Media Fellows Program

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD’s) Media Fellows Program is tailored for mid-career journalists, social media content creators, and strategic communications professionals.

FDD’s Media Fellows Program provides educational programming and professional development opportunities to help media professionals gain a deeper understanding of the intersection between media, strategic communications, public diplomacy, misinformation, disinformation, and national security.

FDD’s Media Fellows Program will facilitate:

  • Intimate, off-the-record briefings with high-level government officials and foreign dignitaries. Fellows will engage with leaders on a range of issues, offering an opportunity for candid discourse on the topics of public diplomacy, strategic communications, and national security.
  • Networking with leaders in the field. FDD’s Media Fellows Program will assemble an exceptional cadre of media practitioners to hear from top leaders in the field.
  • Skill-building sessions with seasoned traditional and new media practitioners
  • Mentorship and collaboration opportunities with FDD scholars, distinguished members of FDD’s Board of Advisors, and leaders in the policy community.

FDD’s Media Fellows Program includes a National Security Trip to Israel. The seven-day trip will offer a fact-based, nuanced understanding of a country that faces unique strategic communications and public diplomacy challenges. Throughout the week, trip participants will travel around Israel to participate in off-the-record high-level meetings with Israel’s top national security brass; current and former Israeli, Palestinian, and American national security decision makers; journalists; military officials; and leaders in the private sector. These in-depth conversations will be supplemented by experiential exercises, including visits to elite military installations.

Participants of the program also become members of FDD’s National Security Network (NSN), comprised of over 600 bipartisan leaders in Washington’s national security landscape, all alumni of FDD’s mid-career programing. Alumni enjoy year-round programming, including invitations to policy-related events, international trips and opportunities for networking and collaborating with both FDD experts and peers in the DC policy community.

FDD’s Media Fellows Program is part of FDD’s Barish Center for Media Integrity. In addition to providing skill-building opportunities and access to leading national security professionals, the Center addresses the national security threats posed by misinformation campaigns and influence operations waged by foreign adversaries against the United States and allied democracies.

FDD does not accept donations from any foreign governments. No foreign funds are used to support FDD’s Media Fellows Program or the trip.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • U.S. Citizen
  • Able to commute to Washington D.C. for one pre-trip and one post-trip session at FDD’s office
  • Able to commit to FDD’s Barish Center for Media Integrity Trip to Israel, taking place May 1-10, 2024
  • While there is no age requirement, this program is targeted towards media professionals in the early to mid-stages of their career

Applications for FDD’s Media Fellows Program are currently closed. To register to be notified when applications re-open for FDD’s 2025 Media Fellows Program, kindly fill out the form below.

Register here to be notified when applications open for FDD’s 2025 Media Fellows Program.

If you have any questions, please contact Shannon Walsh at [email protected]

FDD's National Security Network

Members of FDD’s National Security Network – a community of more than 500 top-level national security practitioners – enjoy year-round programming, including invitations to policy-related events, international trips and opportunities for networking and collaborating with both FDD experts and peers in the DC policy community..

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