Posted On: May 16, 2018
Journalism Job
Media Organization: WAMU 88.5; Oregon Public Broadcasting; WABE 90.1 FM; KUNC; KCUR; KERA; Connecticut Public Broadcasting; Ideastream; WUNC; Boise State Public Radio
Company Description
The Partner Stations
The Guns & America collaborative is a national network of public media newsrooms who will contribute broadcast and digital reporting on the topic of guns in American life. Each partner station will host an Audion Fellow dedicated to the project.
The ten public media stations selected to participate in Guns & America:
WAMU – Washington, D.C.
WNPR – Hartford, Connecticut
WUNC – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
WABE – Atlanta
ideastream – Cleveland
KCUR – Kansas City, Missouri
KERA – Dallas
KUNC – Greeley, Colorado
Boise State Public Radio – Boise, Idaho
OPB – Portland, Oregon
The Guns & America Partner Stations value differing voices in our reporting and recognize that they are essential to the successful outcome of this initiative. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups that can lend us diverse perspectives and experiences.
Job Description
Guns & America is a groundbreaking new national reporting collaborative in which 10 public media newsrooms will train their attention on a singular issue: the role of guns in American life.
Operating across broadcast and online platforms, the Guns & America team will approach the topic of guns with nuance, accuracy, imagination, and innovative cross-platform storytelling. Expect to see our reporting online and to hear memorable stories on a public radio station near you.
The Audion Fellowship for Journalists
Reporters for the Guns & America project will be selected via the brand-new Audion Fellowship, a first-of-its-kind two-year fellowship for mid-career journalists designed to grow and strengthen public media’s pool of talented, cross-platform storytellers. The Audion Fellowship is an opportunity for a diverse cohort of 10 promising journalists to double-down on the difficult and divisive topic of guns, while gaining professional development opportunities focused on digital innovation and audio storytelling. We are seeking curious, passionate journalists who believe that journalism can transform even the most difficult conversations.
Guns & America and the Audion Fellowship are funded by a $5.3 million grant from The Kendeda Fund. The editorial leadership at WAMU is solely responsible for the collaborative’s content, and Guns & America will maintain a strict editorial firewall.
The Audion Fellowship – Position Description, Application, & Selection
Principal Accountabilities
Audion Fellows will develop and report a new beat on the many ways guns affect the lives of Americans, with a focus on human-centered stories. They will establish sources, conduct interviews, research topics, track down data and produce work that uncovers and illuminates issues with depth and sensitivity.
Reporting Fellows will be expected to spend 80 percent of their time working exclusively on the topic of guns in American life, with the balance to be used for reporting on other subjects, as assigned by the Partner Station. Responsibilities include:
Gathering multimedia material to expand the scope of Guns & America reporting.
Experimenting with media and developing new ways to reach audiences.
Participating in brainstorming, team coverage and weekly “meetings” with WAMU’s lead editing team.
Attending twice-yearly, week-long professional development seminars organized by WAMU and held in various cities throughout the country.
To Apply
To view Guns & America Partner Station job announcements and application procedures, please visit: https://wamu.org/guns/#toapply