been fascinating me for many years. And RIAS has helped me understand it even better. Thank you so much for this amazing experience! I ‘m happy and grateful to be part of the RIAS network now.
Dilek Üsük, rbb
What an amazing and incredible time we had! In this short time, we had
the opportunity to speak to people we wouldn’t have met without this program. We spoke to journalists, to politicians, to a survivor of 9/11 and we had a walk through an ultra-orthodox community in New York. All these people, all these guest speakers gave us deep and real insights into the structure of politics and the society of the US with different perspectives and opinions, which made it all the more interesting. It helped me to understand the people in the US, their struggles, their challenges, their ideas, their way of life. And it reminded me to be open minded and that sometimes things are much more complicated and not as easy as they might seem. The RIAS program provides such a great and unique experience and it gives the opportunity to connect and network with so many people, which is so valuable. It was a privilege and an honor to be part of the first RIAS program after the pandemic began. I’m very grateful for these great weeks and I ‘m amazed how quickly we bonded as a group. Thanks again for this wonderful and impactful experience!
Dania Maria Hohn
Being in the RIAS programme is not only a fellowship, but the experience of a lifetime. I felt welcome from the moment I stepped off the airplane, in
a country I only knew from books and movies. I have learned that the US is in a critical state and no one knows how things will go on or get better. But the people I’ve met taught me a lot about perseverance, loss and hope. It’s the stories we tell as journalists that make a difference, and we should all feel empowered and aware at the same time. The pandemic didn’t stop us from connecting – on rooftops with a view of the White House or the Empire State Building, in traditional restaurants or even on a journalists’ private porch. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and thank everyone for their time and efforts, as I will take the memories with me wherever I go.
Annette Yang, NDR
Such an adventurous trip from day one: Singled out at immigration at 
Washington airport, being asked why, as a European, I wished to enter. That’s how it’s like to travel during Covid I guess. But, I was cleared eventually. I also had a good reason: RIAS! Two weeks full of great encounters: In Washington we talked to the German Ambassador Emily Haber about transatlantic allies, new technologies and diplomatic sensitivity. White House Correspondent Jeff Mason described what flying in Air Force One feels like. What a treat! In New York, we discovered the city with insiders, like WNBC news anchor Michael Gargiulo, producer Adam Reiss, 9/11 survivor Gordon Huie and ex-Hassidic Jew Freida Vizel. They opened doors that would have otherwise remained closed to us. Thanks RIAS for creating memories that will accompany me for a lifetime!
I couldn’t believe that our program would even take place during the pandemic until we were actually here and I probably won’t completely realize what we’ve seen, who we’ve spoken to and what we’ve experienced until I’m back in Germany: speaking to journalists from very different channels, politicians, experts from think tanks, seeing a show on Broadway, having lunch at the famous Katz’s deli, standing in front of the Capitol and trying to understand what happened there on January 6th. We felt how divided this country is and I see it as a warning for us journalists in Germany, where the media increasingly leans toward one side or the other. I hope that the divided United States will find their way back together, because what we also saw, heard and felt is a beautiful country.Kate Brady, Deutsche Welle
After so many months cooped up due to the pandemic, the 2021 RIAS program was always going to be particularly special. But nothing could have prepared me for the places we would see, the people we would meet, nor the knowledge and experience we would gain during our two weeks in D.C. and New York. At this time of polarization, the political insights we gained in D.C. are priceless for our understanding of the United States going forward and my reporting on transatlantic relations. Meeting with fellow journalists also gave us a deeper understanding of the challenges facing US media — many of which we share on both sides of the Atlantic. In turn, this has only reinforced my own motivation as a journalist and acts as a reminder of the importance and responsibility that comes with our work. It was an absolute pleasure to share this experience with everyone on the program. Through RIAS I’ve met some wonderful new colleagues and made friends for life. Here’s to a successful station week and many years of keeping the spirit of the RIAS network alive.
Kristian Wiegand, phoenix
Experience, not just observe. Immerse, not just scratch the surface. Exchange, not just listen. With a super team of fellow travelers. That’s what RIAS is all about. One impression in particular that stuck with me: The United States is more divided than it has been in a long time. And Trump hovers over everything like the sword of Damocles. But the country and the people also have an incredible determination not to give up. That’s what I experienced with our guest speakers. Particularly the private insights into life and work gave me a deep insight into the soul and politics of the USA. For me, this exchange between people of different cultures is important. Especially the immersion into the world of Jewish life left a deep impression.
thought. In many ways, that’s true. But two weeks of Rias gave me a special insight, that I would never have gotten as a tourist. The conversations with journalists, politicians, experts from think tanks and artists gave me the opportunity to understand this country better. As the first group after Corona, we found a way to meet with admirable people. Whether in the park with Clare Toeniskoetter from The Daily in NYC or on Roland Nelles’ porch in D.C. We talked a lot about Trump and his influence on media and I have learned, that all is far from reconciled under Biden.October 24, 2021
RIAS Berlin Commission program resumes with USA visit
The RIAS Berlin Commission exchange programs resumed in October with the first standard three-week program in nearly two years due to the 
Covid-19 pandemic. Nine journalists from Germany took part in an eventful program with one week in Washington DC, one week in New York and one week at a variety of small stations across the United States — in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in Salt Lake City, in Odessa, Texas, in Dallas, Texas and in San Antonio, Texas. It was the first standard program in nearly two years after the corona pandemic and the fellows were welcomed as the first group of visitors at many of their stops.
The meetings in Washington included talks with German ambassador Emily Harris, expert analysts on religion and global polling data the Pew Research Institute, Peter Rough at the Hudson Institute, conservative TV 
journalist James Rosen, Deutsche Welle journalists Ines Pohl and Oliver Sallet, ZDF producer Annette Brieger, Der Spiegel Washington bureau chief Roland Nelles, former Congressman Charlie Dent (R-Penn), White House correspondent Jeff Mason, WUSA9 anchor Larry Miller, ARD staff Verena Bünten and Claudia Bruckenmaier, Telemundo correspondent Lori Montenegro, NPR journalists Kevin Beesley and Scott Neuman, WeltTV correspondent Steffen Schwarzkopf and Brookings Institute senior fellow and Fritz Stern chair Constanze Stelzenmüller. The group also had a get-together with a dozen Washington DC-area alumni.
