Establishing Resources for Your Reporting in Washington, D.C.
Many foreign journalists who come to the United States to work for international media outlets lack the resources necessary to conduct exclusive reporting, obtain interviews with executives, or gain access to off-the-record information.
For foreign journalists, it is tough to create reliable sources of information in Washington, D.C, the capital of the United States. It is also hard to access information behind the doors of executives and lawmakers. This is not due to any weakness as a foreign journalist, but rather because the decision-makers in Washington D.C. have as a priority to be in touch with representatives from national rather than foreign media.
As a result, foreign journalists typically lack the same level of access to sources of information and expert networks as their American counterparts. These tips are for foreign journalists just starting in Washington, D.C., to help them understand where they should begin to create access and build a network:
Identify what subjects your media organization is asking you to cover. Having access to all sources of information coming from the White House or the United States Capitol is crucial if you cover mostly national politics. You will need access to State Department resources if you cover US foreign policy or international relations. Reporting on financial markets and economic policy will require resources from the International Monetary Fund and Treasury Department. As soon as you determine the primary focus of your reporting, you will know where you should begin building a network of resources and connections.
Each government agency maintains a pool of journalists to which it sends regular updates and information. Make a list of those agencies or organizations that release important information for your reporting. Contact their press office, introduce yourself, and inform them of your media affiliation. You may be asked to provide samples of your work, or a letter from your managing editor, or your press credentials from the Foreign Press Center of the State Department or other press organizations. This is the first step toward having a flow of on-record, or sometimes off-record, information.
Don't assume that you or the foreign media organization you work for is the priority for these media relations teams. If you're a new journalist on their list, you can't expect them to remember you when they have background information or a news update that could be useful to your reporting. Maintaining a professional relationship with a member of the media relations team is imperative. You can establish a presence by participating in their virtual or in-person briefings and meetings. You build a relationship of trust by staying in touch with their teams.
Meet them and let them meet you. Reporting effectively means having on-time, accurate, and background information. Obtaining this kind of information requires resources. Establishing a relationship with the media relations department of an agency or organization is the first step to meeting more people and accessing more in-depth and, even more importantly, off-the-record information. Do not be afraid to call, e-mail, or visit their office. It is their job to provide information. You should persist even if they are not helpful at first or you feel you are bothering them too much. Getting noticed and showing them that you are a dedicated reporter is a great way to gain their attention and respect.
Consult American colleagues or other journalists who cover the same type of reporting as you on behalf of foreign media. Despite competition among journalists, most reporters support each other when new colleagues arrive in a city like Washington, D.C., from a foreign country. Try to find other foreign correspondents working in your city for other media outlets in your country of origin. Sometimes, it is easier to connect to them first and ask for help as you come from the same country and have similar backgrounds.
Being a correspondent in a foreign country is tough. As an international journalist, you must demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in the new environment and be willing to work hard to overcome barriers you would not likely face in your country of origin.
