♕ STUDY HALL OPPORTUNITIES 08/17/2023 ♕

The Study Hall Opportunities newsletter is a weekly compilation of pitch calls; freelance, part-time, and temporary gigs; events; fellowships, scholarships, awards, and grants; internships; and full-time jobs. It’s written by Chris Erik Thomas, who is thinking about the film Passages, which they highly recommend. The newsletter is (usually) released on Thursdays. Once in a while, we take a day off or publish late for mental health breaks and holidays.

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►Editors, submit your time-sensitive or evergreen pitch calls to our Pitch Webform.

►Work at a publication that’s hiring or found a job we should see? Send it to our Jobs Webform.

►Need more info on Study Hall or want to check out our resources? Head to our Linktree.

►Have any other freelance gig, grant, internship, fellowship, or other opp you want to be included in the next Opps newsletter? Send them to [email protected] for approval with “Opportunity:” in the subject line. 

►Let us know if you got a job or landed a pitch through the Opps newsletter! Send them to [email protected] with “Opps Success Story:” in the subject line.

►Tell us what resources have helped you in your freelancing so we can share them with other Study Hall members. Send them to [email protected] with “Resource:” in the subject line.

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THE MEDIA CLASSIFIED ADS

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Want to have your business, job opening, newsletter, etc. seen by a legion of extremely-online media workers? Run a Classified Ad in our three weekly newsletters: the Digest, Opportunities, and our new Free Recap. We also offer add-on placement for Slack and Listserv posts.

 Click through for rates, testimonials, and to get in touch. 

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TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES SURVEY!

To shape the next chapter for the Opportunities newsletter, we’re asking our members to take part in a quick survey that will better clarify the wants and needs of our members — and figure out what is working and not working.

Please fill out The Opportunities Survey by next Friday, August 18.

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APPLY FOR OUR MICRO-GRANT!

-We are accepting applications for another round of our micro-grant program. After awarding Saurav Sarkar $2,000 during our first round of the grant to expand his South Labor Watch program, we are back for more! For this round, we are awarding a total of $4,000 to three individuals or teams who want to create a project — with one grant for $2,000 and two for $1,000. Whether that’s a newsletter, blog, social media account, or even just a one-off experiment, we’re here to help. Alongside the grant, we’ll also offer mentoring, advice, and some social promotion. The deadline to apply is August 31. 

Learn more here and apply today!

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RESOURCES

*** COMING SOON: A dedicated page on Study Hall for our ongoing list of Resources. Until then, please refer back to previous editions of the Opps to see our list. ***

Mastering the art of freelancing requires more than just perusing the Study Hall Opps newsletter every week. To help you get the most bang for your buck, we keep track of many resources designed to help media workers. Have a resource you’d like to see included? Send it to [email protected] with “Resource:” in the subject line.

 

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CALLS FOR PITCHES 

Please note that we are not endorsing every publication or company listed here. Engaging with a publication or company is entirely up to the reader. Regarding pitch calls, we try to only share opportunities with fair rates based on publicly available information. While we currently define “fair rates” as above $200 USD for around 700-800 words and above $0.20 per word for longer pieces, we cannot guarantee that every publication pays this rate. If you have more information on a rate or exploitative business practices from a publication posted, email [email protected].

TIME-SENSITIVE PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST FAIR RATES

NEW: –Wall Street Journal’s lifestyle section, Off Duty, is looking for pitches of “stories that will inform would-be travelers while also offering that special something that can resonate [with] those not actively planning a trip.” The rate is $1 per word. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –Vox is looking for pitches of on-the-ground reporting from Maui/Lāhainā that “explains what’s happening in the wake of the fires [and] what steps the community is taking now.” The rate is $1 per word. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –Insider is looking for pitches of reported pieces, essays, and data-driven analyses on the economy, tech, work, education, and climate for its Discourse section. Their “focus is on the US, so please do not pitch stories without a US angle.” The rates range from $0.50-$1 per word. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –Al Jazeera is commissioning a “Norwegian journalist with strong experience in Arctic issues to assist [in] researching a documentary about how the war on Ukraine is impacting the Arctic.” The documentary will investigate the environment/climate crisis, defense, geopolitics, culture, and Indigenous communities. The rate is $0.50 per word. Send inquiries to [email protected] by TOMORROW, August 18. 

