Monthly Archives: September 2014

Internships

Intern with Slate’s The Gist!

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Hey students! Intern with Slate's new daily news show The Gist with Mike Pesca. It's a paid gig, ideal for a current student or one within a year of graduation. Details below.
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The Gist seeks our first intern. We are a team of two producing a daily show, and we'll rely on you quiet a bit in the hours you're with us. 

Every day is different, but the range of duties include booking guests, engineering live interviews, pulling clips, audio editing, Vine-making, social media, basic research, and writing daily show descriptions. Interns are invited to be involved in every aspect of making a daily podcast.

To be considered for this internship, you should have solid writing skills and be able to take direction. A passion for news, radio, and podcasts are a plus. Audio editing skills are a big plus. Candidates must be available to work in Slate’s New York office. 

This internship is paid. We pay $10/hour and interns are strictly limited to 10 hours work/week. Ideally we'd love to work with someone 2 full days/week. The internship will begin asap, and last for 90 days from the start of the internship. 

To apply, email a résumé and very brief statement of interest to thegist@slate.com. Please use the subject line “Slate’s The Gist Internship.” Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until Oct 1, 2014.

Events

FREE Overseas Press Club Event Sept 9, 7pm, NYC

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Hey NYC freelance media types – a few great FREE events coming up in the next few weeks. Details below. -Mia


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After James Foley: Covering Conflict When Journalists Are Targets

Event Name: 

 After James Foley: Covering Conflict When Journalists Are Targets

Event Date and Time: 

 9 September 2014 – 7:00pm

Event Location: 

 Columbia School of Journalism Lecture Hall

Event City: 

 New York

Event Fee: 

 FREE

The OPC is co-sponsoring a panel discussion at the Columbia School of Journalism surrounding the current risks and rewards of conflict reporting in the aftermath of reporter James Foley's tragic murder.
Dean Steve Coll will lead the discussion.
Panelists:
  • Reuters columnist and former New York Times reporter David Rohde, who was held captive for seven months by the Taliban before he escaped.
  • OPC award winner, board member and New York Times foreign correspondent Rukmini Callimachi, previously the West Africa bureau chief for The Associated Press.
  • Phil Balboni, GlobalPost CEO and co-founder, who spent two years fighting for Foley's release.
  • Nicole Tung, a freelance conflict photographer and friend of Foley's who first discovered him missing.

 

This event is sponsored by the Overseas Press Club, the Columbia Journalism School and the DART Center for Journalism and Trauma.
HERE ARE SOME OTHER UPCOMING OPC EVENTS:
 
Sept. 25 (with Tyler Hicks)
 
Oct. 1 Book night with Sheila Weller, author of the News Sorority, a triple biographty of Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric and Christiane Amanpour. (at OPC)
 
Oct. 21 How to Freelance Safely with representatives of RISC, DART, London’s Frontline Club and Judith Matloff of Columbia.
 
Oct. 24 (with Nick Kristof)
Uncategorized

calls for Storygathering artists in residence/training intensive at Fixt Point, Ontario, Cananda, deadline sept 10

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Two calls for artists from FIXT POINT in Ontario, Canada. Deadline Sept 10. Details below.

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OPEN CALL #1: STORYGATHERING ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

FIXT POINT is seeking two part-time storygathering artists for The Tale of a Town – Mimico to work in residence at the Mimico Public Library this fall as part of the 2014 Artists in the Library program supported through the Toronto Arts Council Strategic Initiative Program.

FIXT POINT is a professional theatre and media company that engages with communities through site-specific performance and audio art in order to preserve local heritage and promote neighbourhood culture.

Storygathering Artists will receive training in audio recording, interviewing, logging, and archiving oral histories prior to the residency. While in residence, the Artists will record stories shared by the public about the evolution of the Mimico neighbourhood. These gathered tales will inspire the creation of an audio installation and culminate in a community celebration at the library.

Requirements:
• Background in the arts
• Based in Toronto (high priority to artists from the Mimico area)
• Interest in oral history, audio production and community engaged art
• Working knowledge of social media platforms
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel

Deadline for applications is September 10th, 2014 at 5:00 p.m.
Interested applicants should send a cover letter and CV to veronica@fixtpoint.com.