In New York, the fellows from Germany met WNBC anchor Michael Gargiulo, NBC news producer Adam Reiss, WNBC producer Tiffany Zeno, New York Amsterdam News Elinor Tatum, Bob Jamieson and the St. James church soup kitchen, New York Times The Daily senior producer Clare Toeniskoetter, Broadway actor Michael Fatica, German filmmaker Michael Schmidt, 9/11 Tribute Center and survivor Gordon Huie, CBS Sunday Morning producer Dustin Stephens, Bloomberg broadcasting news editor Michael Lysak, Fox news producer Tyler Speicher, as well as a special alumni meeting at “1014” on Fifth Avenue with New York-area RIAS Berlin Commission alumni. A group of participants also visited the Williamsburg 
section of Brooklyn to learn more about the Hasidic Jewish community and also went to Newark, New Jersey to watch a campaign rally with former President Barack Obama on the behalf of New Jersey governor Phil Murphy
The participants included: Annette Yang (NDR), Jan Fritsche (ZDF), Dilek Üsük (RBB/ZDF/WDR), Lena Mosel (WeltTV), Julia Grünewald (MDR), Kate Brady (Deutsche Welle), Kristian Wiegand (Phoenix), Dania Maria Hohn (RTL), Frauke Holzmeier (RTL/NTV).
October 1, 2021
Bright future for RIAS Berlin Commission thanks to vibrant alumni
quarter century. Without being sentimental, it nevertheless seems like the right time to reflect briefly on these past five years and look ahead towards the next five years.
As always, our most important aims remains to keep alive the spirit of Radio in American Sector (RIAS) — “a free voice of a free world” that beamed news, information and music into Communist East Germany during the Cold War.
Despite the prolonged period of extremely low interest rates and dwindling investment income that has made things difficult for all foundations like ours, the RIAS Berlin Commission has managed to actually expand the numbers of its transatlantic exchange programs in recent years — thanks in part to your generous donations as well as new student programs that are largely funded by a grant from the German government’s ERP program and student own-contributions. In 2022 we are hoping to have about 100 participants on seven different programs — including a program for 30 German alumni next October just before the midterm elections. That is nearly twice as many participants as previously despite the challenging financial environment. Thanks to streamlining efforts, modest cutbacks, centralized operations in Berlin, a greater reliance on public transportation, and own-contributions from exchange program participants, RIAS Berlin Commission has weathered the difficult conditions without sacrificing quality or depth of our programs. That’s something we can all be proud of.
In these past five years RIAS Berlin Commission has worked to fill a key goal outlined by the RIAS Berlin Commissioners, a distinguished 10-member board of directors made up of five Americans and five Germans. They wanted this truly binational organization to try to find new ways to better connect our 1,900 alumni members. It’s not been always easy with two steps forward one step backwards, but there are now seven thriving RIAS alumni chapters led by enthusiastic volunteers in Berlin (Vladimir Balzer, Petra Gute, Anja Heyde), Hamburg (Michail Paweletz, Nadine Gries), Cologne (Martin Richter), Mainz (Anna-Maria Schuck), Munich (Lydia Leipert), New York (Michael Gargiulo) and Washington (Larry Miller). They are doing tremendous things to help keep the spirit of of RIAS alive. These chapters host regular meetings, invite guest speakers and are always ready to meet the next group of American or German fellows visiting their cities. These alumni reunion get-togethers have become eagerly-awaited fixtures of our RIAS programs in Washington, New York, Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg.
September 30, 2021
At RTDNA21, RIAS meets candidates for future exchange programs
The RIAS Berlin Commission took part in the RTDNA21 conference in Denver recently — a forum to meet potential candidates for future programs and meet RIAS Berlin Commission alumni members.
David Wagner, a 2019 alumni and 2020 RIAS media prize winner, was at the RIAS Berlin Commission booth at the RTDNA21 conference meeting candidates and alumni at the annual convention held by the U.S. partner organization of RIAS Berlin Commission. The RTDNA conference was much smaller than in years past, due to several factors such as this was the first year RTDNA did not have another organization helping put on the conference and also because it was the first one held after the 2020 Covid-19 shutdown.
“It was great talking to other journalists about the fantastic opportunity that RIAS offers,” said Wagner. “I know my experience in 2019 was really eye opening and I’m hope to get more people interested in the program.”
Around 200 people attended with Covid-10 safety protocols in place as all attendees had to show proof of vaccination and wear a mask while in sessions or in exhibition areas. Wagner had the RIAS Berlin Commission booth setup up in ballroom Denver 5.
He displayed the documentary that he and his colleague and fellow RIAS alum Monica Quintero put together on their program. He also created a QR code for visitors to the booth to get more info from the RIAS Berlin website.
Wagner, who was a member of the RTDNA board for 4 years, said he also was able to speak with current board members about the RIAS relationship with RTDNA and said everyone he spoke with felt that the partnership was strong and would continue.
“For almost 30 years RTDNA has partnered with RIAS to place German journalists in American newsrooms, and send American journalists to explore and cover stories in Germany,” said Vince Duffy, a RIAS alumni and News Director at Michigan Public Radio in Ann Arbor — and a RTDNA trustee. “It’s a great partnership that benefits both organizations and journalists at all levels. I was part of a group of American journalists that travelled to Berlin for the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and it was an educational and emotional experience. I can’t say enough good things about RIAS and look forward to the possibility of participating again in the future.
September 30, 2021
RIAS Berlin Commission exchange restarts with German elections
The September 27 German election was a welcomed chance for 17 American journalists to spend a week in Berlin learning more about the campaigns, the issues, the six parties and the German election system — and what’s different from elections in the USA.
Coming out of an 18-month hibernation due to the corona pandemic, we also had the good fortune of meeting with a half dozen top German journalists, despite the continued corona limitations, either at their offices (RBB and WeltTV) or in restaurants or cafes. Candid and interesting talks with political leaders from all the parties (SPD, CDU, Greens and AfD) was possible (sometimes outdoors) thanks to the tremendous flexibility of the group and guest speakers. Some of the Americans on the alumni program even used the fellowship to air stories from the Germany elections back to their home stations.
All in all it was a fantastic group and illuminating week — for our fellows and guest speakers. Here are some comments from the participants:
Michael Gargiulo, Anchor WNBC New York:
My time in Berlin as part of the Alumni Program allowed me to do what I love best about journalism: be a witness to history. For an entire week, I was immersed in a subject I had only been able to read about. With a great group of fellow reporters, producers, and assignment editors, I traveled over all Berlin, visited TV stations , government offices and political research think tanks. We met with German politicians, journalists, and political experts …. all to try and learn how and why Germany will take a new direction in the post Merkel era. All of us were RIAS fellows at different times. While I didn’t know everyone on the program initially, I was amazed how quickly we bonded as a group. After day one , it was like we had been together a month , trading everything from Berlin restaurant tips to career advice. To me, the German Elections Alumni Program represented the best part of RIAS, that the program doesn’t end when your two week fellowship is up.. it’s just the start of a great relationship.
