RIAS Berlin Media Prize – Career Changing Recognition for Local Journalists
January 30, 2023
RIAS Berlin Media Prize – Career Changing Recognition for Local Journalists
When Texas TV journalists David Wagner and Monica Quintero were invited to take part in the RIAS Berlin Commission’s Program for American journalists in 2019, they made a deal in advance with their respective stations in San Angelo and Midland-Odessa, Texas. The colleagues were able to take two weeks off of work to take part in the educational program in exchange for the promise to bring back some “content”.
So they packed a DSLR camera, along with some lavalier microphones that could be plugged into their iPhones and they flew to Berlin.
In between the three to five meetings each day during the RIAS program’s full schedule of daily meeting with German politicians, journalists and business leaders, Wagner and Quintero worked together for their half hour special that took a look at some of the aspects of the program and their own observations. It was entitled “Beyond Borders: A Trip Abroad”. Here is their award-winning film.
They sometimes worked late into the evening and night in their free time to work on their report. Wagner says his professional goal has always been ‘to make a difference across the board”, and they specially examined how German and Americans tackle a range of issues like gun control, immigration… and even walls. One of their segments compared the history of the Berlin Wall, with the debate over a wall at the southern US border.
With no crew, Wagner shot Quintero’s interviews and she taped his, all with an iPhone and a DSLR. Once back home, they had to send scripts and voice tracks between KLST/KSAN in San Angelo, where Wagner was news director and Quintero’s station, in KPEJ in Midland-Odessa.
“Beyond Borders: A Trip Abroad” aired on several stations in Texas and was submitted for the RIAS Media Prizes in 2019. The next spring, the RIAS Media Prize jury chose it as “Best Fellow Award” – one of five prestigious prizes awarded each year by the German-American exchange program. By winning the prize and the $1,000 award, Wagner also got another trip to Berlin to pick up the award (Quintero was busy preparing for her wedding and couldn’t make it.).
“It was amazing to go back”, says Wagner. “It’s a feather in your cap that you won an international award.”
It’s a rare opportunity for local journalists working in markets across the United States, but one that’s coming up again soon.
The RIAS Berlin Commission is welcoming submissions for its 2023 Media Prize for stories reported in 2022. A total of $10,000 in prize money is available for the slate of prizes. The deadline for submissions in Jan. 31, 2023. Please write to info@darkseagreen-dog-940501.hostingersite.com for more information or take a look at the www.darkseagreen-dog-940501.hostingersite.com website.
