Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists – Research and Investigation: A Multi-Regional Project

This April, Meridian International Center welcomed a group of 20 journalists to the U.S. Department of State’s Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists, an annual 3-week International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) administered by Meridian International Center. Hailing from 18 different countries, the Palestinian Territories and Hong Kong, the Murrow participants began their program on research and investigative journalists in Washington, D.C., meeting with the Director of the State Department’s Washington Foreign Press Center, the Washington Post and other prominent journalism intuitions based in the District.

Following their program in Washington, the group headed to Santa Fe, New Mexico where they examined investigative journalism and public corruption through the lens of a small city newspaper. Several participants were invited to speak on a panel about democracy, media, and identifying and combating “fake news,” moderated by award-winning journalist Dave Marash. The panelists had the opportunity to connect with community members and local-area students in the audience as they answered questions about their work in journalism and the importance of protecting the integrity of independent journalism worldwide.

The group then broke off into city split assignments, taking them to Raleigh, Tampa, Minneapolis and Syracuse. Their programs focused on community investigative journalism, public diplomacy, journalism education and global security. The group reconvened four days later in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where participants examined investigate reporting in political journalism and the role of citizen journalists in the United States. The project concluded at the end of April in New York City, with meetings with media outlets such as the New York Times.

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