Posted On: December 9, 2019
Paid Journalism Internship
Media Organization: The Forward
Company Description
The Forward, founded in 1897 as a daily Yiddish newspaper, is the nation’s leading Jewish journalism outlet, now publishing in English and Yiddish at forward.com. It is run by the Forward Association, a 501(c)3 and equal-opportunity employer.
Job Description
The Forward is seeking one or more beginning journalists passionate about digital and audience — and the Jewish world — for paid internships reporting and writing news items. The interns will work up to 29 hours a week for $15 an hour. The initial term is 10 weeks but the internship may be extended for up to a year. We accept rolling applications for this position, but are currently seeking a candidate to start immediately.
This is a fast-paced, reader-facing job in which interns will report, write and publish frequently on a broad range of subjects. We need people with experience at campus or other publications who know how to navigate the Internet and social media; have great story instincts and editorial judgment; move quickly and write clearly, with solid grasp of style and grammar rules; can juggle (projects, not projectiles); and work well in groups.
The intern will:
- Report, aggregate and write several items per day, including breaking news on politics, culture and more
- Scour the Jewish internet for news, conversation, opportunities and ideas
- Support colleagues reporting and writing stories
- Quickly source appropriate photos or other art
- Use social-media and other platforms to develop a robust readership for items
- Use audience tools and analyze traffic patterns to help optimize story selection and framing to meet reader needs
The ideal candidates will be equally interested in news from Israel and Hollywood; about the 2020 election or anti-Semitism. They will have a keen eye for what makes a story resonate for Jewish readers and know how to apply a sophisticated — or sometimes sassy — Jewish lens to the world. The interns should have sufficient Jewish background to be able to give stories proper context, but curiosity and commitment can go a long way to fill any gaps. They must work well under pressure and in collaboration with colleagues, and be eager to grow and be responsive to editors’ feedback. The goals are to file consistently clean copy; to be creative and flexible about format, medium and approach; to channel the Forward’s brand while developing individual voice; and to use audience tools like SEO to maximize impact of each piece.
Successful interns frequently graduate into yearlong fellowships and staff positions; we seek people who are pro-active, committed equally to our mission and to their own development.
To Apply
To apply, please send a resume, five clips, a one-pager explaining why you want the gig, plus contact information for at least two references to jobs@forward.com. Subject line: internship.