Americans spent two weeks in 5 European cities learning about journalist, politics, life
Take 14 American broadcast journalists from across the country and send them to five European cities and three different countries on a 12-day trip with a packed schedule filled with talks with journalists, politicians and analysts — and you end up with a memory-filled program that might change their lives. That’s what 14 Americans experienced on a RIAS Berlin Commission exchange program in June — visiting Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Brussels and Bruges on an unforgettable mission to expand their horizons and learn more about Germany and the European Union.
The program started in Berlin on June 11 with meetings with US ambassador Richard Grenell.
After an hour-long talk, Grenell showed the Americans the view from the rooftop of the U.S. embassy that looks out over the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Reichstag building. After that, the group met German government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer, Brandenburg member of state assembly Barbara Richstein, John Kornblum at KCRW radio in Berlin, RIAS board member Richard Meng, former Greens member of parliament Oezcan Mutlu, along with visits to Bild newspaper,
Deutsche Welle’s Ben Fajzullin and Meggin Leigh Doody, ZDF’s Mitri Sirin and Bernd Benthin, the Reichstag, the Berlin Story Bunker, the Berlin Wall memorial at Bernauerstrasse, a walking tour with a Syrian refugee, the Stasi prison, as well as an alumni meeting at Stone Brewing with about 25 Berlin alumni.
In Dresden at the start of the second week, the fellows visited a VW factory making electric cars, the Saxony state parliament for a talk about foreigner issues, MDR TV studios; in Prague the highlight was a visit to Radio Free Europe. In Brussels, the group visited ARD correspondent Markus Preiss (also a RIAS alumni) and Deutsche Welle journalists at work along with the European Union with the spokespersons of the trade and immigration commissioners before finishing on June 23. Four stayed for a third week to taking part in “station week” experiences in
Berlin, Cologne and Bonn at Deutsche Welle, RTL, NTV, Deutschlandfunk and WDR. One stayed a third week working on an “extension week” program on a three-part feature for her station in Las Vegas on gun control in Germany.
It was an outstanding group of journalists from across the United States, including states like Oklahoma, Ohio, Nevada, Oregon, Minnesota, Georgia along with California, New York and Washington DC.
Bob Dickey, news director OUTV University of Oklahoma, in Norman, Oklahoma, wrote of his experience on the program: The RIAS Fellowship is a pedigree program that has been spoken of so highly over the years, I did not believe it could match the expectations I’d been given. But I was wrong.
Just on the face of it, the ability to travel to Germany, the Czech Republic & Belgium and meet with journalists and government leaders is a one of a kind opportunity. But it’s more than that. As one of my travel mates mentioned the experience is embellished by a good number of cultural and historical tours and visits. Those are important components of the RIAS “time”. And I’m sure others in the past have said this as well: it is a wondrous group gestalt that does not happen often in adulthood. It is the kind of bonding that happens at summer camp or in a dormitory the first year of college. For a group of journalism professionals with a variety of backgrounds and years of experiences, it is a superb chance to come together, share stories, learn a ton about Germany and modern Europe and make connections and become what I’m sure will be lifelong friends. Thank you RIAS. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Colby Hochmuth, a producer at ABC7, Arlington, Virginia described her experience like this:
Being a part of the 2018 RIAS Berlin Commission Fellowship program was a dream come true. From Berlin to Brussels, there was never a dull moment! I’m looking forward to taking everything I learned from the many guest speakers, German RIAS Fellows, and my journalist colleagues, back to my home station. It was an inspiration to be around such principled and ambitious journalists, and is a reminder of how now more than ever, the world needs good journalism
Stacey Samuel, a supervising editor at NPR in Washington DC, spent a third station week in Cologne visiting with Deutsche Welle, NTV, RTL, and Deutschlandfunk radio — the German version of NPR.
She described the experience on the RIAS Berlin Commission like this: This RIAS journey with you outstanding journalists and beautiful people will forever remain one of my best and happiest life experiences! Wishing you all safe travels back home –with the same sense of enlightenment and inspiration as I’ve gotten from each of you. Auf Wiedersehen.
David Marks, an Interactive Producer at KQED in San Francisco, had this to say:
My experience as a 2018 RIAS Berlin fellow was extraordinary. The chance to meet and engage with German
journalists and German and EU political leaders was truly eye opening, and provided me with a much needed global perspective both on European politics, and American politics from a European vantage point. From our meeting with the German government’s deputy spokeswoman to our meeting with the U.S. ambassador, to the journalist blind date and hearing from a Syrian refugee living in Berlin, the variety of perspectives we got is an experience I won’t soon forget, and it’s one I look forward to taking with me in my work going forward. I also look forward to hosting a German journalist in San Francisco! Vielen Dank!
