Discover the experiences of 11 German journalists in the USA at a particularly exciting and crucial time – only a few weeks before the presidential election.
Jana Münkel, Deutschlandradio, Berlin
My RIAS experience was truly one-of-a-kind and unforgettable. It felt like a long bath in a variety of perspectives, opinions, and arguments leading up to the US elections—a colorful bath bomb, if you will, offering something new and surprising every day. I really enjoyed it! What stands out the most are the days spent in Michigan at radio WKAR, a local NPR affiliate. It was like a mini road trip, interviewing Arab Americans in Detroit who want to encourage their community to neither vote for Harris nor Trump, which could really shake things up in this swing state. The radio team in Lansing was fantastic, and I had a great time with my awesome host Sophia (thanks again!). There was even a spontaneous radio interview about my time in the US where we discussed my experience at a Democrats rally with the First Lady – and also, the quintessential Michigander Sunday trip with the smell of freshly squeezed apples: a cider tasting at a local apple farm! A few highlights include the discussion at the Heritage Foundation, the birthplace of the ultra-coservative Project 2025, followed shortly by a contrasting event at the more Democrats-leaning Center for American Progress. I got a behind-the-scenes look at "The Daily" podcast at the New York Times. In addition, I even spotted a jogging Mr. President at the White House, disappearing into his helicopter, off to hurricane-affected areas. Equally valuable was the time spent connecting with current and former RIAS fellows, whether we were discussing politics on a rooftop in Washington D.C. or singing karaoke in NYC together. I’m still coming up for air from this incredible intensive bath, wiping the colorful RIAS foam from my eyes—and I’m looking forward to continuing this journey with the RIAS chapter in Berlin. A big thank you to everyone who made this trip possible!
Katharina Thoms, Deutschlandradio, Stuttgart
A town hall in Pennsylvania. I stood with a reporter from my host station, KYW, in the press section, surrounded by a boisterous, sometimes aggressive crowd. On stage, a former president, once again running for the White House, swayed to his favorite songs for more than half an hour. This surreal scene was perhaps the most memorable moment of an incredible journey with the RIAS program during the pre-election period in the United States. And it was only one part of a deeply insightful two-week experience. During my time at KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I quickly learned how commercial news radio operates here and what it demands from a journalist. Working with the fantastic team at KYW was an invaluable experience that offered a firsthand look at the fast-paced nature of American newsrooms. The intense discussions I had with media experts, researchers, and think tanks before and after my station days, in Washington, D.C., and New York City, made one thing clear: the U.S. is bracing for the possibility of a second Trump administration. While progressives are still hoping to prevent this outcome, optimism is in short supply. Our conversation with The Heritage Foundation left me speechless at how openly they promote their undemocratic ideas. In Germany we fear that, across the Atlantic it feels more like resignation. However, I also realized that we face many of the same challenges: immigration, rising living costs, and climate change. The U.S. is simply a few steps ahead of us. We also share the same deep concerns about journalism, facing not only a divided country but a fractured media ecosystem. I met many dedicated journalists who persist despite these challenges. I deeply valued our conversations with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Columbia Journalism Review. As a radio and podcast producer, I especially appreciated the insights we gained from NPR and The Daily at The New York Times. I feel very humble to have had the experience participating in this RIAS exchange with this extraordinary group of journalists.
Marchus Tychsen, WELT TV, Berlin
As a last-minute participant, I had the incredible opportunity to join the RIAS German-American Journalist Exchange Programme in October 2024. And wow, what a ride! It was packed with eye-opening moments, giving me a front-row seat to all things political, social, and historical in the USA - right before the elections, no less! Talk about perfect timing for a journalist. One highlight was the debates with think tanks in Washington, D.C. At the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation, we discussed US migration policy and their Project 2025 plan, designed to increase the powers of a Republican president and facilitate the dismissal of government officials for political reasons. This raised concerns, particularly from the Center for American Progress. The Pew Research Center shared surprising statistics, showing most white Christian voters supporting Trump over Biden. Visiting the White House was another standout moment, where veteran correspondents shared insights into their work. We even caught a glimpse of President Joe Biden taking off in Marine One from the Rose Garden. Various visits to US TV and radio stations further illuminated the media's role in election coverage. For a deeper dive into local journalism, I headed to WSOC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina. I joined WSOC-TV political reporter Joe Bruno at a campaign event with Lara Trump, observing their approach to live coverage. I also attended a Carolina Panthers NFL game, which was loud, wild, and unforgettable - despite their loss. In New York, a tour of the 9/11 Memorial, led by Gordon Huie, was deeply moving. Meetings with the Committee to Protect Journalists, the New York Times, Bloomberg, and the UN spokesperson Farhan Haq, enriched my understanding of US media. I’m incredibly grateful to the RIAS Berlin Commission for this amazing opportunity. It has not only deepened my knowledge of US media but also prepared me perfectly for covering the upcoming election on WELT TV. A million thanks to everyone involved!
