We invigorate journalism
through transatlantic exchange.
Since 1992, the RIAS Berlin Commission has carried on the legacy of Radio in the American Sector, with exchange programs, fellowships and media collaboration between Germany and the United States.
Two weeks in the USA for German journalists.
From the Newsroom
News · 10/13/2026
RIAS Journalists in Germany, September 6–19, 2026
Twelve U.S. journalists traveled through Germany and to Brussels with the RIAS Berlin Commission from September 6 to 19, 2026. Here they describe what they experienced and what they took home.
Read more →
News · 09/16/2026Call for a Transatlantic Exchange Program for Journalism Students
News · 07/14/2026What 12 American Journalists took away from their RIAS Fellowship in Germany
News · 06/08/2026Insights from 19 American Journalists on their RIAS Alumni Program in Germany
News · 05/20/2026RIAS Media Awards 2026
Schedule 2027
Our programs connect media professionals across borders and offer hands-on reporting experience in leading newsrooms.
The RIASMedia Awards
The RIAS Media Awards honor reporting that strengthens German-American understanding.
- Ceremony
- May 20, 2027
- Guests
- 10,000 €
1946–2026
From radioto a network.
Radio in the American Sector was more than a broadcaster: it was a lifeline for independent journalism in divided Berlin. Its history shaped our mission today.
1946RIAS is founded1947Expansion of Broadcast Capabilities
1948Role during the airlift1950sGrowth and Influence
1953The uprising in East Germany
1961The Wall is built
1963Live from the motorcade1970sJournalism and Political Dialogue1980sAdvocacy for Freedom of Speech1988RIAS-TV is founded
1989The fall of the Berlin Wall1990sTransition and Integration
1992The RIAS Berlin Commission is founded1993First exchange program2000sStrengthening Transatlantic Journalism2010sDigital Media and Innovation
2020sCommitment to press freedomWhy RIASmatters today.
In 1946, RIAS bridged divided Berlin. Today we bridge the Atlantic.
New channels, new questions
State actors developing their own channels for dissemination and users losing trust in media are posing new challenges.
Cooperation as a response
These challenges can best be dealt with in cooperation among media.
Exchange across borders
The RIAS programs are a unique and evermore important platform enabling the exchange between journalists from the U.S. and Germany.
„The RIAS program has already been the best thing that has happened to me in 2026.“
Independent journalismneeds allies.
Your support helps future programs and connections between journalists on both sides of the Atlantic.