History of the IJE

The International Journalism Exchange (IJE) was initiated in 1984 by the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) as an effort by American print media professionals to enhance professional skills and share knowledge with their overseas colleagues.

The IJE was originally funded by several private media foundations and organizations in the United States. The International Center for Journalists has administered the program since 1990.

Since its inception, over 200 editors from around the world and 180 newspapers in the United States have participated. The newspapers vary in size from the largest U.S. dailies such as The Boston Globe and USA Today to community newspapers.

The annual award winner of the Paul Klebnikov Prize for Courage in Journalism is also awarded a spot as an IJE fellow. The 2007 award co-winner, a newsroom manager from Russia who has shown an excellent commitment to high journalistic ideals, receives his award after the IJE program at the ICFJ annual dinner on November 15, 2007. For more information on this award, visit the fund's website.

"It helps our diversity efforts overall to be influenced in the newsroom by different people of different cultural backgrounds. It always heightens awareness and appreciation. The visiting editor's insight into more exciting journalism even influenced our own plans. ... We gained certainly as much as we gave."

• Randolph Brandt, editor, The Journal Times in Racine, Wisconsin. The Journal Times hosted newspaper editor Amalia Cabusao of the Philippines in the 2003 International Journalism Exchange.