AFPC-USA Names Nicola Wenz a 2023 Professional Excellence Awardee

Nicola Wenz is an award-winning bi-national journalist from Germany and Switzerland with extensive experience as a news producer. She received her BS in broadcast journalism and Hispanic studies from Pepperdine University as well as her MS from USC’s Annenberg School of Communication.

She previously worked at Spectrum News 13 in Orlando and is now at ZDF German TV in Washington, D.C. Nicola’s coverage area spans between North America to the Southernmost tip of Panama, including coverage from the White House, State Department, Capitol, and Pentagon. Her unique ability to connect with protagonists has opened the doors to obtaining interviews with some of America’s most high-ranking officials.

Nicola Wenz

Her original plans of pursuing a career in acting took a turn when she attended stand-up comedy school in West Hollywood, quickly noticing her skills are better out in the field than on the stage.

When Nicola is not in the office, she writes and produces her own social media show called ‘What the Hill’ that takes current political events and breaks them down to make more comprehensive terms for a wide-scale audience of all ages and backgrounds.  

The following interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

What was the primary reason you chose to pursue your master's studies in the United States as a foreign journalist?

The beauty of school is you get to pick a path and, within that, experiment in several directions. My path took me to the U.S. for a couple of reasons, one of which being my initial interest in acting school, that almost as quickly as it started, came to an end. The next was my lack in understanding of the American federal system. As a foreigner, the U.S. continues to be this place of wonder, where each day new limits are surpassed and rules challenged. I decided the best way to further my understanding was to become the person to ask the questions, but for that, I needed to start at the beginning and go to school.

On day one of university, I was given the opportunity to test my language skills and interview tactics. The curriculum immediately sent us out into the field to write, edit, and produce our own pieces. We learned everything from writing for print, to social media, and TV. My master’s studies allowed me to push myself one step further and explore even more areas like coding and documentary-making. I discovered my passion for producing and eventually steered myself into the world of politics following the 2019 presidential impeachment. I instantly knew there was no better place or profession for me out there than to be a journalist covering the US. 

You’ve received a Professional Excellence award from the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States (AFPC-USA). How did you feel about this recognition?

I am truly humbled to have been selected as one of the Professional Excellence Awardees by the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents. Producers often find themselves behind the scenes, therefore it is incredibly exciting to be recognized for the work we do.

As a journalist, how do you expect your studies and the support from AFPC-USA to help you advance your career?

My upbringing in Geneva, Switzerland, a hub of various cultures, has taught me from an early stage the significance of the international community. I was a third-culture kid, exposed to and acquainted with different identities and traditions that allowed me to shape a global perspective and broaden my understanding on different levels. It also built the foundation inside of me to always remember there are two (or more) sides to every story.

The Association and Club of Foreign Press Correspondents allows journalists to come together and share their experiences and expertise with others who are trying to navigate rules and regulations that may be foreign to their own. I am thrilled that AFPC-USA provides us with a safe and welcoming space where I can ask questions and am given the guidance needed to steer me towards obtaining my goals.

Why do you think the work of AFPC-USA is important and what are your thoughts on its impact on the journalism field at large?

AFPC-USA has an incredibly challenging job of protecting and finding ways to help foreign media thrive on American soil. I believe the work that is being done impacts the journalism field tremendously, as we are only as good as our team. If we have restricted access, or are being given limited information, our ability to inform takes a toll. The Association therefore acts as a liaison for all countries, a sort of neutral space, bringing together speakers and organizing talks, while ultimately advocating for freedom of the press.

What made you decide to become a journalist? How do you hope to make an impact in the journalism field of your country of origin?

People. Stories. Information. I never planned on becoming a journalist, but I always found myself connecting with people no matter where from. Different stories broadened my understanding of how diverse parts of the world work. When a family lets us into their homes, following a celebration or a tragedy, we are immediately tasked with delicately piecing the puzzle together to reveal a picture for our audience to understand. What we see and hear often comes at a price. Once information is shared with us, we control how the world finds out. The power that comes with being a journalist is one that is abused more than it is used for good. I have therefore made it my mission to honor the Swiss neutrality I grew up around and respect the information presented to me to better serve my audience, as they are entitled to be told nothing but the facts. 

What is the state of press freedom in your country of origin and how do you hope that your work will encourage more people to access independent and credible information?

Though Switzerland acts as the epicenter of neutrality, it ranks 12th worldwide when it comes to the freedom of the press, according to Reporters Without Borders. Partially responsible for this is the tight legal framework surrounding personal banking information and the limits on what can be reported on. To date, there are still prison terms given to those who report on illegally obtained banking data, clearly limiting the scope of reporting freedom in this field.

We are fortunate enough to have access to many resources that permit us to navigate journalism legally, while simultaneously allowing us to shine a light on tax evasion, money laundering or infringement of embargos. Using carefully selected sources, I hope for my work to encourage others to recognize that there are many independent and legally correct ways of acquiring and reporting of information.

What do you think is the greatest threat to journalism today?

The beauty and danger of social media for a journalist is the ability for anybody to share information on a very quick and large scale. Each medium, for the most part, is uncensored and used for personal, political or economic benefit, making everyone a type of “informer.” The duty of the journalist is to – with facts and figures – make sense of the information received and help people inform as well as distinguish between news, disinformation, and intentional promotion of fake news. A big threat to our reporting community are those that jeopardize this to get that one extra viewer, like, or mention, despite the repercussions, further questioning our credibility. Having worked for both local and international news, I have additionally experienced first-hand the complexities that arise with 24-hour news reporting. Not only can it be overwhelming to receive an endless flow of information, but it often enters the dangerous realm of opinion-giving, which fundamentally takes the spotlight away from the story.