–LA Times is looking for pitches of reported stories that answer the question: “What does this say about Latinidad?” The rate is $450 for a “lightly reported piece” and $750 for a “much more deeply reported piece.” Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –Lonely Planet is looking for pitches from a local Canary Islands writer to “add to an upcoming guidebook project.” “’Local’ means you consider yourself from there OR are currently living there & have for a long time.” The rate will be $350 for an initial small assignment to start, with guidebook chapters running “upwards of $1,500.” Send inquiries to [email protected], including one suggestion for something to do while visiting,” in the next two weeks. 

–The New Republic is looking for pitches  of “interesting, underexplored [stories] on this extreme heat and what it could mean for us over the short or long term.” The rates start at $350 per piece. The deadline for heat-related pitches is “end of the summer,” while “general climate pitches [are open] through the end of September.” Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Green European Journal is looking for pitches of opinion pieces, essays, and other formats on the theme of “Visions for Europe.” They are particularly interested in pitches on “Europe as a post-national democracy,” “Green Deal as a political and social project,” and other topics. The rates range from €300-€400” ($330-$440 USD) for 1,000-2,500 words, and “are adjusted to the amount of research involved.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches by next Friday, August 25.

NEW: –Apartment Advisor is commissioning data journalists to take on one freelance assignment per month. “Would be great if those who apply had experience analyzing data and writing about trends in housing and/or economics.” The rates start at $250 per assignment. Send inquiries to [email protected]. 

–SAPIENS is looking for pitches of essays, op-eds, poetry, book excerpts, and other formats on anthropology, including archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and sociocultural anthropology. The rate is $250 per piece. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches through their pitch form by September 1. 

NEW: –Insider is looking for pitches of personal essays and opinion posts on Gilmore Girls from fans (or former fans). The rates start at $225 per piece. Send pitches through their pitch form.

NEW: –XTRA Magazine is looking for pitches of “features both long and short, service, opinion, debunkers, [and] how-tos” on trans health topics. “Stories should be of interest/relevant to U.S. and Canadian audiences.” The rates start at $300 CAD ($222 USD) “for a straightforward Q&A.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected]. 

TIME-SENSITIVE PITCH CALLS, BELOW FAIR RATES 

NEW: –Insider is looking for pitches of grocery diary essays from Aldi, Trader Joe’s, and/or Costco shoppers. “You MUST be able to visit the store and snap horizontal photos of each item you’re speaking about during your next trip.” The rates start at $175 per piece (or $215 if you pitch a piece on traveling “several hours, especially to another country, to go to Trader Joe’s, Aldi, or Costco”). Send pitches through their pitch form. 

NEW: –New Feeling is looking for new music writers interested in contributing to the publication. The rate is $150 for reported features and artists profiles of around 1,500 words. Fill out their contributor form to be notified about their next call for pitches. 

NEW: –Los Angeles Public Press is looking for pitches of “civic explainers, short community profiles, [and] news” on LA County. The rate is $150 for a brief, and starts at $250 for daily news stories and $500 for features.  See their rate sheet for more info on other content and send pitches through their pitch form. 

–Nobody, an indie mag founded by two Study Hall members, is looking for pitches of “essays, longform reported features, photo series, interviews (especially ones that feel more like conversations), and experiments of all kinds” that fit the theme of “Burning.” The rates “vary and are negotiated individually,” but are around “$100 for interviews and upwards of $300 for longer features.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] by August 31. 

NEW EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

–Source New Mexico is always commissioning “freelance reporters, writers, or photographers who are in or who can write about New Mexico.” The rates start at $325 for 700-1,000 words. Send inquiries to [email protected] or [email protected]. 

–Yukon, North of Ordinary, a regional in-flight magazine, is always looking for pitches of features, photo essays, and other content on life in the Yukon. They are “looking for writers who live here/have lived here/have expertise when it comes to the Yukon and its character.” The rates range from $0.40-$0.50 CAD ($0.30-$0.37 USD) per word. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

***CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL LIST OF 300+ EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES.***

 

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FREELANCE, PART-TIME, AND TEMPORARY JOBS 