Kristina Gründken, ZDF, Mainz
It’s just before six, and the setting sun paints the Sonora Desert with its rocks and towering saguaro cacti in deep orange hues. I still can’t believe that the RIAS program has brought me to this beautiful, fascinating place. Tucson, Arizona, is a stark contrast to the energetic and fast-paced political circus in Washington, D.C., that we experienced the week before. During our station days, we explore the area with our host, Christopher “Buzz” Conover (Arizona Public Media), and learn about the issues that matter to the people here. Although Arizona is on the Mexican border, there’s little evidence of the migration crisis often discussed during this election campaign. The towering border fence (with barbed wire since the first Trump presidency), in front of which we stand the next day, certainly screams “Stay out!” Yet thousands cross the border legally every day—in both directions—to work, shop, or visit friends. Tucson has a housing shortage, and we see many homeless people on the streets, but few of them are Latino. Here, in the Arizonan heat, it’s easy to see how desperate someone must be to cross into the country through the desert. Those who try face a days-long, grueling march under scorching temperatures. Even now, in October, temperatures still reach 38 degrees Celsius, and 2024 has been the hottest year on record in Pima County. In general, climate change is one of the most pressing issues here, Buzz tells us. Agricultural companies and farmers are extracting more and more groundwater, further exacerbating the water shortage. Just before our next flight takes us back to the East Coast, to New York City, we visit the Pima County Board of Supervisors. The consul of Mexico and several citizens are honored, a couple of Trump supporters give a particularly stiff salute as three girls from a mariachi band sing the national anthem. These special moments will stay with me for a long time. Two weeks in the USA just before the election—with a group of amazing journalists who quickly became friends. Two weeks full of encounters with American journalists, NGOs, and think tanks on all sides of the political spectrum. An invaluable experience! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Pam, Chris, Buzz, and the entire RIAS team.
Anna Tschöpe, Deutsche Welle, Berlin
I have lost track of time these past two weeks. I have experienced and learned so much that sometimes it felt like we have been doing this for months, and then there have been moments that have felt so special that my sense of time has stood still. We learned that the race between Harris and Trump is going to be super close and the result could very likely take days to call. It became clear that Americans are concerned about similar issues as Germans. The money in their pockets, skyrocketing prices and immigration are the most important. One day we talked with members of the conservative Heritage Foundation about their controversial policy playbook, 'Project 2025', and the next day we sat down with researchers from the Center for American Progress and heard about their vision for the country. For me, it was extremely valuable to hear different perspectives and to be able to ask questions. I was especially excited to visit the Pew Research Center because I had used some of their statistics in my work for DW. They showed us their research on how people with different religious beliefs tend to vote. It was super interesting and I was lucky enough to see the research reflected in reality during my time on the ground in Atlanta, Georgia. My host, Faith Jessie, took us to a church service at Ebenezer Church - the Church Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor. The service held by U.S. Senator and Baptist pastor Raphael Warnock featured an amazing college choir and is something I will never forget. I am deeply grateful for this program. Thank you RIAS Berlin Kommission - I will always look back on this with the best memories and even made some new friends along the way. What more could you ask for?
Moritz Metz, Deutschlandradio, Berlin
Rarely does one gain such deep insights into a country’s media landscape. Press briefings at the White House and the UN, visits to NPR, the Washington Post, the New York Times, NBC, Voice of America, and Bloomberg; background conversations with activists, researchers, and think tanks from both political camps, including the Heritage Foundation, which is behind the radical initiative “Project 2025”—with which Donald Trump could, in the event of an election victory, not only overhaul the media landscape of the USA. A 2,500-kilometer road trip through New York State, the swing states of Pennsylvania (privately) and North Carolina (on the way to my host station, the NPR local station WFAE in Charlotte), as well as to a campaign event by Kamala Harris, showed me the diverse sides of this country that stands at a pivotal tipping point before the elections. This was or course the main topic in encounters with impressive personalities—and within the community of our travel group. Rarely does one get to know such great colleagues in such a long and intensive way! Thank you, RIAS Berlin Commission; these weeks of intensive immersion were fantastic and truly unforgettable.