Karin Caifa, Reporter CNN Newsourse, Washington DC:
What an eventful time to be in Berlin! In my short stretch in the city, I got to witness a climate march kicked off by Greta Thunberg, the Berlin Marathon and – of course – the most significant elections Germany has seen in 16 years. Our guest speakers gave perfect tee-ups to how to sort through Sunday evening’s results, and we were fortunate enough to be welcomed to an actual polling station on Election Day to witness the process in action. The cultural side trips, including touring the East Side Gallery with artist Kani Alavi, and the networking opportunities were especially valuable additions and enhanced the experience immensely.
Miranda Dotson Reed, former KGO TV/ABC7 News, San Francisco, California:
I am continually amazed at the deep level of access the RIAS program 
provides, and this experience was no different. From meetings with politicians to influential German journalists, visiting the Berlin Rotes Rathaus to walking inside a polling station on Election Day, the program is unmatched.
The in-depth conversations we had were candid and insightful, and allowed a new and more complete understanding of the German election system. It gave real insight into what’s important for German citizens and their futures. More than that, the chance to connect with American colleagues from around the country is an excellent way to grow my broader journalism network. And it further confirms the amazing journalistic work happening in every corner of the U.S. (and Germany). I’m confident these relationships will carry on for many years. Thanks again for a truly wonderful and impactful experience!
Lane Luckie, Anchor, KLTV, Tyler, Texas: Participating in the RIAS Berlin Commission’s Fall 2021 alumni program was another life-changing opportunity. After the coronavirus pandemic isolated the world, this was a valuable lesson — a powerful reminder — that nothing replaces face-to-face experiences. Having 
participated in a previous program centered around the German elections, this only added to that foundational knowledge and helped me better explain this historic moment to our viewers in East Texas. As always, this was a tremendous professional challenge that helped me push myself as a journalist and grow as an individual. Most of all — my heart is touched by the friendships formed through RIAS. It was a really special getting to reconnect with American fellows, see German fellows who have visited my station in Texas or have hosted me in Germany, as well as form new friendships with some truly exceptional journalists. There’s much to be achieved when our countries work together and RIAS is helping deepen those bonds in a meaningful way. I described RIAS as providing a ‘golden ticket’ because so many in Germany are aware of its legacy. It opens doors for acquiring sources, forming friendships, and gaining the trust of others, which is invaluable. It’s a true honor to be associated with RIAS. (PS – Lane did these reports for his station in Tyler, Texas )
Tiffany Zeno, Producer NBC New York: Democracy is not easy. Representation is a must. Hatred and racism have no place anywhere. The 2021 
elections in Germany proved all of this. As a journalist, my job is to report on truth and facts. We get down to the core of what is in society and what moves society. Your voters have spoken. Now is the time that you must carry forth their wishes. Thank you so much for taking time with us during this incredible life-changing event. Godspeed in this new reality. And remember, you represent ALL of Germany.
Debby Block, Voice of America, Washington DC: Another incredible RIAS program experience, made even more special by being able to learn about the 
German elections firsthand. I learned so much from the speakers and other people I met, with the highlight of going into a voting station on election day where I watched people cast their ballots, and spoke with the polling station manager about the large turnout. I am also grateful for being able to reconnect with German and US RIAS journalists and meeting new ones. Thank you so much for having the American alumni in Berlin where we could experience another chapter of Germany’s amazing history.
Jeremy Chen, KTNV Las Vegas: It was a privilege and an honor to be a part of the first RIAS program since the pandemic began. It also came at a good time coinciding with the German elections, where anything could go with Angela Merkel 
stepping down. We spoke with members who represented views all across the political spectrum. Getting an understanding of how Germans vote and value democracy was very eye-opening in contrast to our own system in the US. It was a wonderful week meeting distinguished speakers with colleagues. Thank you!
Bryan Weakland, Producer MSNBC, New York: Participating in the RIAS alumni program was incredible. I was able to reconnect with German journalists I met during my first RIAS fellowship. I was also privileged to meet a new group of German journalists of whom I know will be lifelong connections.
The speakers 
and guests we met with on this program were phenomenal.
Being here during such pivotal elections is a front row seat to history in the making and I’m so thankful to have been included in this tremendous opportunity.
Justin Campbell, reporter, WKMG News, Orlando, Florida: It was an incredible honor to be invited and attend the RIAS alumni program in Berlin. I 
connected with so many journalists and learned so much about the historic German election. One point I find interesting and will not forget is how German voters are changing. Almost every speaker emphasized how historically voters cast their ballot for the party, but now they’re voting more for the candidate like Americans. It goes to show what happens in the U.S. really does reverberate throughout the world. After 16 years of Angela Merkel, the country will move in a new way forward. What a pivotal time to be invited back to Germany to witness it first-hand.
Bonnie North, Program Director North Country Public Radio, Canton, Potsdam New York: It was an honor to participate in the first RIAS reunion program since the start of 
the COVID pandemic. During the week we heard from speakers from across the political spectrum, visited with some of our German media colleagues, and furthered our understanding of this historic election in Germany. I was also able to witness the climate strike march and the Berlin marathon – perfect timing! It was an amazing week. Vielen Dank. Thanks again for everything.
Joel Waldinger, PBS Madison Wisconsin:
RIAS has provided me with another opportunity to expand my horizons on the European Continent. Having a front row seat to democracy in action with the historic German elections. This experience helps strenghten and emphasize the importance of voting – a right some Americans take for granted. I was impressed most by the immigrant stories of Sawsan Chebli (SPD) and Kani Alavi – stories of overcoming adveresity and hardship to forge a better life for themselves, their families and their country. They are living their best “German dream! Thank you again for a great experience.
Maggie Kerkman, Fox News Channel /Dallas bureau field producer:
What a fascinating time to be in Germany. I had learned about German politics and parties before, but to see it all in action at an historic pivot point in Germany’s history was thrilling. I feel like I finally come close to understanding the German voting process— and maybe even a little bit about German voters. As one told me, “We want change, but not a revolution.” Another mentioned how historic Angela Merkel’s reign has been, perhaps not in policies as much as her long tenure as the first female chancellor. For teens who don’t remember having anyone but Merkel, someone told me, this now seems normal. I will watch with avid interest over the next few months to see which coalition will come to power.It was not just to learn about German politics that we came to Berlin. We met- or got reacquainted with- our German and American colleagues. We also got a chance to wander the city and explore. As I sat in a large park on a sunny, lovely day, eating ice cream, watching people play with their children and dogs, I felt for a little bit like I was truly experiencing something really wonderful- and typisch Deutsch.