OPEN CALL # 2: STORYGATHERING TRAINING INTENSIVE FOR ARTISTS

FIXT POINT is pleased to offer a limited number of places to artists in our upcoming Storygathering Training Intensive taking place from October 1 – 4 at the Mimico Public Library.

This training program has been developed by FIXT POINT in collaboration with The National Arts Centre of Canada and will focus on audio recording, interviewing, logging, and archiving.

This intensive is suitable for emerging and professional artists who are passionate about oral history, audio art and site-specific performance. Selected artists will be considered for future opportunities with FIXT POINT's national tour of The Tale of a Town – Canada. (http://thetaleofatown.com/)

To apply, please email your resume and a brief outline that details why you want to be a part of this training to veronica@fixtpoint.com.

Veronica Simmonds
Associate Producer
The Tale of a Town
http://thetaleofatown.com/
@taleofatown

Internships

The Dinner Party Download is looking for an intern in LA

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LA internship with The Dinner Party Download. For college credit only – but a very cool show! Forward to your favorite West Coast learners. Details HERE and below.

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Position Summary:

 

Do you have a passion for the arts, entertainment, storytelling, and music? Want to explore the frontiers of food and cocktails? Looking to make waves in public radio? (Do you have a high tolerance for terrible puns?!)  The Dinner Party Download wants YOU to apply for our fall/winter internship.

The Dinner Party Download is a national culture show, airing on 135+ stations, that provides listeners with all of the information and bon mots they'll need to "win" their dinner parties.  Each week's episode brings together interviews with leading entertainers, memorable stories, music, and food trends and serves them up with a fresh, irreverent tone.  This is an opportunity for interns to gain hands-on production experience with one of public radio's fastest-growing shows.

Internships will last up to 6 months. Interns work typically 2-3 days a week, for a total of 15-20 hours.  These are volunteer/unpaid internships and must be completed in conjunction with college-level course credit.

The Intern will be an integral part of The Dinner Party Download team. This job would be perfect for individuals with a deep interest in film/TV, music, books, theater, fashion and art. The DPD team is especially looking for candidates with experience in – or a passion for – the behind-the-scenes production work that makes for great radio (i.e. crafting/editing stories in sound).

Past interns with the DPD have gone on to develop their skills further via internships and (paid) jobs with KPCC, Snap Judgment, Weekend Edition, and, well, The Dinner Party Download.

 

Position Responsibility:

  • Sound editing: edit rough drafts of our Soundtrack, Guest List, and Eavesdropping segments.  (Prior audio editing experience is necessary as a foundation to build upon.)    
  • Research odd news and under-the-radar stories for hosts to discuss in their "Small Talk" segment, as well as for occasional appearances on the business show Marketplace.
  • Research details of historical events we could talk about in our History/Cocktail segment.
  • Identify potential bars/bartenders to pair with the history in our cocktail segment, and practice booking phone interviews with these guests.
  • Record and edit news clip montage to be used in our "Small Talk" segment.
  • Help identify upcoming artworks, people, events that should be on our booking radar.
  • Keep tabs on new books and other media coming into office, and add to database.
  • Log music used in each episode; post completed segments to Soundcloud.
  • There may be opportunities to do "tape synchs" (taped interviews with remote guests.)

 

Required Education and Experience:

  • Current college student or college graduate. Broadcast journalism, Radio/Film, English, Music, or Audio Engineering majors preferred. Others are still very welcome to apply. 
  • College course credit is required.

 

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

  • Excellent written communication skills a must.
  • Knowledge of some sound editing (i.e. Pro-Tools, Audacity, Audition, DAVID, Dalet, etc) a must.
  • Fluent computer skills with the knowledge of basic Internet & computer standards.
  • Ability to work efficiently with limited direct supervision. (The production team is small, which means there will be bouts of independent work interspersed with 1:1 guidance.)
  • Ability to work collaboratively & effectively with colleagues in multiple departments.
  • Ability to work with changing deadlines & in fast-paced environment.
  • Energetic & motivated to serve online audiences.
  • Ability to handle tight deadlines & quick turnaround.

 

Preferred Skills and Experience:

  • We'll provide training on how to use our equipment and DAVID editing system, but pre-existing familiarity with DAVID would be a nice bonus.
  • Openness to creating content for web and fueling the expansion of our site / social media.
  • Some background with field recording a plus.
  • Adeptness with Twitter, Facebook, and other social media outlets.

