Posted On: March 19, 2012

Journalism Internship

Media Organization: WNET

Company Description

Become an intern at WNET.ORG, the parent of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and Creative News Group. You will gain valuable experience at a company that has a rich history in public television broadcasting and production as well as being a leader in the adoption of new media.

WNET.ORG offers opportunities in a diverse range of areas including educational programming and outreach, news and public affairs, culture and arts, documentaries and production for the internet and related distribution platforms. WNET.ORG is a national leader among public media companies and can provide you with experience that is second to none.

Job Description

Immediate opportunities are available on a rolling basis for interns to support the MetroFocus website and TV show. We are seeking students who are working towards a college degree in liberal arts, journalism, business, digital media, web production, communications or a related field.

Ideal candidates will have a strong academic record; excellent communication skills; meticulous attention to detail; willingness to do administrative tasks; the ability to juggle multiple duties; and a passionate interest in NYC news, policy issues, culture and public media.

We are looking for people who will be flexible and hardworking as roles and responsibilities evolve over time.

RESPONSIBILITITES

Interns will be expected to keep abreast of current events and news, pitch story ideas and events for inclusion in the website, “cover” specific blogs and pitch original contributions to the site that they can write or produce. Interns may also assume specific specialized assignments depending on length of internship and strengths and talents of each candidate:

Articles: Research, fact-check, copyedit and write stories for publication (Required: superior writing, usage, storytelling and reporting skills)
Video: Assist in video production: shoot and edit video (Required: Proficiency in shooting video and Final Cut Pro video-editing skills)
Photography: Track down photos, use Photoshop, create photo-galleries and slideshows. (Required: Proficient in Photoshop)
Business development: Research and prepare meetings and follow up for potential content and marketing partners (Required: Superior interpersonal skills, proficiency in PowerPoint)
Social media/PR: Assist with public relations events and social media outreach and success. (Required skills: Advanced knowledge of Twitter, Facebook and other social media and familiarity with various evolving platforms to track social media reach: e.g. Bit.ly, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, SocialFlow, Backtype, Klout, Score.ly)

All interns also provide other manners of production support, including:

Conducting business development outreach and follow up to outside organizations and media companies for content sharing and marketing cross-promotion.
Coordinating PR events.
Performing other production operations, story research and reporting under the direction of the Executive Producer/Editor-in-Chief or other key staff.

Essential skills and qualifications for all interns include:

Strong interpersonal skills, including ease and professionalism on the phone and in person. Candidates must feel comfortable cold-calling people inside and outside the company for information.
Solid knowledge of grammar, punctuation and the basics of reporting, fact checking and journalistic ethics and standards.
Excellent written communications and business etiquette. Proficiency in MS Office: Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and in Outlook calendar management.

Familiarity with WordPress
Basic understanding of evolving web, social media and SEO best practices

ELIGIBILITY

MetroFocus Internships are open to students currently enrolled at accredited colleges or universities. All interns are required to show proof of current student enrollment. WNET will gladly assist with any required paperwork for students seeking school credit for their internship work.

COMMITMENT AND SCHEDULING

Scheduling is flexible, with preference given to students willing to commit for longer internships, but it requires 20 hours per week.

To Apply

To apply, candidates should send resume and cover letter. Email responses should list the title of the position for which you are applying in the subject line of your email. Please do not send links to online resumes.

Please use your engaging cover letter to give us a sense of which of the various areas of specialization outlined above would best suit your strengths, aptitude and interests (Articles, Video, Photography, Business Development, Social media/PR.) You may include links to your writing clips, video work, or website as desired.

E-mail: internships@wnet.org

WNET New York Public Media
825 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10019-7435

Qualified candidates only; no phone calls please. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

WNET IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.