Broadcast Journalism Internship 2021
PLEASE NOTE: FOR THE TIME BEING THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A REMOTE INTERNSHIP WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF IN PERSON WORK BASED ON COVID-19 PANDEMIC STATUS IN LOCAL AREA.
Report to: Executive Producers of Radio Health Journal and Viewpoints
Writing for audio is challenging, whether it’s a radio news release, podcast story segment, or coming up with interview questions for a guest. Audio requires more description than video because your audience can’t rely on pictures to understand what’s happening. It requires more clarity than print because your audience can’t go back and re-read what they just heard. This internship is right for you if you would like to learn how to write for audio in a real-world setting, where 5 million listeners will hear your pieces each week.
MediaTracks is an award-winning producer of two public affairs programs: Radio Health Journal and Viewpoints, heard each week on iTunes, Stitcher and over 850 radio stations nationwide. We seek interns who want to work side by side with industry experts to gain real-world experience in writing, editing, blogging, social media, communications, marketing and broadcast media in a close-knit, casual working environment with a team of eight. Our interns have gone on to work for NPR’s All Things Considered, KNX-AM Los Angeles, WAND-TV, ESPN, ABC News, Disney and us.
Responsibilities
· Research and write long-form stories for our two public affairs programs.
· Interview authors and experts in a variety of fields.
· Work side by side with the industry’s top producers, studio engineers, and editors on radio pieces.
· Assist with news releases, press releases, and as needed copy for various projects.
Requirements
· Sophomore, Junior, Senior with a major/minor in Journalism who lives in the Chicago area.
· Excellent written/verbal skills – including grammar and proofreading.
· Hard-working with a professional demeanor, an eagerness to learn, and a high regard for deadlines.
Learning Objectives
- Be able to independently schedule and conduct advanced interviews with experts and write an informative, focused script that displays multiple angles of a story and seamlessly incorporates several soundbites from interviews
- Gain practical experience in journalism, be able to identify and work with issues that arise with journalistic responsibility and ethics
- Advance writing skills applicable to all forms of journalism
- Produce several polished audio features for your portfolio
*Contact Internship and Career Advisor to see if position is eligible for academic credit