TJ Speicher, Senior National Editor & Desk Operations Officer/Fox News, New York:
21 years, 2 months, 17 days. Or 7749 days. Or 669,513,600 seconds (give or take,
but who’s counting?) That’s how long it had been since I was last in Berlin during the summer of 2000. So much has changed since then, not just me or Berlin, but the world as a whole. And as much as we call Times Square the crossroads of the world, it might be Berlin that truly holds that title. From the people to the food. And for RIAS to welcome us back to Berlin at such and auspicious time for another historic election (aren’t they all, nowadays?), it has been a truly special week to once again explore a truly special city. RIAS has again introduced us to various points of view from politicians and journalists, which I find truly enlightening. So, once again Berlin, ich sage auf Wiedersehen, in the truest sense.
Michael Makowski, The Progressive Magazine, Madison, Wisconsin:
What an exciting time to be in Germany—during a historic election and one that will change the direction of its government. As an alumnus, I had the background knowledge that made meeting with journalists, politicians, and influential figures all the richer. By election night, I felt informed about all the parties, nuances, and possible outcomes, and a deep appreciation for the democratic process. RIAS has given me so many learning and networking opportunities, and I’m a better journalist for it. Thanks to Erik, Melissa, the RIAS Board, and my colleagues for another fantastic experience.
Susan Valot, Reporter public radio stations, California: The RIAS program has always been about building bridges, between the US and Germany, between the journalists who take part, between the speakers and the journalists. It highlights the good and bad, showing what’s working and what needs to be fixed. I was honored to take part in this year’s alumni program, allowing me to return to Berlin for the first time in five years, to see that it’s still a city evolving and changing, with its skies, as always, lined with construction cranes.
From hearing from a Muslim political leader who receives so many death threats that she questions whether she can continue in her current career to seeing so many German children and teens taking part in the Climate Strike March that filled Berlin’s streets with thousands of beacons of hope — these sorts of interactions, both formal and informal, lead to new stories, new perspectives and new friendships.
and Bob Jamieson from NBC News New York
September 27, 2021
American RIAS group follows German federal elections in Berlin
A group of 17 American journalists spent a week in Berlin learning more about the 2021 German elections ahead of the vote on September 27. It was the first RIAS Berlin Commission in-person exchange program in nearly two years due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. During the visit by the RIAS alumni fellows to Berlin, the American broadcast journalists met with journalists, politicians, political experts, musicians and fellow German alumni during their busy six days in Berlin.
Several of the Americans also filed reports on the buzz in Berlin during the German elections back to their home stations while others gathered information and knowledge about the intricacies of the German election system.
Some of the meetings included talks with German election officials who explained how boundaries for constituencies in Germany are redrawn apolitically whenever population shifts require. There is no such thing as gerrymandering in Germany, they learned, and the redrawing of districts is done according to strict standard procedures.
Because the lingering corona pandemic made it impossible to get inside some German newsrooms that remain off-limits for not only visitors, but often many staff members as well, the challenge for the group of Americans (all of whom were vaccinated) was to find locations for meetings with the German journalists, politicians and alumni in neutral venues such as TV station rooftops (such as at RBB TV), restaurants, backrooms in cafes, street corners and even outdoor election rallies.
Thanks to the patience and flexibility of the American alumni and the German guest speakers, it was possible to have a great program that helped the group better understand the issues at stake in the September 26 elections.
Here is an overview of some of the meetings: meeting in beer garden with RBB journalist Petra Gute and Radio Bremen Intendant Yvette Gerner; talk with German election official Ulrike Rockmann about the German election system; talk with Politico senior European correspondent Matt Karnitschnig.
There was also a talk with WeltTV editor in chief Jan-Philipp Burgard and a visit to his state-of-the-art commercial TV station’s studios.
There was also a meeting with Jan Niklas Engels and Knut Dethlefsen at the SPD-affiliated Friedrich Ebert Foundation; meeting with Dr. Jochen Roose and Alexander Beribes from the CDU-affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation; walking tour of Kreuzberg neighborhoods with Greens party member Özcan Mutlu.
There was also a meeting with JD Bindenagel, former U.S. ambassador; talk with CDU member of state assembly in Brandenburg Barbara Richstein; meeting with German swing band leader Andrej Hermlin; meeting with Dr. David Biesinger and Jade-Yasmin Tänzler of RBB TV/Radio station; talk with Sawsan Chebli, deputy minister in Berlin government for federal affairs, and leader in SPD party. There was also a talk with far-right AfD member of parliament Beatrix von Storch.
There was also a multi-media light show at the Bundestag; talks at Cafe Einstein with ZDF TV’s breakfast TV news ZDF “MorgenMagazin” Mitri Sirin & Anja Heyde & Michael Wagenbach; also with Julius van de Laar, a leading political consultant in Germany who studied political science in South Carolina and worked on Obama campaigns.
The group also met with Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, host of the Common Ground podcast, author and foreign correspondent for public radio; they had a talk with an AfD member of parliament and watched a campaign rally; enjoyed an alumni dinner and get-together with German alumni; had a meeting and tour of the East Side Gallery with artist Kani Alavi and visited German polling stations on Election Day.
September 6, 2021
RIAS exchange programs resume with three in the fall programs
The RIAS Berlin Commission will emerge from its involuntary COVID-19 induced hibernation with three exchange programs for about 55 participants over the next eight weeks — two one-week long alumni programs for about 46 participants and one standard three-week program for nine participants.
Despite the difficult and changing situations in the United States and Germany as the pandemic gradually wanes, the RIAS Berlin Commission has selected German and American participants for the three upcoming programs and will attempt to carry out the programs as best and creatively as possible. The outlook for a reopening of newsrooms and nations appeared brighter in June before the Delta variant threw a spanner into the works.
In particular it was the continued travel restrictions preventing most EU Schengen-area citizens from traveling to the USA that has made organising the trips difficult. There were hopes that the restrictions would have been lifted after the EU lifted its restrictions on USA travelers to Europe in June. But the USA’s restrictions remain in place. Fortunately RIAS Berlin Commission journalists were able to obtain exception visas for the programs.
Because many newsrooms are still closed to their own staff members as well as visitors, some of the meetings will be held at unconventional locations. RIAS alumni chapter leaders in Cologne and New York. Martin Richter of Phoenix TV in Bonn and Michael Gargiulo of WNBC in New York, have helped enormously in selecting and coordinating the two alumni groups.