NEW: –Shelterforce is hiring a reporter on a six-month contract to write one to two articles of 1,500-2,500 words per month covering “a range of housing-related news stories.” Candidates should have some previous news reporting experience. The position is remote and the rate is $1,750 per month for the duration of the contract. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: –Going is hiring a senior content specialist on a six-month contract to oversee its Points and Miles vertical, including producing content and leading its team of freelance writers. Candidates should have “deep experience in the points and miles, credit cards, and business class travel spaces.” The position is remote, the rate is $45 per hour, and requires working 25-40 hours per week. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: –The New York Times is hiring an NYC-based editor on a temporary contract to “deliver listeners both US and global news stories of the day and the ideas driving them through a sound-rich audio experience.” Candidates should have at least five years of story editing experience. The annual salary range is $118,000-$128,000, although it’s unclear how long the contract is for. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: -Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) is hiring a freelance writer/editor to write and edit issue statements, blog posts, newsletters, research reports, and other content. Candidates should have at least three years of writing, editing, and copy-editing experience. The rate is $150 per hour for up to 10 hours of work per week. The position “would be set up as a three month trial, to be continued upon mutual agreement.” No application deadline info was given for this role.  

NEW: –The Daily Beast is hiring a social media editor on a part-time contract to write copy for social media posts, including on weekends. Candidats should have “a strong interest in politics, entertainment, and breaking news.” The pay rate ranges from $30-$39.99 per hour and the position is remote. No application deadline info was given for this role.

–1843 magazine is hiring a features writer on a six-month contract to “travel around the country, regularly producing human-interest stories on American politics, culture and society.” Candidates should have some feature writing experience. No salary info was given for this role. The deadline to apply is September 3. 

-Denison University is hiring a Granville, Ohio-based managing editor on a one-year contract to oversee the team of reporters at its nonprofit media source, The Reporting Project. Candidates should have at least five years of journalism experience. The salary range is $72,000-$80,000, according to the director of its journalism program, Jack Shuler. Send inquiries about the position to Jack at  [email protected]. The deadline to apply is this Monday, August 21. 

-New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative (NYMI SOJO) is hiring a part-time engagement manager on a temporary contract to provide “support in editorial coverage, fundraising, and [ensure] long-term sustainability.” Candidates should have a “proven interest in community engagement and network building.” The rate is $38.46 per hour and “NYMI SOJO prefers the candidate to be located in southeast Michigan or western New York.” “Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but those received by August 30 will be prioritized.” 

 

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FULL-TIME JOURNALISM JOBS

NEW YORK CITY

NEW: –The Cut is hiring for multiple positions, including a culture writer to “write and report on the biggest cultural stories of the moment,” and a news writer to cover “all areas of the site — Power, Culture, Self, and Style.” The salary ranges are $88,000-$120,000 for the culture writer and $74,000-$88,000 for the news writer. Both positions are covered by The NewsGuild of New York. No application deadline info was given for these roles. 

NEW: –The Guardian US is hiring for multiple positions, including a trending news writer to join its breaking news desk and a video assignment editor to help build its breaking news and short-form video strategy. See their jobs page for a full list of open positions. The salary ranges are $71,000-$85,000 for the breaking news writer and $110,000-$120,000 for the video assignment editor. Both positions are part of the News Media Guild. No application deadline info was given for these roles.

NEW: –The New York Times is hiring for multiple positions, including a weekend social media editor to lead its social media from Thursday through Sunday, and an associate SEO editor to “provide search optimization recommendations for the day’s most important stories.” Candidates for both positions should have at least three years of relevant experience. The salary ranges are $99,000-$121,000 for the weekend social media editor and $86,000-$100,000 for the associate SEO editor. No application deadline info was given for these roles. 

NORTHEAST

–MIT Technology Review is hiring a Cambridge, MA-based reporter to “cover cutting edge advances in hardware, including chips, robotics, and quantum computing, with an emphasis on the intersection of hardware and AI.” Candidates should have at least three years of reporting experience. The salary range is $70,000-$85,000. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

SOUTHEAST

–The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is hiring an Atlanta, GA-based reporter “to cover the business of [the] entertainment industry in Georgia.” Candidates should have at least five years of journalism experience and must have a reliable vehicle to cover the news. The rate ranges from $25.29-$37.98 per hour. No application deadline info was given for this role but economy and environment editor Scott Trubey recommends applying “within the next 14 days.”

–MLK50: Justice Through Journalism is hiring a Memphis, TN-based public safety and justice reporter to “explore what can, will, and does keep Memphians safe.” Candidates should have at least five years of reporting experience, “with preference given to those with prior public safety/criminal justice/government reporting experience.” The starting salary is $65,000. Send inquiries about the position to executive editor Adrienne Johnson Martin at [email protected]. The deadline to apply is September 4. 

