Emerging Voices Journalism Fellowship

Job Description

In an effort to increase our reporting capacity and address the historic lack of diversity in newsrooms across the country and right here in Maine, we are seeking candidates for a 12-month, full-time paid journalism fellowship dedicated to mentoring underrepresented voices in the news industry.
 
Maine Public’s Emerging Voices Fellowship is an initiative that will prepare and support developing journalists from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the reporting industry, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), members of the LGBTQIA+ community, immigrants, people with disabilities, and others. We are seeking applicants for a paid fellowship program dedicated to mentoring these underrepresented voices. This is an opportunity to build tangible reporting experience and to make a difference by joining the Maine Public news team, providing high-quality, accurate, and independent reporting for Maine Public Radio and our other news platforms.
 
Reporting to the Director of News and Public Affairs, and supported by members of the Maine Public editorial team, the successful candidate will follow the highest journalistic standards, partner with editors and journalists, and receive support and mentorship to meet professional goals, accelerate learning, and hone writing and storytelling skills. The individual selected for our Emerging Voices Journalism Fellowship will have the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by some of public broadcasting industry’s finest and will receive training from NPR, PBS, and other industry leaders. Newsroom responsibilities will include: covering and reporting on local news stories, pitching daily story ideas, voicing and producing multi-media stories for radio, web, and video, developing sources and beats, and regularly engaging with the public.
 
Job Requirements:  While there are many aspects to journalism, we think they can be distilled into:

• Read: Can you quickly and accurately process information? Attention to detail is key, as is the ability to process on deadline.
• Think: Are you able to make connections between seemingly different facts and theories, and tie them together in an understandable narrative? It helps to have a skeptical eye.
• Write: Can you tell your story concisely, in as little as a minute, or expand it to three or four? Is your writing active? Can you do it under tight deadline pressure? Can you write for multiple platforms in a way that is appropriate to that platform?
• Talk: Are you comfortable speaking in front of an audience? Can you stretch and shrink the way you speak to hit a target time?

 
Candidates must be dedicated to exemplary journalistic ethics and have demonstrated research, writing, and reporting skills; must be able to commit to a 12-month fellowship program located in Maine. A valid driver’s license is required. Preferred qualifications include some experience with multimedia production, particularly photo or video; hands-on audio editing and innovative audio storytelling; other relevant technical expertise.
 
Apply for this position online with resume, cover letter, and work samples:
https://www.applitrack.com/mainepublic/onlineapp/
by Sunday, June 2, 2024
 
Thinking about Applying? Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply, please remember that applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role. Moreover, we provide individualized professional development and are committed to helping our employees grow. Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart. You may be just the right candidate for this role.
 
About Maine Public: We are a non-profit, community-supported public media organization and the sole provider of statewide (and beyond!) public broadcasting coverage. As one of only seven statewide PBS/NPR joint licensees in the country, Maine Public operates 14 radio frequencies (with construction permits for seven more!), five free over-the-air television signals, three television translators, and 26 links of microwave to connect it all together. We are also the backbone of Maine’s Emergency Broadcast System. We broadcast a mix of local and national programming, educational programs, news and public affairs shows, documentaries, and arts and cultural programs. With NPR, PBS, and other partners we strive to be the standard bearer for high-integrity journalism and programming.
 
Every day Maine Public connects the people of Maine and our region to each other and to the world through the open exchange of information, ideas, and cultural content.
 
Maine Public believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success and we welcome and encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to building inclusive and innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities. Therefore, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status or military service record, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.  We're committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion.
 
Maine Public is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Maine Public will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Department: apply@mainepublic.org, 1-800-884-1717.
 

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