Here is a short overview of our three upcoming programs:
September 20-27: 16 American journalists will be coming to Berlin for a one-week alumni program timed to coincide with the German elections. Many of them will be reporting on the German elections to their stations back home. There will have an alumni get-together with German and US alumni on Friday evening, September 24. All alumni are invited to join. Please write to info@riasberlin.org for details.
October 11-29: 9 German journalists will be in Washington DC (one week), New York City (one week) and in the third week at a small station in the South, Midwest or West for the standard three-week program. The group will take a closer look at important mayoral and gubernatorial elections in New York City and New Jersey.
October 24-30: 30 German journalists and RIAS alumni from across the country will be in New York for one week, taking a closer look at the New York and New Jersey elections as well as New York City’s recovery from the pandemic.
Here are the USA participants for Sept 20-27 Berlin program:
Michael Gargiulo, Anchor WNBC TV, New York
Lane Luckie, Anchor, KLTV, Tyler, Texas
Karen Caifa, reporter CNN, Washington DC
Maggie Kerkman, producer, Fox News, Dallas, Texas
TJ Speicher, producer Fox News, New York
Bonnie North, reporter/anchor North Country Public Radio, Canton, Potsdam New York
Bryan Weakland, producer MSNBC, New York
Tiffany Zeno, producer WNBC, New York
Susan Valot, reporter public radio stations in California
Bob Jamieson, NBC News, New York
Justin Campbell, reporter, WKMG News, Orlando, Florida
Michael Makowski, The Progressive Magazine, Madison, Wisconsin
Larry Levin, Irish Echo, Dublin, Ireland
Jeremy Chen, KTNV Las Vegas
Debbie Block, Voice of America, Washington DC
Miranda Dotson Reed, former KGO TV/ABC7 News, San Francisco, California
Here are the German participants for the October 11-29 program in the USA
Lena Mosel, Welt TV Berlin
Dilek Üsük, RBB Abendschau/WDR news, Berlin
Annette Yang, NDR, Hamburg
Kristian Wiegand, Phoenix, Bonn
Jan Fritsche, ZDF, Magdeburg/Berlin
Julia Grünwald, MDR, Leipzig
Dania Maria Hohn, RTL/NTV Hamburg
Frauke Holzmeier, RTL/NTV Cologne
Kate Brady, Deutsche Welle, Berlin
Here are the German participants for the October 24-30 program in New York
Martin Richter, Phoenix, Bonn
Michail Paweletz, NDR Hamburg
Vladimir Balzer, Deutschlandradio, Berlin
Mitri Sirin, ZDF, Berlin
Anja Heyde, ZDF, Berlin
Anna Maria Schuck, ZDF, Mainz
Mirja Fielder, NDR, Hamburg
Andre Schünke, NDR, Hamburg
Anja Martini, ARD, Hamburg
Anne Sieger, ARD, Cologne
Björn Heckmann, RTL, Cologne
Cornelia Gerhard, Phoenix, Bonn
Guido Meyer, Deutschlandfunk, Bonn
Iris Ollech, Phoenix, Bonn
Kerstin Ruskowski, Deutschlandfunk Nova/WDR, Cologne
Lydia Leipert, BR, Munich
Marc Krueger, podcast freelancer, Berlin
Maren Hellwege-Beck, BR, Munich
Nina Hansen, ARD, Hamburg
Petra Gute, RBB, Berlin
Philipp Eins, freelance radio/podcast, Berlin
Sabine Krebs, ARD, Nairobi, Kenya
Steffi Clodius, ARD, Hamburg
Susan Falkenstein, BR radio, Munich
Zlatin Nikov, SR, Saarbrücken
Boris Baumholt, WDR, Duesseldorf
Bartosz Dudek, Deutsche Welle radio, Bonn
Marius Zekri, NDR radio, Hamburg
Michael Meyer, Deutschlandfunk, Berlin
Micha Wagenbach, ZDF, Berlin
Oliver Sallet, Deutsche Welle, Washington DC
August 6, 2021
Former NBC correspondent and long-time RIAS Media Prize juror John Dancy dies
John Dancy, a long-time NBC News correspondent and RIAS Media Prize juror, has died, according to a former colleague at NBC News in Washington. Dancy, who passed away recently at the age of 84, served as an integral member of the RIAS Media Prize jury for many years and was well-remembered at the jury meetings for his friendly but firm insistence on holding up the highest standards for prize winning entries. His passing was announced recently by Washington news producer for NBC News Today Bill Hatfield in a Twitter post.
“Remembering my friend and mentor John Dancy (1936-2021),” wrote Hatfield. “John spent 30 years at NBC News with postings in Chicago, Berlin, Moscow, London and DC, where he covered every major beat. In retirement, he taught the next generation of journalists. I was lucky to know him.”
Born on August 5, 1936 in Jackson, Tennessee, John Albert Dancy graduated from Union University in Jackson in 1959 with a BA in English Literature. He later earned an honorary PhD from Union University in 1989. During his long career, Dancy received a Columbia-Dupont award for documentaries in 1977, an Overseas Press Club award for documentaries in 1977, a Janus award business reporting in 1984 and a Everett M. Dirksen award for reporting of Congress in 1987. He was a member of the Radio-Television Correspondents Association in Washington. He worked as a journalist for Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, KYW-television in Cleveland from 1961 to 1965 before becoming a Correspondent from 1965 for NBC News in Los Angeles, then Chicago, Berlin, London and Washington. He was the network’s Senior White House correspondent from 1978 to 1979. Dancy was later NBC’s Congressional correspondent from 1982-1988, Chief diplomatic correspondent in 1988 and Moscow correspondent from 1994 to 1996.
“Sadly acknowledging the passing of former veteran NBC News Correspondent John (“Bud”) Dancy, with whom I covered global diplomacy in the late 1980s/early 1990s,” wrote former RIAS board member and CNN correspondent Ralph Begleiter in a post on Facebook. “One of the smartest reporters on the diplomatic beat… After retiring from NBC, Dancy taught journalism at Duke University. My heartfelt condolences to Ann and his family.”
Dancy also served as a regular host for German journalists when he taught journalism at Brigham Young and Duke University, according to former RIAS Berlin Commission Executive Director Rainer Hasters. “This is really sad news,” said Hasters. “John was a good friend, long-time jury member and long-time university host for visiting German journalists.”
