The Dutch-German Journalist Exchange

(JDN)

’’Having spent two months in Amsterdam, I have to say that I feel I know less about the Dutch than I did expected to at the beginning of my stay. But my curiosity has certainly been aroused’’. That’s the conclusion of Jan Kanter, Foreign Editor at the German newspaper, Die Welt in Berlin, after his stint as guest editor at De Volkskrant in Amsterdam, as part of the Dutch-German Journalist Exchange programme.

Personal growth and mutual understanding

Since 1993, more than 215 German and Dutch journalists have participated in the exchange programme. The programme involves a journalist spending 2 months at a German or Dutch media outlet and getting a taste of the society, politics, economics, media and culture of the neighbouring country. This is both an important step in the journalist’s personal development and a significant contribution to mutual understanding. The German-Dutch Journalist Exchange Programme is one of the most successful bilateral programmes between the two countries.
Reporters Chris Ostendorf (NOS in the Netherlands) and Sabine Steur (ARD in Germany) exchanged broadcasters for a few months: Interview Radio1

The organisation

In 1993, Rob Meines, Managing Partner at Meines & Partners, was asked by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Federal Foreign office to organise the programme and act as General Secretary of the Dutch-German Journalist Exchange. Rob Meines was a journalist for more than 25 years, including a post as Political Editor at the NRC-Handelsblad. He was also German correspondent for the newspaper, as well as for the NOS news (the leading news programme in the Netherlands).
Most of the actual organising for the programme is done by Meines & Partners’ staff. Tanja van Dijk co-ordinates exchange programmes from our Hague office.

For further information, click on the following link: opent in een nieuw venster http://www.journalistenstipendium.nl