About the FPCs

The United States Department of State has Foreign Press Centers in Washington, D.C. and New York. We provide foreign-based journalists with a variety of services to help them report on American society, politics and culture. The centers also work with US Embassy Public Affairs offices overseas to assist foreign correspondents visiting the United States on assignment or participating in U.S. government-sponsored professional reporting tours.

HISTORY
The United States government began its official support of foreign journalists covering the United States in 1946, when a Foreign Press Liaison Office was established in New York City for the hundreds of journalists arriving to cover the newly founded United Nations.  The mission grew as foreign correspondents broadened their U.S. coverage to economics, finance and the arts.  In 1961, the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) renamed the operation the Foreign Press Center (FPC).  In 1968 USIA established a center in Washington, D.C., which is now located at the National Press Building.  USIA was merged into the Department of State in 1999 and the Foreign Press Centers became part of the Bureau of Public Affairs.  For journalists working outside the region covered by the Washington and New York Foreign FPCs, please call (202) 504-6300 and you will be referred to an FPC staff member.