News Releases

Fourteen Electronic Journalists Selected for RTNDF German Fellowship

CONTACT: Jon Ebinger, 202.467 5250 or jon@rtndf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 13, 2009

Fourteen Electronic Journalists Selected for RTNDF German Fellowship

WASHINGTON— The Radio and Television News Directors Foundation is pleased to announce that fourteen producers, reporters, educators, and 2009 Journalism school graduates have been selected to visit Germany in June as part of our ongoing fellowship with the RIAS Berlin Kommission.  This marks the sixteenth year that the RTNDF and RIAS have been sending journalists between the United States and Germany for this program.

The German/American Journalist Exchange Program will run from June 13 - 28, 2009. Sponsored by the RIAS Berlin Kommission, the program will feature briefings with top-level German political, business and media figures in Berlin, Leipzig, and Cologne, along with meetings at the EU and NATO in Brussels, Belgium.  The following individuals have been selected to participate in the June program:

John Burness, Visiting Professor, Duke University, Durham, NC
Perita Carpenter, Digital Producer, ABC News, Washington
Kaylyn Easton, Indiana University
Jennifer Hale, Anchor/Reporter, WVTM – NBC 13, Birmingham, AL
Chris Heim, Arts Reporter, KMUW-FM, Wichita, KS
Chris Knight, Photojournalist, WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, OH
Cameron Knowles, Freelance Producer, Durham, NC
Meghan Lopez, University of Hawai’i
Jennifer MacDonald, Associate Producer, CBS News 60 Minutes, New York
Ryan McLendon, New York University
Deanna Morgan, Anchor/Reporter, KMSB Fox 11 News, Tucson, AZ
John Schwada, Reporter, KTTV Fox 11, Los Angeles
Ann Thompson, Reporter/Anchor, WXVU-FM, Cincinnati, OH
Sasa Woodruff, Freelance Radio Producer/Editor, Los Angeles

Since 1994 the RTNDF has administered a media fellowship as part of its German/American Journalist Exchange Program with the RIAS Berlin Kommission. RTNDF is a 501(c)(3) educational institution that promotes excellence in electronic journalism through research, education and training for news professionals and journalism students. Affiliated with the Radio-Television News Directors Association, RTNDF's programs are supported entirely by charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, RTNDA members and other individuals.

The RIAS Berlin Kommission is a bi-national organization established in 1992 to promote understanding between the US and Germany in the field of broadcasting.  Each exchange program is fully financed by the RIAS Berlin Kommission, a non-profit, non-governmental organization.

For further information on the Germany fellowships and the application process, please click here or contact Jon Ebinger, international projects manager, at 202.467.5250 or jon@rtndf.org.