Media Co-ops – Foreign Press Centers

Media Co-ops are international media productions facilitated by the U.S. Department of State to assist foreign media outlets.  Media Co-ops provide broadcast professionals— typically a producer/reporter and a photographer— an opportunity to report on location in the United States.

“Co-ops” result in a variety of media products, including social media content, newspaper and magazine articles, radio and TV broadcasts, news, features and documentaries.  U.S. embassies identify one to three members from a single country from television, radio, or digital outlets to develop a reporting proposal that explores U.S. policy in depth.  The reporting tour allows foreign journalists to capture the context in which foreign policy is made, at the federal, state, and local level. A U.S. contract producer is assigned to facilitate all aspects of the foreign journalists’ reporting while in the United States.

Teams travel to the United States for a maximum of 10 days, traveling to up to three locations to meet and interview policymakers, leaders, activists, and everyday citizens and report on topics of strategic importance in unique, compelling ways.  The FPCs facilitate all aspects of the production —including selecting shoot locations, securing filming permits, scheduling interviews and handling all logistics from transportation to lodging to interpretation— while allowing journalists to shape their own unique and independent stories, providing access that foreign journalists could not otherwise obtain in a short trip to the United States.

For a list of previous co-ops from our archived site, please visit here.

Please note all media products are developed without editorial input from the FPC.

Examples of Recent Media Co-ops

Consulate General Sapporo, Japan: Sep.19-28, 2023
“U.S.-Japan Subnational Climate Action,”
Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, CA

Two journalists from Sapporo’s regional affiliate of NHK, a prominent Japanese media outlet, traveled to California and Washington, D.C. to delve into the realm of clean hydrogen fuel, seeking valuable insights. They engaged in insightful discussions with industry leaders and United States Government experts, exploring the latest advancements in hydrogen energy within the United States. Their program included visits with the Center for Hydrogen Safety, Cal State’s Hydrogen Fuel Station & Research Center, SoCal Gas, Department of Energy officials, and the Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association.

Embassy Tallinn, Estonia: Sep. 18-27, 2023
“Bridging Cultures Together,” 
Chicago, IL; Minneapolis, MN; Madison, WI

A documentary crew from Tallin’s ETV+, a Russian-language channel, embarked on an American-style road trip through Chicago, Minneapolis, and Wisconsin, exploring a diverse array of aspects of American culture: it included Indigenous culinary practices, a cranberry festival, American high school homecoming traditions, and witnessing firsthand the diverse glaciated beauty of the upper Midwest. On this journey exploring American culture, the journalists used an engaging approach to the documentary format and explored commonalities between Americans and Russian-speaking Estonians.

Consulate General Karachi, Pakistan: Sep. 6-15, 2023
“Mitigating Climate Change and Natural Disasters,”
Washington, D.C.; New Orleans, LA

A team from Pakistan’s GEO TV spent ten days in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, exploring critical issues related to climate change, with an emphasis on flood mitigation and related grassroots movements.  GEO TV is based in Karachi, Pakistan’s media epicenter, and is uniquely positioned to amplify the narrative on global climate challenges.  During their time in Washington, D.C., they interviewed leading climate science experts and local officials.  Their time in New Orleans was an immersive experience, highlighted by an extensive site visit that explored the repercussions of the failed infrastructure that led to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina (2005).  The crew visited the Lower Ninth Ward, and interviewed members of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe in Galliano, LA.  The program materialized into an effective documentary that shone a light on the need to assist disadvantaged groups and communities at home that are affected by climate-based disasters.

Embassy Abuja, Nigeria: Nov 2-11, 2022
“Supporting Free and Fair Elections in Nigeria,”
Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, GA

A dynamic 10-day Media Co-op for three journalists from Abuja-based African Independent Television (AIT) and the leading radio station Dream FM took place over the course of the U.S. 2022 midterm elections.  They began their program in Washington, D.C., and ventured to local polling stations, where they were able to witness firsthand how early voting takes place and had opportunities to interview both candidates and voters. During their time in Atlanta, Georgia, they viewed activities across the political spectrum, including rallies, candidate and voter interviews, and participating election night watch events. This experience served as a valuable prelude to Nigeria’s own general elections that took place in February 2023.