NZ and US Press Clubs to establish cooperative agreements

NZ and US Press Clubs to establish cooperative agreements

One day soon, journalists visiting Washington DC from New Zealand may be able to use the elaborate and extensive facilities of the US National Press Club.

Jill Weyburne, Peter Hickman, Club President Mark Hamrick, Bryan Weyburne, and Josie Campbell (a family friend, also from NZ)

The Club is one of the largest such headquarters in the world, and is only blocks from the White House, and Capitol, and the major Government buildings.

Journalists, communicators, and consultants from the US, who are Club members, may be able to use the facilities of the National Press Club of NZ. Visitors from each country can deliver speeches or hold informal seminars and get togethers.

The efforts of cooperation were organized by Peter Isaac, President of the NZ Press Club, and Wellington businessman Bryan Weyburne. He is the Secretary of the NZ Club. He and his wife Jill visited the Washington one, after a long trip around the world. They met with the US Club President, Mark Hamrick and Peter Hickman, head of the Newsmaker Committee. The arrangements are not yet complete, but they have begun. In a meeting in President Hamrick's office, Bryan told us, "We are trying to increase our pool of speakers for talks at the NZ Club. Often a personality arrives in NZ and we hear about it too late to nab him.With closer ties to the US National Press Club it might give us advance warning."

This cooperation could also encourage more tourism on both sides. The US Press Club arranges trips to a variety of countries. With the tragic earthquakes, there is heightened interest in New Zealand. Press Club trips for serious journalists would be an advantage for both countries.

Connie Lawn, at the National Press Club, Washington D.C.

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