My Visit to MediaSchool Bayern: Training the Future of Journalism in Germany

Welcome back to my third blog! In this blog I’m going to talk about Mediaschool Bayern or as known as Mediaschool Bayern gGmbH. As an international student from Thailand, visiting MediaSchool Bayern gave me a new perspective on how media education works in Germany as back in Thailand we do not have an institute like this. However, seeing the organisation behind these productions made me realise that democracy also depends on how journalists are trained and prepared.

A Place Where Learning and Real Media Production Meet

The Mediaschool Bayern gGmbH is a training institute with two non-commercial training and further education channels in radio and television in Munich. They allow young media students to design their own programs.

M94.5, formerly afk tv, is one of three training and further education channels in Bavaria under the umbrella of Mediaschool Bayern gGmbH. The television channel M94,5 broadcasts as a program window on München TV Monday to Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and again on Monday evening from 11 p.m. to midnight. In addition, there is also max neo, formerly afk max, in Nuremberg. M94.5 has its own teaching staff, where aspiring journalists, presenters, radio technicians and directors can gain their first experience and produce work samples during six-month internships.

What I found interesting is that MediaSchool Bayern works like a learning newsroom. Students are able to experience what it is like to work as journalists and other careers in media fields: coming up with ideas, researching topics, producing content and thinking about how information reaches people.

From my perspective as an international student, this approach was very interesting because it shows a different way of understanding education. The focus is not only on memorising knowledge in the classroom but also on learning through doing.

The Value of Practical Journalistic Education

One thing that stood out to me was that MediaSchool Bayern focuses not only on technical skills but also on the mindset behind journalism. Creating a video, podcast or radio programme is not just about using equipment but it requires critical thinking about accuracy, fairness and the impact of the content.

The institute encourages creativity and independent thinking while introducing students to professional media standards. This reflects an important value in journalism which is to give people information while respecting the responsibility that comes with having a public voice. The most important point of MediaSchool Bayern that I like is the opportunity they give young people to actually experience journalism on a non-profit basis. Many students understand media better when they are able to create something themselves.

From my perspective, Mediaschool Bayern shows that journalism is not only a career but also a form of participation in society as the media has a power to influence people’s minds. Youth who learn how to communicate properly and responsibly can contribute to a more informed public.

Experiences From My Point of View

First of all, the thing that impressed me most is that they have tons of equipment and a hands-on studio for their students to use. As it means that all of the students there can actually work in a real world experience unlike Thailand, we don’t exactly have an institute like this so it amazed me how Germany prioritizes their citizen’s education.

The interior design and decoration of the building were also wonderful. It gives the approachable and friendly vibes, not just being serious like how education institutes should be in general. I also love that they have a dog in the building and everyone there just loves him and the students there also have a session where they can play some relaxing outdoor activities together. I would rate this excursion 10 out of 10!