Katharina Delling, RTL, London
What an experience this has been! Since our trip with RIAS ended, I have been trying to figure out which appointment was the most interesting, which person the most impressive. I have now, however, realized that it’s not possible to pick just one. Each of the institutions, organizations, and people we’ve met throughout the two weeks were thought provoking in their own way. Speaking with a few representatives at the Heritage Foundation was definitely an experience I would not have had otherwise, hearing about the data that could influence this election which the Pew Research Center collected over the past few years or even decades really helped me understand the American voters more, and our chat with the Committee to Protect Journalists renewed my love for journalism and made me want to be even better at my job. And that’s just a fraction of the people we’ve met on this trip. The memories I’ve made these past weeks have changed me in a way and will stay with me forever. For example, seeing President Joe Biden „sprint“ across his front lawn at the White House and fly away in his helicopter or speaking to Gordon Huie about his horrific experience on 9/11and how he still remains to think positively about the world. I expected a lot of great things to come from this trip - and they did - but what I didn’t expect was how I could forge such strong relationships in such a short amount of time with both the people from our group and those we’ve met during our visit. For this I will be forever thankful.
Sebastian Deliga, SWR/ARD, Berlin
This trip with RIAS was an extraordinary experience in many ways. It brought me closer to the United States. The visit to the White House was impressive with the heroic appearance of President Biden, who climbed into his helicopter before our eyes and flew into the sky - happy to the one who can perform like that in a biblical age. The visits to the think tanks were challenging, especially the Heritage Foundation, where one of our hosts said about the radical plan “Project 2025”: “It’s just a book” – what an irritating understatement. The visits to American media companies were exciting. And how differently management can be understood, as I experienced at Bloomberg, for example, where employees are given a free breakfast buffet every morning as an expression of appreciation - not bad. My Station Days at WUSA in Washington D.C. were insightful, because I was able to get to know the American way of doing live broadcasts for television - much more relaxed than it is usual here. I am grateful for the many encounters with American friends. We have a lot in common: We talked about everything, even about the ARD television show “Praxis mit Meerblick”, which – believe it or not – has American fans. We also sang: “Muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus” in the karaoke bar – who would have thought that? Maybe our societies would be less divided if we sang together and across camps more often in karaoke bars. In America as well as in Germany. I feel more connected to the USA than ever before - despite its contradictions. Perhaps the values of democracy are more important than the nation, even if it can trigger more emotions. But aren't connecting across nations and sharing common values more fulfilling than any isolated reference to oneself? At least that's what I realized during my two weeks in Washington D.C. and New York for me. I was able to get to know it again in a completely new way - and for that I am very grateful to the RIAS Berlin Commission.
Anna Postels, NDR/ARD, Hamburg/Bremen
When you start your first day, jet-lagged and tired, at 8:30 AM with an appointment at the White House with President Biden - what else can happen? A lot, a lot! For example, my Station Days at abc7ny in New York City! Located right next to Lincoln Center, the team around Bob Monek gave me a warm welcome in the newsroom. Yes, real people who work in a newsroom and not just remotely. The ABC station is one of two major New York TV stations. The social/digital team gave me a great insight into how things work there. We streamed live and exchanged ideas about the various social platforms and the challenges, about reels, comments, the elections, the political developments in the USA and the parallels with Germany... Of course, we also held conferences. And what was particularly impressive was how quickly the colleagues worked and what areas of responsibility they covered! We are all worried and concerned about what might come in November. Chaotic, tough and rough times are probably ahead of us. It was my first time in the USA - and an introduction couldn't be deeper, more emotional, more complex. I soaked up everything like a sponge. I particularly liked the multi-perspective panoramic view, the side margins that we looked over, the exchange with the people in the USA - but also with the other participants. Special thanks to Michael Gagiulo who showed me arround NYC the first day, he showed me a lot of the history of New York's beginnings.
Daniel Spliethoff, RTL, Berlin
I saw Joe Biden running on the lawn of the White House in Washington and listened to the Heritage Foundation denying Climate Change. Pew Research Center does so many polls, their mascot must be Count Numbers – but each of their polls was inspiring. The sunset in the desert of Arizona took my breath and I had the best of times during my station days in Tucson. And then New York City: Gordon Huie, triple-survivor of 9/11 gave us all an example how to deal with catastrophes that seem to be larger than life. This summary may sound as weird and without context as a Trump-speech, but it shows how complex and diverse the experience with RIAS in the United States were during this trip in fall 24. It’s hard to put it all together in 200 words and it may take time to process it all. But I know by now, that this keeps on giving for the next years of my career. Congratulations to RIAS for putting together a fantastic program, but even more: thanks for putting together this selection of journalists. I am beyond grateful to have been a part of it. Can highly recommend, any time again!
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