Berlin Alumni Chapter meets for Zoom Talk & mini reunion in Berlin

Fifteen members of the Berlin alumni chapter of the RIAS Berlin Commission met for an informal and socially distanced meeting recently for a RIAS Zoom talk with top ARD editor Helge Fuhst.

The journalists from Berlin-area networks such as RBB, Deutschlandradio, Deutsche Welle, and Reuters TV first took part in the lively Zoom talk with Fuhst and then got together for their second outdoor meeting on the terrace of a Berlin restaurant near the Central Train Station to talk about their work during the coronavirus crisis, the changes this has caused to journalism, the coverage of recent large demonstrations in Berlin, as well as the U.S. election in November.

Many of the alumni expressed how enjoyable it was to talk once again with other journalists after nearly a half-year of working largely from home or away from their central studios. Several spoke about how important it was becoming to have avenues to talk with other colleagues, many of whom are in similar situations, and said they hoped the RIAS alumni meetings could continue on a monthly basis in the months ahead.

While it is still far from clear when RIAS exchange programs may resume, there will continue to be weekly, hour-long Zoom Talks for all RIAS alumni and friends with guest speakers from the United States and Germany . The Berlin alumni chapter expressed interest in the idea of trying to hold a special one-day Zoom Talk seminar on the U.S. election with perhaps five or six guest speakers and election experts from the United States — perhaps in October just prior to the November 3 election.

There was also recent zoom talk with two Oregon Public Broadcasting journalists who have been covering the protests and violence in Portland — RIAS alumni Conrad Wilson and his OPB colleague Jonathan Levinson. They both expressed their thanks for the interest of the more than a dozen RIAS alumni taking part from around the world and said the hour-long talk was a welcomed chance to talk about Portland with colleagues in different places.

The Zoom talks will continue this week with a special 90-minute session with Berlin swing band leader Andrej Hermlin and his band — they will first play a 30-minute livestream concert from Hermlin’s living room in Berlin just as they have been doing every single evening at 7 p.m. Berlin time since the coronavirus crisis forced the cancellations of all the band’s gigs. After the livestream session, Hermlin will spend an hour talking with RIAS alumni in the United States and Germany via Zoom.

Please sign up or request more information about the talk at info@darkseagreen-dog-940501.hostingersite.com. Here is a recent story on ZDF television about the band’s depression-defying street corner concerts and livestream performances. And here is a story that appeared in the Los Angeles Times about Hermlin and his band.