 

Reporting To This Position:                N/A

 

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

  • Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation

Physical Demands:   

  • Required to move about in an office environment and sit for extended periods of time
  • Required to move about in the community
  • Frequent use of hands for data entry/keystrokes and simple grasping

Working Conditions:

  • Moderate noise level
  • Occasional exposure to prevalent weather conditions
Gigs

Freelance job opportunities at Public News Service, multiple locations

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An interesting opportunity from the Public News Service. I have to admit I don't know much about them (they say they're a for-profit mainly funded by non-profits, not sure which ones)… but it could be a good fit for someone. Drop me a line if you know anything about this org – I'm intrigued! -Mia

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Real Work in a Changing World for an Inspired Radio Producer/Reporter

Love news? Passionate about social, environmental, economic and community issues? Have superior digital audio editing and news writing skills? Have we got the job for you!

The Public News Service has several part-time ( some possibly full-time positions) for experienced news producer/reporters (benefits included for over 3/4 to full time). Significant reporting experience and digital audio editing skills are critical. The right candidates are results-oriented, self-starters who can also follow established protocols and work well with different personalities in a rapidly changing environment. You must have a home office capable of recording and producing complete audio stories ready for broadcast.  Sense of humor and innovative spirit very important. Must be available for afternoons edits.

The Candidate Needs:

— At least 3-5 years of experience working in a fast-paced online news environment (commercial stations and wire service work preferred)

— High comfort with technology and use of various software; demonstrated expertise with digital recording and editing

— Strong communication skills and the ability to coordinate intense levels of e-mail correspondence and phone calls

—  Familiarity with the news environment, progressive politics, cultural trends, and emerging issues.

—  Excellent editorial, voice, social media, technical and interpersonal skills.

Details: Primarily phone sound, story duration approx. 1:30 min each.  We have coverage areas available is New York City and Pennsylvania, Texas and several Southern states, upper Mid-West and California and possibly Oregon. These positions will also be involved in social media with Twitter.  Some night, weekend and holiday work may be required. Competitive pay and benefits. 

Before you apply please visit our website for examples of what we do: http://www.publicnewsservice.org and then send a send a cover letter and resume to jobs@publicnewsservice.org – with "PNS Producer (your home state)” in the subject line.

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Lisa Collard

Human Resources & Digital Media Associate

3980 Broadway
Suite 103, Box 139
Boulder, CO  80304

pdf icon Public-News-Service-Producers-Wanted.pdf

Workshops

Radio Boot Camp Fall Session @UnionDocs, Oct 4-5, 10-6, Brooklyn

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DO NOT MISS this two-day-long intensive class for beginners to learn how to produce radio. Details below.
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Don't just listen to stories, tell your own!

Do you love Ira, have a secret crush on Terry Gross, or wanna be Audie Cornish when you grow up? Come to Radio Camp's October Boot Camp and learn how to produce a radio story from start to finish. 
This hands on class will cover the basics of writing for the ear, (very different than print) and producing for radio using professional equipment and software. The provision of a laptop for financially challenged students is possible. Be prepared to grab your gear and hit the streets. Learn interviewing and mic techniques by doing the real thing. Voicing will also be covered. Students will produce two stories over the course of the weekend. *There will be an hour and a half (approx) of homework on Saturday night.

October 4th and 5th, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
AT UnionDocs, 322 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211
More here: http://www.uniondocs.org/radio-boot-camp/

Pitches

How To Pitch Personal Essays To BuzzFeed Ideas

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For what it's worth, BuzzFeed Ideas posted this guide to pitching personal essays. I have no idea what "we pay" amounts to, but might be worth a shot. Details below.

BuzzFeed Ideas is relaunching and we’re looking for unique, well-told personal essays that people will want to share. Here’s an FAQ.

How do I know if my story is worth telling?

Ask yourself: Is this something that is either a) taboo yet relatable that no one has ever articulated as well as you can, b) an experience SO crazy and foreign that people will feel compelled to share it, or c) a really big idea from the vantage point of the only person who could have had that perspective.

We’re particularly interested in stories by women, non-white, and LGBT writers, as well as previously unpublished writers.

What subject areas are you interested in?