July 18, 2021
RIAS alumni chapters meet in New York, Cologne & Berlin
RIAS Berlin Commission alumni chapters held reunion meetings in New York, Cologne and Berlin in recent weeks — the first get-togethers in over a year. New York Alumni Chapter leader Michael Gargiulo (right) and six other members of the New York alumni group met at Reichenbach Hall in Manhattan on Thursday, July 15 to celebrate their first meeting after the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. Gargiulo said the group was delighted to meet again in the popular German-style beer hall in midtown and talked about the upcoming alumni program in September in Berlin for up to 30 Americans interested in covering the German federal election on September 26 and networking.
“It meant so much for us to get back together after a year and a half because it meant that RIAS New York is back, but also New York City is back,” said Gargiulo, who is also the U.S. coordinator for applicants to the alumni program. Among those alumni who also attended the New York alumni meeting were Adam Reiss, Tiffany Zeno, TJ Speicher, and Basti Harting.
In Cologne, chapter leader Martin Richter (second from right) and six others gathered in a Brauhaus near the Rhine River on Wednesday, July 14. The turnout was reduced by heavy rains in the region that evening that led to devastating flash floods the next day in towns southwest from Cologne. Those attending also talked about the planned alumni program to the United States in late October and whether the United States will relax travel restrictions on European Union citizens soon — a topic of discussion that Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed with President Joe Biden a day later at their meeting in Washington DC.
“I think everyone who came had a great time,” said Richter, who will be coordinating the German applicants for the October alumni program to New York in late October. Among those who also joined the alumni chapter meeting were Bartosz Dudek, Claudia Davis and Kerstin Ruskowski.
In Berlin, the chapter met on June 30 with Vladimir Balzer (first from the left) organizing a meeting at a Berlin restaurant in the government quarter that four others attended. The Berlin group talked about the upcoming elections in Germany, the status of vaccinations and infection rates in the coronavirus pandemic, recruiting efforts for new applicants to the RIAS programs from especially eastern Germany and the upcoming alumni program in October in New York after the October 2020 program to Washington was cancelled. The group also celebrated Benjamin Eyssel’s long-delayed appointment to Beijing for RBB radio (on the right) Also attending were Dorte Störmann, Erik Kirschbaum and Philipp Eins.
July 7, 2021
RIAS alumni program planned for Berlin in September
The RIAS Berlin Commission is planning a one-week alumni program for up to 30 Americans from September 20 to 27 and invites all former RIAS participants to take part.
The program is timed to coincide with the German federal election on September 26 and there will be a number of meetings with politicians, think tanks and attending German campaign rallies.
Following the great success of the November 2019 alumni program in Berlin timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary and celebrations relating to the fall of the Berlin Wall during which many of the American alumni were able to report on events to their home stations, RIAS alumni participants are welcome and encouraged to report on the German election for their outlets in the United States to come to Berlin to network with colleagues and associates.
There will about two appointments per day, allowing ample time for networking with U.S. and German journalists who have taken part in programs over the last three decades. German alumni are also welcome to take part in the one-week long program designed to keep the spirit of RIAS alive nearly 30 years after the Cold War’s “Free Voice of the Free World” went off the air.
If you are interested in taking part, please write to the leader of the New York alumni chapter Michael Gargiulo (michaelg4ny@gmail.com) or to info@riasberlin.org or kirschbaum@riasberlin.org for further information
Michael Gargiulo will be coordinating the program from the United States.
As in the past, RIAS will be covering hotel and breakfast costs, a week’s pass on the Berlin subway/bus network and many group dinners during the week while participants will have to cover their own airfare.
June 29, 2021
St. Louis alumni chapter of RIAS Berlin Commission launched with 3 intrepid alumni
Three RIAS Berlin Commission alumni in St. Louis got together recently to start a local chapter, following in the footsteps of chapters in New York, Washington DC, Texas/Oklahoma and Los Angeles. There are also chapters in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg.
Rachel D. Lippmann of St. Louis Public Radio, who took part in the RIAS program in 2017, joined with her former colleague Ryan Delaney, who was on the program to Brussels and Germany in 2019, and Stephanie Carr, who was on the 2018 program to mark the occasion recently with a dinner at at a sandwich pub called The Gramophone in St. Louis’ The Grove neighborhood.
Rachel and Ryan had long worked together at St. Louis Public Radio while Stephanie recently moved from Nashville to St. Louis to work at station KSDK, an NBC affiliate for St. Louis. She had been working at a local station in Kansas City when she took part in the RIAS program.
June 10, 2021
RIAS Berlin Commission exchange programs to resume in September
The RIAS Berlin Commission’s board of directors approved on Thursday, June 10 plans to resume the in-person exchange programs in the fall of 2021 following the widespread relaxation of restrictions in the United States and Germany after the Covid-19 pandemic that idled the programs for the last 15 months.
The first in-person exchange program for up to 30 American alumni members is tentatively scheduled for September 20 to September 27 in Berlin — timed to coincide with the September 26 German federal election. The second program for 10 to 12 German broadcast journalists would start on or about October 4 or October 11 and run for three weeks.
Most of the journalists on that October 2021 program were scheduled to take part in a March 2020 program that was cancelled at the last minute. A third program tentatively scheduled for one week in late October would be for up to 30 German alumni members in either New York or Washington DC. Those and other details still have to be decided.
All alumni in the United States and Germany who are interested in either the September one-week program in Berlin or the October one-week program in the United States should contact their local alumni chapter leaders or write to info@riasberlin.org.
May 7, 2021
When will RIAS Berlin Commission exchange programs resume?
The RIAS Berlin Commission is eager to resume its transatlantic exchange programs for German and American journalists as soon as it is possible. Unfortunately there are still travel restrictions in place making it difficult for Germans to visit the United States and there are also limits on U.S. citizens traveling to the European Union. These travel restrictions and any quarantine requirements make it in essence impossible to run our in-person exchange programs. In the meantime, RIAS has been hosting weekly Zoom talks with many of our guest speakers that future participants and alumni are invited to attend.
The travel restrictions to Germany and to the United States might be lifted in the near term, which would clear a path for RIAS to resume its programs perhaps in the fall of 2021. Another key factor in the resumption of programs would be a reopening of newsrooms for visitors in both Germany and the United States because visiting journalists in each country is one of the important aspects of the exchange programs.
If the vaccination efforts in the United States and Germany lead to relaxations of the travel restrictions and further newsroom openings in each country, RIAS Berlin Commission hopes to organize an alumni program in Berlin from September 20-27 for 30 American journalists to coincide with Germany’s federal elections on September 26. If possible, it would also aim to reschedule the March 2020 program for 15 German journalists that was cancelled at the last minute to October 4-22 as well as hold a one-week program for 30 German alumni from October 25-31 that was originally scheduled for late October 2020. RIAS hopes to make a decision on these programs by mid-June 2021.
