The Transatlantic Media Network (TMN) arranges visiting fellowships for select European media representatives allowing them to travel widely in the United States to increase their knowledge of America and Americans. Since January, 2017, the TMN has been based at the headquarters of the Atlantic Council of the United States in Washington, DC.
The main goal of the fellowships is to build a stronger basis for the transatlantic relationship by improving mutual understanding among the media on both sides of the Atlantic, and countering frequent misconceptions about the United States in Europe.
The visiting journalism fellows spend most of their time outside the main media centers (notably Washington DC and New York City), where most European foreign correspondents are based and which dominate U.S. coverage in the European media.
Each fellow follows an individual itinerary, specially created to reflect his or her interests, which includes visits to a number of the many TMN partner institutions around the country - mainly prestigious universities and schools of journalism. The journalists stay in their destinations long enough to become acquainted with the character and people of each region visited.
Fellowships start and end in Washington DC, to allow pre-trip briefings and post-trip evaluations. They may last for differing periods of up to three months.
No effort is made by the TMN to influence the views, experiences, or conclusions drawn by the fellows, who are left free to make up their own minds about America.
Although the TMN does not fund news reporting trips, fellows are encouraged to send features, blogs, and other interpretative pieces while they are on the road. During their visits, fellows are also often asked to give talks or classes at partner institutions, and may be invited to participate in Atlantic Council events and activities.
Those selected usually already have a solid career base in journalism and work for influential media in their own country. Once they return to Europe, they become part of a dynamic and expanding network of transatlantic journalists, linked by social media and other contacts.
By the end of 2016, 48 Transatlantic Media Fellowships had been awarded to journalists from 18 different countries throughout Europe, with two more fellows already chosen for 2017.
These fellowships are made possible by a generous grant from the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation in Stockholm. The Foundation plays no role in selecting fellows and does not seek to influence their journalistic activities.