CENTRAL

NEW: –The Progressive is hiring a Madison, WI-based associate editor to write and edit content for its print magazine and website, including reading and reviewing submissions for possible publication. Candidates should have some editing and writing experience, and knowledge of social justice issues is preferred. The starting salary is $40,000. The deadline to apply is August 31. 

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

NEW: –Mother Jones is hiring a news and engagement writer to shape daily news coverage, including its flagship newsletter, the Mother Jones Daily. Candidates should have at least three years of writing experience. The salary range is $60,000-$70,000, according to deputy managing editor Sophie Murguia. The position can be remote or based in New York, San Francisco, or WasNo application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: -Capital B is hiring a copy editor to copy edit and fact-check stories, social posts, graphics, captions, and other content. Candidates should have at least three years of journalism experience, and some “experience shaping journalism for Black readers” is preferred. The salary range is $65,000-$75,000. The deadline to apply is September 7. 

NEW: –Vox is hiring for multiple positions, including a Politics, Policy, and Health/Science editorial director to oversee its reporters and editors on those teams, and an Unexplainable and The Gray Area editorial director to oversee its two shows about science, philosophy, and uncertainty. The salary ranges are $140,000-$188,000 for the Politics editorial director and $130,000 for the Unexplainable editorial director. No application deadline info was given for these roles.  

–Insider is hiring a senior editor to manage the credit card coverage of its Personal Finance section, “with a focus on reviews and guides.” Candidates should have a “familiarity with and curiosity about credit cards and credit card rewards.” The salary range is $100,000-$120,000. No application deadline info was given for this role but senior reviews editor Laura Grace Tarpley recommends applying “in the next week or two.” 

–More Perfect Union is hiring a media producer to “pitch, conceptualize, research, and produce news-driven video content — all with a mission to change policy in our country.” Candidates should have at least five years of journalism or advocacy experience, including “producing, reporting, or research experience.” The salary is $85,000. The deadline for applications is next Friday, August 25. 

–The Guardian US is hiring for multiple positions, including a senior race and equity reporter and Southern US race and equity reporter. Candidates for both positions should have at least five years of reporting experience. The salary ranges are $120,000-$150,000 for the senior reporter and $75,000-$100,000 for the reporter. Both roles are News Media guild positions and can be remote across the US, but require attending “some team gatherings in New York throughout the year.” The deadline to apply for both positions is September 4. 

INTERNATIONAL

NEW: –openDemocracy is hiring a London-based editor in chief to lead its international team of journalists and editors and build and diversify its audience. Candidates should have a track record of “leading media organizations and/or cross-border editorial teams,” and “championing and supporting the voices of women, people of color, LGBTIQ people, and others.” The salary range is £85,000-£100,000. “Applications will be reviewed and assessed on a rolling basis.”

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FULL-TIME NON-JOURNALISM JOBS 

NEW YORK CITY

NEW: -Carnegie Hall is hiring a digital content coordinator to assist with its “various digital platforms including, but not limited to, social media, email, and websites.” Candidates should have strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, and an “interest in and passion for music and arts administration.”  The salary range is $45,000-$50,000. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

CENTRAL

NEW: -Detroit Institute of Arts is hiring an editor to manage museum-wide publication projects and edit high quality museum publications. Candidates should have at least five years of editing experience, and some museum experience is preferred. No salary or application deadline info was given for this role. 

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

NEW: –Jewish Currents is hiring an operations assistant to “support the daily administration of the organization.” Candidates should have at least one year of relevant experience, and “experience with Quickbooks, CRM management, and payroll software is preferred, but not required.” The salary range is $55,000-$60,000. The position can be remote or based in New York City. The deadline to apply is August 31. 

–The 19th is hiring a senior program coordinator to “provide dedicated administrative and operational support to all program areas” of its Frances Ellen Watkins Harper fellowship. Candidates should have at least four years of operational or administrative support experience, and must be willing to travel three to five times annually for retreats and other events. “Past attendance at a Historically Black College or University is a plus.” The salary range is $75,000-$90,000. The deadline to apply is August 28. 