We’re looking for pitches on a variety of topics, including but not limited to:

Sex and dating/relationships
Debt/money
Disease, especially the experience of being sick and invisible illnesses
Mental illness
Parenting and parents (including the experience of parents aging)
Drugs and addiction
Race
Work

We’re interested in serious subjects, but not necessarily serious takes: If you have an idea for a humorous approach to any of the above (or anything else), go for it. There’s also no strict word count, but pieces tend to be in the 800 to 1,200-word range, and we pay. We are also open to stories in other formats, such as graphic essays, photo essays, and audio pieces.

Do you have examples of the kinds of stories you’re looking for?

Why, yes! These are some essays BuzzFeed has published in the last few months that worked really well for us.

Notes On An Eating Disorder
The Last Time My Grandmother Slapped Me
Running Into My 12-Year-Old Self Online
I Was Sure Freezing My Eggs Would Solve Everything
The Worst Day Of My Life Is Now New York’s Hottest Tourist Attraction

So how do I *actually* pitch stories?

You should submit your pitch in the body of an email to buzzfeedideas@buzzfeed.com with the subject line IDEAS PITCH. (Emails with attachments will be deleted unread.)

Uncategorized

[conferences] New Avenues in Journalism, conference for freelancers, Oct 10-11, SF

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Interesting upcoming conference for freelance writers, Oct 10-11, San Francisco. Details below. -Mia

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Faced with sweeping changes in their industry, three leading journalism organizations are holding a conference to help freelance writers re-envision their careers.
New Avenues in Journalism will bring together media innovators to coach freelancers about custom content, new publishing models, crowd, funding, venture capital, grants and fellowships and other sources of income.
Sponsored by the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), San Francisco State University (SFSU) Journalism Department and the Online News Association (ONA), the conference will take place Oct. 10-11, 2014, in the SFSU Humanities Building.
Keynoter and preeminent tech journalist Kara Swisher is  the former co-host of AllThingsD. She will give her view of the shifting world of independent journalism in her address. Swisher recently embarked in her own entrepreneurial venture as co-CEO of the tech blog Re/code.
Much of the meeting will address the burgeoning field of custom content — journalistic articles commissioned to support products and services.
Other speakers will discuss how writers can secure funding from investors, foundations and philanthropists; successfully act as their own publishers; and sell merchandise and consulting as auxiliary income.
Attendees can choose the full day on Friday ($195 for 10 am – 4:30 pm plus networking event) and/or the half day on Saturday ($95 for 9 am to noon). Admission includes an informal lunch and a wine reception Friday. ONA, ASJA and Pacific Media Workers Guild members will receive a discount. PMWG members use discount code SF20PMWG.

For an additional $25, participants can meet face-to-face with representatives looking to hire writers.

 

For a complete program and other information visit the conference website.

Register through ASJA.

Awards/Fellowships

Journalism Fellowships at Latino USA, deadline Sept 5 [CORRECTED]

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A couple more weeks left to apply for this fellowship with Latino USA. Details below! -Mia

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NPR’s weekly program Latino USA is taking applications for two year-long California-based fellowships, open to early career reporters with no more than five years’ experience in the field. Each fellowship will last 12 months and will include a stipend of $1,000 a month for 40 hours of work each month. The fellowships are funded by the California Endowment and will focus on reports about current health issues in California, including the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The fellows will be located in California and will be supervised by Latino USA staff, and will participate in editorial meetings via phone or Skype. Each fellow will be expected to produce no fewer than three stories for air on Latino USA and also provide multimedia content (web copy, tweets, Facebook entries, photos, etc.) for each story.

 

               Fellowship applications should be sent to Latino USA’s senior editor, Leda Hartman, at ledahart@mindspring.com. Please include a resume and cover letter summarizing your background and goals, and why you would be an appropriate fit for this fellowship. Please also include three links to your audio work. The fellowships are open to everyone. Journalists of color and of other diverse backgrounds and graduate journalism students are especially encouraged to apply.

 

               The first-year fellowship will begin on October 1st, 2014 and last until September 30th, 2014. The application deadline for the first-year fellowship is Friday, September 15, 2014. The deadline for the second-year fellowship will be announced early in 2015.

              

               Thank you!

 

Leda Hartman

NPR’s Latino USA

919-542-0008

ledahart@mindspring.com