Please write us at info@riasberlin.org if you have any further questions about these or any other programs.
April 13, 2021
RIAS Media Prize winners take part in weekly Zoom talks from April 14 to May 26
The RIAS Berlin Commission will be resuming its program of Zoom talks on April 14 with WNBC TV morning co-anchor Michael Gargiulo, who was the co-chair of the RIAS Berlin Commission Media Prize jury. Gargiulo, a veteran of the RIAS jury, will talk about the 2021 prize, some of the trends in this year’s competition and about the possibility of having an
awards ceremony in in Berlin in November. You can watch or listen to all the winning stories on the RIAS Berlin Commission website below in the March 26 story.
March 31, 2021
RIAS Berlin Commission exchange program outlook for 2021
The RIAS Berlin C
ommission in-person journalist exchange programs have been suspended since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The RIAS Berlin Commission has been tracking the situation in both the United States and Germany and hopes to restart the programs as soon as the prevailing conditions allow.
There is a possibility that the exchange programs could resume in late September or October but that would depend on conditions in both countries – in particular the reopening of newsrooms for visitors and an absence of any mandatory travel-related quarantines — that would allow for meaningful exchanges.
A decision on whether RIAS programs can resume in the autumn or later will be made in mid-June. In the meantime, please do take advantage of our regular Zoom talks with prominent guest speakers and alumni from the United States and Germany that we have been holding for the last 10 months. Please write info@riasberlin.org for more information.
March 26, 2021
Jury commendations for RIAS Media Prize winners
An independent panel of American and German journalists issued the following commendations for
the six RIAS Berlin Commission 2021 prize winners.
The jury for the 29th annual prize was made up of three Americans and three Germans and a total of 10,000 EUR prize money will be presented to the winners at a gala ceremony expected to be held in November. The jury includes: Co-chair Michael Gargiulo (WNBC TV, New York), Co-chair Anja Heyde (ZDF-MDR, Berlin) as well as Helge Fuhst (ARD, Hamburg), Yami Virgin (Fox 29, San Antonio, Texas), Matt Karnitschnig (Politico, Berlin) and Richard Meng (formerly Frankfurter Rundschau).
The RIAS Media Prize is intended to help strengthen the diversity of transatlantic dialogue and to deepen interest in German-American relations. There will be a total 10,000 EUR in prize money awarded to the six winners, including a new 5,000 EUR grand prize for the single most outstanding entry broadcast in 2020.
Here is what the jury had to say:
Ingo Zamperoni, Birgit Wärnke – NDR: “Trump, meine amerikansiche Familie und ich”
“Trump, My American Family and Me” by Ingo Zamperoni and Birgit Wärnke is an outstanding film about an American family and is, at the same time, a film about American society. It shows the political divisions of the country on a meta-level through a private lens that is full of empathy. Zamperoni took a considerable risk by broadcasting such a personal glimpse of his family. The result is a film that gives viewers valuable insights into American life and ways of thinking that is rarely seen in Germany. The film makes no judgment – but instead simply documents the situation. By doing so, it reveals why so many Americans cast their ballots in favor of Donald Trump as their president. The narrative shows the entire ambivalence between a great love for a great country and the palpable aversion to some of the social and political developments within the USA.
RIAS Radio Award:
Aylin Dogan, Gregor Schmalzried – Bayern 2 (BR): “Die Andere Cancel Culture – von den unbekannten Opfer der Sozialen Medien“
“Cancel Culture” is a corrosive phenomenon on both sides of the Atlantic. In their thought-provoking report for Bayern 2, Aylin Dogan and Gregor Schmalzried delve into this emotional issue with nuance, exploring the tensions and misunderstandings it creates. They report on the tremendous power of “Cancel Culture“ in social media and how it sometimes hits the wrong target – from ordinary people to celebrities who are often powerless to defend themselves.
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RIAS Digital Video Award:
Janek Speight – Deutsche Welle: “Why US sports are more socialist than European football”
Janek Speight has succeeded in creating an unusual, attention-grabbing look at the routines of professional sports on both sides of the Atlantic. A cheeky inversion of clichés, a social media-friendly and brilliant comparison of the incomparable. He discovers almost “socialist” aspects in American sports – with its revenue sharing, salary caps and draft system – and he contrasts those with a rather brutal selfishness of big money in Europe. His YouTube contribution for Deutsche Welle combines tongue-in-cheek levity with serious analysis. A triumphant piece of transatlantic journalism.
RIAS Fellow Award Radio:
Ryan Delaney – St. Louis Public Radio, NPR: “How Germany Reopened Schools During a Pandemic”
2020 was the year everything changed for millions of schoolchildren. Most of the schools in the United States were closed, many students were at home for remote learning. Germany, however, reopened its schools during the crisis. How? Ryan Delaney from St. Louis Public Radio went in search of and found the answers to this question in a series of reports in October/November 2020 through Pulitzer Center and Education Writers Association. He spoke with a kindergarten teacher in Cologne, a father in Berlin, a high school student in Bonn and many others. He took the listeners into the classrooms to understand the actual impact of the decisions made regarding education and of the health of a generation.
https://pulitzercenter.org/projects/how-germany-reopened-its-schools-during-pandemic
RIAS Next Generation Award Award:
Anna Ellmann, Maximilian Osenstätter – BR (Bayerischer Rundfunk): “News WG – Series of Instagram Stories on Political Issues”
News – “not from the pages of a newspaper or a TV screen but from ‘Instagram”? That is the goal of the ‘Die News-WG’ – which was developed by young journalists at Bayerische Rundfunk (BR). The News-WG Team reports on the news in ways that young people understand and relate to… and they deliver the news to where young people are active…on Instagram. They tackle questions like ‘Things politicians would never say’ or ‘What kind of pork is that in your sandwich?’
https://www.instagram.com/news_wg/channel/?hl=de
Special Jury Prize Radio:
Michael Groth – Deutschlandradio Kultur: “Songs of Love and Protest – Wiederkehr des politischen Liedes in den USA“
Michael Groth has produced a series of outstanding, in-depth feature stories on the rich history of music in the United States and its influence on both politics in the United States and on music in Germany for Deutschlandfunk Kultur over the last 15 years. From features on Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, Corky Siegel, Hank Williams, various country music and Mississippi Delta artists to the Chicago Blues and music from Austin and Nashville, Groth is a master of his craft. For his determination as perennial entrant, Groth receives special jury recognition for his contributions.
