July 31, 2024
Washington, D.C. – On July 31, CEO of Meridian International Center Ambassador Stuart Holliday and Acting Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State Kristin M. Kane announced the launch of a public-private partnership to strengthen global business of media models in the most vulnerable markets. The Global Business of Media partnership is a collaboration and a strategic investment. It will channel resources into exchange and training programs for high-potential media professionals, equipping them with the necessary tools and networks to bolster journalism's independence and integrity.
During the public announcement, Ambassador Holliday and Assistant Secretary Kane signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the partnership. Assistant Secretary Kane provided remarks and answered questions from the press on how the partnership builds on more than 20 years of journalism and media exchange programs developed by the Department of State in partnership with Meridian.
This initiative is critical for preserving a free and fair press and will bring international journalists to the U.S. for interactive training and discussions on professional development, networking, and capacity building around sustainable media business models to skills for ethical journalism and financial insights for newsrooms. When the international delegations return to their home countries, they will participate in U.S. speaker programs and newsroom residencies, have the opportunity to apply for alumni impact grants and join Meridian and State's network of over 1,100 journalists who have participated in similar programming.
The partnership, facilitated by the State's Office of Global Public Affairs, highlights how public and private sector actors can collaborate to pursue common goals, in this case, building capacity for the long-term sustainability of independent news outlets.
Meridian International Center is a nonpartisan, nonprofit diplomacy center dedicated to advancing diplomacy and leadership to build a better shared future. Since its inception in 1960, Meridian's Center for Global Leadership has worked with journalists and media professionals to promote the protection of a free and fair press through reporting tours, media co-ops, training tours, and residencies for foreign journalists to the U.S. to engage with their peers and explore the U.S. media landscape.
For press inquiries, email communications@meridian.org.
