Journalism in Trying Times – A German-American Exchange
Info
The fact that journalism is in a state of perpetual crisis isn’t just something you read in every newspaper. Between social media—which is often enough anti-social—fake news, rising costs, and falling revenues, the problems seem almost insurmountable. This trend can be observed in every country. But what are the differences? What is considered exemplary journalistic practice in the U.S. is usually criticized in Germany, and vice versa. Three journalists who work in both the Anglo-American world and Germany will come together this evening to discuss and analyze their different expectations, working methods, and challenges. Are there opportunities to learn from one another?
A cooperation by the Einstein Forum, Potsdam with Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e. V.
Also available via live stream on Zoom:
→ Link to the stream
Participants
Susanne Beyer has been with SPIEGEL since 1996, serving for 18 years as a culture editor and also as deputy head of the culture department. For four years, she was deputy editor-in-chief of the news magazine. Today, she is a writer on SPIEGEL’s editorial board. In 2025, Susanne Beyer was a fellow at the Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles.
Sandra Kegel studied literature, theater, film, and media studies in Aix-en-Provence, Vienna, and Frankfurt. She has been an editor at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung since 1999. For many years, she worked in the media and literature sections; since 2019, she has headed the FAZ’s arts and culture section. In addition, she serves as a juror and host, as well as a regular critic for the literary program “Buchzeit” (3sat). In 2005, her work was honored with the Ravensburger Media Prize. In 2025, Sandra Kegel was a fellow at the Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles.
Deborah Cole is a journalist and The Guardian’s Berlin correspondent. She reports on German politics, society, culture, and the culture of remembrance, with a particular focus on how current developments in Berlin and Germany relate to broader European and international issues. She has lived and worked in Berlin since the mid-1990s. Prior to that, she worked as a correspondent for Agence France-Presse.
Partner