March 19, 2021
Six German, American stories picked as RIAS Media Prize winners in 2021
The RIAS BERLIN Commission is proud to announce the winners of this year’s RIAS Media Prize Awards. The 29th annual award is presented by the German-American exchange program and celebrates the best of transatlantic broadcast journalism with 10,000 EUR in prize-money awarded.
The jury made up of six distinguished journalists from the United States and Germany selected six winners in TV, Radio and Digital Media categories in Berlin on March 17, 2021. The jury includes: Co-chair Michael Gargiulo (WNBC TV, New York), Co-chair Anja Heyde (ZDF-MDR, Berlin) as well as Helge Fuhst (ARD, Hamburg), Yami Virgin (Fox 29, San Antonio, Texas), Matt Karnitschnig (Politico, Berlin) and Richard Meng (formerly Frankfurter Rundschau). Conditions allowing, RIAS Berlin Commission will host a gala ceremony in November to pay tribute to the winners from the 2021 competition as well as the 2020 completion that was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year’s prize winners are:
Rias Berlin Commision Grand Prize
Ingo Zamperoni, Birgit Wärnke “Trump, meine amerikanische Familie und ich“, ARD, November 2, 2020
RIAS Radio Award
Aylin Dogan, Gregor Schmalzried “Die andere Cancel Culture – Von den unbekannten Opfern der Sozialen Medien“, Bayern 2 (BR), September 13, 2020 https://www.br.de/mediathek/podcast/zuendfunk-generator/die-andere-cancel-culture-von-den-unbekannten-opfern-der-sozialen-medien/1804209
RIAS Digital Media Award
Janek Speight “Why US sports are more socialist than European football“,Deutsche Welle YouTube film, September 18, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0yZQgDwn1A
RIAS Fellow Award
Ryan Delaney “How Germany Reopened Its Schools During a Pandemic”, St. Louis Public Radio, NPR series during October/November 2020 through Pulitzer Center and Education Writers Association https://pulitzercenter.org/projects/how-germany-reopened-its-schools-during-pandemic
Special Jury Prize
Michael Groth “Songs of Love and Protest – Wiederkehr des politischen Liedes in den USA“ on October 30, 2020 and recognition for more than 15 years of outstanding in-depth features on US music for Deutschlandfunk/Deutschlandfunk Kultur https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/die-wiederkehr-des-politischen-liedes-in-den-usa-songs-of.3780.de.html?dram:article_id=486565
RIAS Next Generation Prize
Anna Ellmann, Maximilian Osenstätter “News WG” – series of Instagram stories about political issues for BR (Bayerischer Rundfunk) https://www.instagram.com/news_wg/channel/?hl=de
January 27, 2021
Deadline nears for RIAS Media Prize submissions
The deadline for entries for the 2021 RIAS Media Prize is nearing on January 31. Journalists from the United States and Germany are encouraged to enter their best stories for the annual competition that puts a spotlight on exceptional radio, television and digital stories that were broadcast or published in 2020. Here is a link for the entry form.
The RIAS Media Prize is intended to help strengthen the diversity of transatlantic dialogue and to deepen interest in German-American relations. Germany and the USA are each facing new directions in many respects, both internally and externally. Committed, independent journalism can contribute a great deal to mutual understanding of and between countries as well as to an open social discourse about values and goals. The contributions submitted should go beyond daily and routine reporting, should process information and describe social reality in a remarkable way, and promote dialogue on similarities and differences in transatlantic relations.
Ideally, contributions worth consideration should: stand out thematically and/or in their execution; take on new questions in a creative way; critically examine and make the diversity of social reality clear; contain interesting suggestions for transatlantic debate; encourage reflection on problems and solutions; question clichés about Germans and/or Americans; describe trends in everyday life that are of general interest; contribute in a special way to mutual curiosity and understanding; be suitable to strengthen democratic and societal values.
The entry system has been streamlined this year as well as there is no need to send tapes or audio recordings any longer. Instead, all entries must be submitted electronically via email with a valid UR that is active until March 2021 and can be accessed without proprietary information (password) by the RIAS jury.
January 24, 2021
IMPORTANT! Call for Entries 2021
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: JANUARY 31, 2021
Download PDF
January 13, 2021
RIAS Zoom Talks open 2021 with large group of alumni for Michael Cohen
More than 100 RIAS Berlin Commission alumni and friends of RIAS took part in a riveting hour-long conversation with Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former personal attorney and self-described “fixer”.
In a conversation organized and moderated by Adam Reiss of NBC, Cohen described in great detail his long and close relationship with Trump before he pleaded guilty in 2018 to campaign finance violations and other crimes. He is currently on house arrest after being sentenced to a three-year sentence.
Here and also on youtube is the full interview:
Cohen said he also predicted that there would be turmoil surrounding any transition from Trump to another president. He also talked about being on house arrest and how that he had to stay inside his apartment in New York for 22 hours a day.
“There are a lot of people who take jabs at me and say ‘Ah you worked with him for a decade and a half you did his dirty deeds for him you helped to promote him’,” Cohen said. “Yes I did. yes I acted in ways that, if I could go back in time I would have (done differently). Did we play hardball with contractors? Sure we did, sure we stiffed contractors and sure we bullied people into getting what we wanted….. Donald Trump has become the worst version of himself imaginable. He is living in an alternate universe. The scariest part of it all is that 70 million people voted for him.”
Cohen said Trump believes he won the November 3, 2020 and cannot fathom how it was possible to win seven million more votes in 2020 than he did in 2016 yet not win. “He truly believes that he won the election,” Cohen said. “He has a fragile ego and he truly believes that he won this election and it was stolen from him.”
RIAS alumni Allison Walker did this story on the RIAS zoom talk for her local station in Dayton, Ohio. Cohen said that Trump was enjoying the turmoil and would continue blowing a “dog whistle” to his ‘Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters. “Donald Trump speaks in code,” he said. “He will say this inauguration is a ‘shame to our democracy’, ‘they’re taking away your right’ and ‘your vote and not listening to the will of the American people’.”
Cohen said thanks to tighter security precautions the chaos that happened on January 6 in Washington DC would not be repeated on January 20 at the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
Cohen said that Trump tends not to think more than five minutes ahead of time and wasted a golden opportunity to rebuild infrastructure in the United States at the start of his term.
Cohen also talked about his book “Disloyal: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump” about his time working for Trump as well as his new podcast called Mea Culpa
As part of the on-going efforts to connect alumni in the United States and Germany, the RIAS Zoom talks will continue on a near-weekly basis in 2021. We hope that you can join us in these enlightening discussions designed to broaden horizons and keep the spirit of RIAS alive through the Covid-19 crisis.