Job Description

Joan Cirillo Emerging Journalist Fellowship

OPB
Portland , OR

Application Deadline: Friday, May 09, 2025

Description

Do you have an interest in exploring a career in public media? Are you curious to learn how to produce segments on a daily talk show like Think Out Loud®, write breaking new stories for opb.org or assist with production of a TV program such as Oregon Art Beat? Do you have some practical journalism experience that you want to build on by spending time with different content teams to learn the responsibilities of positions in the field of journalism? The one-year Joan Cirillo Emerging Journalist Fellowship could be a great opportunity for you to gain experience in public media.

This one-year journalism fellowship is made possible by a generous gift from Roger Cooke and Joan Cirillo. The fellowship is named for Mrs. Cirillo, an independent journalist, author and philanthropist, who has written for a variety of regional, national, and international news organizations. We are excited to use this gift to build more journalism expertise in Oregon during this time when local and regional news reporting are so urgently needed. Over the course of a year, our first fellow learned how to book guests and produce segments for Think Out Loud®, reported and produced a series of features for the web and air, produced segments and anchored newscasts for All Things Considered, went out into the field and assisted in post-production with Oregon Field Guide, and completed their final rotation in programming to operate the board and announce on the air. The incoming fellow’s experience will be different, tailoring the rotations to their interests developed in partnership with the VP, News, and a staff mentor. Fellows also receive regular career counseling and opportunities to talk with journalists elsewhere in public media.

Responsibilities 

70%– Participate as an active member of the OPB Content team, with specific rotations dependent on fellow’s interests and OPB team availability. Assignments may include time reporting and editing stories for OPB news, producing for a daily talk show or news magazine and may include time as a digital producer, assisting with production of an OPB TV program, such as Oregon Field Guide or Oregon Art Beat. By the end of the year, fellows will have learned basic skills in interviewing for news stories and editing audio and video and will be ready to apply for jobs in public media.

25%– Professional development opportunities and career counseling including resume and cover letter development and feedback, regular meetings with a newsroom mentor and supervising editor, conversations with journalists elsewhere in public media and conversations with OPB employees in Content and other departments. Member of OPB’s equity team to build competency and understand ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion organizational work.

5%– Assist OPB editors and producers in promoting, planning and recruiting for the fellowship program.

Working Conditions

The fellow will divide time between an office/studio and field work as needed for newsgathering, which may include travel to remote locations, working evenings or weekends, and possibly working in inclement weather. Lifting and carrying equipment up to 20 pounds is sometimes required. In-state travel and driving are common, though trips are short. Some out of state travel may be optional to attend journalism conferences and other professional development opportunities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Interest in a career in journalism
• Eagerness for a career in public media.
• Ability to function in a deadline-driven environment.
• Commitment to high ethical standards in journalism.
• Enthusiasm for the mission of OPB and public media.
• Professional or personal experiences that will provide a unique perspective to the OPB newsroom and the field of journalism.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual in English and another language, preferably one spoken in communities in the Pacific Northwest (for example, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Russian).
• Practical experience in journalism
• An eye for diverse voices and sources in stories
• Photography or video production skills
• Experience using digital audio recording and editing equipment

Additional Information

• This position reports to the Executive Editor of News, Talk and Podcasts.
• This is a nonexempt position, and will be paid $56,000-$66,000 annually.

How to Apply

Click on the apply button below. You will be asked to create an account, upload your cover letter and resume and answer a few position related questions. Once you click “submit” you cannot make changes to your application.

Please note, while this fellowship is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience in a variety of digital media and journalistic spaces, it does not guarantee or imply future employment with OPB.

Application materials are due by 8:59pm Pacific Time on Friday, May 9th 2025.

OPB is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

For additional information about this position, please contact:

[email protected]
https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=57277703-45c0-4e1a-8db6-3bfa4b30f628&ccId=9200063795075_2&lang=en_US&jobId=505021

Job Tags

Similar Jobs