Common Ground Berlin

The first of three episodes by Common Ground Berlin and Goethe Institute commemorating a century of German radio by bringing you stories from influential and interesting broadcasters worldwide who have had a lasting effect on radio.  Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson delves into the triumphs, challenges and childhoods of American radio icon Steve Inskeep of NPR, U.K. community radio expert Keri Jones and John Masuku of Zimbabwe, who is UNESCO’s campaign coordinator for World Radio Day in 2023.Produced by Dina Elsayed.

#Beer is a staple of German culture and in partnership with the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation, host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and senior producer Dina Elsayed explore the debate over the restrictive “#Reinheitsgebot” or purity law that beers in Germany are expected to abide by versus popular #craft beers by brewers eager to try new things. Adding to tensions is that brewers in Germany are struggling with declining consumption and rising costs. Join our team for this exciting episode that takes us to pubs in Berlin and the original German brewery, located outside #Munich and still run by monks!

The government of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently announced plans to protect the public from AI misuse in the foreseeable future, but critics complain the time for action is now, especially when political actors like the far-right Alternative for Germany are using artificial intelligence to spread hatred and misinformation. Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and senior producer Dina Elsayed delve into the sometimes shady world of AI in Germany and Europe with artist and controversial Sony World Photography Awards winner Boris Eldsagen who refused his prize for his AI-generated entry and Hertie School professor of ethics and technology Joanna Bryson. 

Artificial Intelligence is proving to be a useful tool to Republican frontrunner and former president Donald Trump. But the Biden administration and Congress are struggling to regulate AI technology, a catch-up game similar to the one they’ve had with social media. Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson went to San Francisco to talk to Common Sense Media CEO Jim Steyer about what steps are needed when it comes to AI. Steyer met with President Biden to discuss those steps earlier this summer at an AI summit. This episode is the first of a two-part series on AI on both sides of the Atlantic.Produced by Dina Elsayed.

German polls suggest that if elections were held today, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) would garner more votes than most of the country’s mainstream parties, including those in the governing coalition. That has some politicians rethinking their “firewall” against the populist faction and whether it makes sense to partner with the AfD on local issues.  Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks to Politico Europe Senior Politics Reporter in Germany Hans von der Burchard, the German Marshall Fund’s Sudha David-Wilp, and others about the reasons and implications of a resurgent AfD.Also featuring students from the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. This episode was produced by Dina Elsayed.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his cabinet recently unveiled their country’s long-awaited national security strategy, the first since World War II. Co-hosts Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and Rachel Tausendfreund explore whether this strategy is groundbreaking as its proponents claim and the impact on Germany’s allies and enemies. This week’s guests are Michal Baranowski, senior fellow and managing director of the German Marshall Fund East, based in Warsaw, and Gesine Weber, a fellow with the German Marshall Fund’s geostrategy team in Paris.Produced by Dina Elsayed.

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson hosts a special “town hall” in collaboration with the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation to commemorate the 60th anniversary of a speech that lasted less than 10 minutes and shook the world.Joining her in the studio and via Zoom to discuss why the speech still matters were:Johanna Ruediger, head of social media strategy at Deutsche Welle, the German network that provides journalistic and cultural content in 32 languages around the globe. Rachel Tausendfreund, co-host of “Transatlantic Takeaway” and a senior fellow with the German Marshall Fund’s geostrategy team, specializing in U.S.-German relations, the European Union.Rick Allen, a Robert F. Kennedy biographer and media and technology executive who has been a speechwriter, fundraiser, and campaign manager for a host of U.S. presidential and Senate candidates. He also served as a Deputy Assistant to President Clinton and helped create AmeriCorps. We also hear from students and graduates from around Berlin!This episode was produced by Dina Elsayed

Millions of immigrants living in Germany should find it easier to become German citizens as the Bundestag prepares to vote on the long-awaited measure overhauling “Einbuergerung.” But as it turns out, the legal change to Germany’s citizenship law is only half the battle. Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson explores the draft law and its obstacles with guests:Rachel Loxton, editor at The Local Europe and host of its podcast, Germany in FocusZeynep Yanasmayan, head of the migration department at the German Centre for Integration and Migration ResearchJulie Schaefer, German immigration lawyer based in DusseldorfProduced by Dina Elsayed.

The German capital has long been a startup capital in Europe. But the global financial shakeup and supply chain disruptions hit Berlin’s startup scene hard.This year, with the market more or less expected to stabilize and supply chain problems easing, can Berlin’s startup scene make a comeback? Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks to Lukas Breitenbach, head of corporate communications at Berlin Partner and Aggi Cantrill, a tech reporter for Bloomberg News who covers Berlin’s startup scene.Produced by Dina Elsayed.