Stories cross borders - and journalists should, too.

Hostwriter is a global network for media professionals. We connect journalists to easily seek and offer help, whether in the form of story collaboration, local advice or even accommodation. All journalists provide work samples by way of professional verification. Membership is free of charge.

Advice

Use the hostwriter network to get help quickly and make contacts in areas and organisations you have no current links to.

Co-authorship

Search hostwriter to find colleagues to work with across the world, or on your doorstep, with expertise you need and interests you share.

Couch

Over half of hostwriter's members also offer their couch. Travel more for work and stay with a hostwriter journalist for free.

Our ambassadors

Ambassadors are featured members who act as local hostwriter representatives in their country or area of expertise.

Become an ambassador

Michael Stang

Cologne, Germany

Michael Stang is based in Cologne, Germany. His passion is science journalism worldwide.

Wafaa al-Badry

Cairo, Egypt

Wafaa al-Badry is a journalist and broadcaster from Cairo currently based in Berlin. She works for Deutsche Welle Arabic.

Can Tonbil

Istanbul, Turkey

Can Tonbil is a radio journalist in Istanbul exploring the effects of environmental changes.

Lulu Ning Hui

Bruxelles, Belgium

Lulu Ning Hui is a Chinese journalist based in Brussels. She is the chief Europe reporter for Globus, Caixin Media.

Vanessa Quirk

New York City, USA

Vanessa Quirk is a Columbia J-School grad, former Tow Center fellow focussing on podcasting and now works as web editor for Metropolis Magazine.

Prasad Kulkarni

Pune, India

Prasad Kulkarni is a senior correspondent with Times of India newspaper and based in Pune, India. Currently he covers civic issues and politics.

Katharina Finke

Berlin, Germany

Katharina Finke is a journalist and writer who covers stories around the world, focussing on social and gender issues.

Bernd Debusmann

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Bernd Debusmann is chief reporter at the Khaleej Times in Dubai. Previously he was with Reuters in Mexico City, New York City and Washington DC.

Our projects

Our projects aim to strengthen cross-border collaborations among journalists worldwide.

The #hostwriterPrize

The hostwriter prize is awarded annually to collaborative journalism pieces as well as promising story pitches submitted by our members.

The Agora Project

A temporary European newsroom for journalists collaborating on the biggest challenges facing Europe in times of elections 2017.

Athens Democracy Forum

We continue to collaborate with our Greek partner Elina Makri for joined events on the occasion of the New York Times Athens Democracy Forum.

Journalists in Exile

Hostwriter supports the mentoring program for young German journalists with immigrant backgrounds and exiled journalists by our partner organisation New German Mediamakers.

Code of ethics

The ethos of hostwriter is one of collaboration, as both a practical necessity but also an ideal. It goes without saying members are expected to treat each other professionally.

Read the full code of ethics

Giving advice does not mean revealing sensitive sources.
Engaging in research is not an invitation to steal someone's story.
Sleeping at a colleauges is no free hotel room.
Always make sure that the terms of collaboration are clear.
By becoming a member of hostwriter you agree to our code of ethics.

The founders

Hostwriter was founded in 2013 by three journalists who built the network next to their work as media professionals (from left to right): Sandra Zistl, Tabea Grzeszyk and Tamara Anthony.