NEW: -Penguin Random House is hiring an editorial assistant to read and evaluate submissions, reader reports, and other material for the following imprints: Viking, Penguin Books, Penguin Life, and Penguin Classics. Candidates should have “a strong knowledge of the literary canon and a keen interest in writing from around the world,” with “reading knowledge of a foreign language a plus.” The salary is $48,000. The position can be remote or based in New York. The deadline to apply is TOMORROW, August 18. 

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EVENTS

–The Chronicle is hosting a reporting workshop from October 12-13 in Washington, D.C. The workshop is aimed at student journalists, and the publication will “reimburse flight, car, train, bus, or other transit costs, one night of lodging in D.C., and meals while participants are here.” The deadline to apply for inclusion is next Friday, August 25. 

-Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) is hosting three mini-bootcamps on data journalism in September, October, and December. The bootcamps cover Spreadsheets (September 18-21 from 11 AM to 2 PM CT), R for Data Analysis (October 30-November 2 from 11 AM to 2 PM CT), and Web Scraping With Python (December 4-7 from 11 AM to 2 PM CT). Tickets for each program range from $200-$600 and current IRE membership is required. 

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GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS

NEW: -Flashlight Collective is accepting applications for its Investigative Journalism Grant. The program provides grants of $500-$1,000 to US-based freelance investigative journalists. “Journalists retain complete editorial control and are free to publish their work wherever they like.” The deadline to apply is this Sunday, August 20. 

-The International Women’s Media Foundation is accepting applications for its Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism Grant. The program provides grants of up to $5,000 for print journalists or print journalists leading a multi-media team anywhere in the world (although projects must be reported and published in English). Applicants must identify as women or nonbinary to be eligible. The deadline to apply for funding is this Sunday, August 20. 

-The American Press Institute is accepting applications for its Civic Discourse and Community Voices Fund. The program aims to enable local news experiments that strengthen civic discourse. The fund provides grants of up to $10,000 to up to 20 local and community-based news organizations in the US. They “are prioritizing projects that pay special attention to a diversity of voices and people and plan to set aside at least 30 percent of grant funds for publishers of color,” according to senior communications manager Kamila Jambulatova. The deadline to apply is this Monday, August 21.

-Little, Brown Spark, in partnership with the Psychotherapy Networker, is accepting submissions for its New Voices Award. Applicants can submit a “non-fiction book proposal on any topic within any branch of psychology.” The program is specifically for “previously unpublished (with the exception of articles, academic papers, or self-published books) and unagented writers from underrepresented backgrounds.” The award provides a $50,000 advance, a ticket to the Psychotherapy Networker’s 2024 Symposium in Washington, DC, and a $500 travel stipend. The deadline to apply is October 15. 

-The Pulitzer Center is accepting applications for its Deep Dives: Ocean and Fisheries Reporting Grant. The program is aimed at “freelance and staff journalists who wish to report on vital ocean and fisheries issues and are in need of support for their reporting projects.” The funding covers airfare, hotels, meals, records requests, data analysis/visualization, and other costs. There is no deadline to apply; they “accept grant proposals on a rolling basis.” 

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FELLOWSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

NEW: -Science Journalism Forum is accepting applications for its Attendance Fellowships. The program offers support to science journalists who face financial barriers in attending the Science Journalism Forum 2023, which runs from October 23-26. The forum is organized in five languages: English, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

-Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) is accepting applications for its Freelance Fellowship. The program provides financial assistance to independent journalists working on investigative projects. Fellows can be awarded up to $2,000 for short-term or up to $4,000 for long-term projects, plus a one-year IRE membership. The deadline to apply is August 28.  

-Solutions Journalism Network is accepting applications for its HEAL Fellowship. The program “aims to serve youth struggling with mental health issues by supporting US journalists to report on and amplify solutions.” Fellows will receive an honorarium of up to $5,000, “proportional to the scope of the fellow’s project.” The deadline to apply is August 29. 

–The New York Times is accepting applications for its Local Investigations Fellowship. The program “gives journalists the opportunity to produce signature investigative work focused on their state or region,” which will be published in the NYT and made available for co-publication in local newsrooms. The fellowship will pay about $80,000 and is covered by the Guild. The deadline to apply is September 1.

-Macmillan Publishers is accepting applications for its Fall 2023 Internship. Interns will learn about the basic structure and operations of specific departments in one of two tracks: Shared Services (legal, HR, DEI, etc) or Trade Publishing (editorial, production editorial, etc). The internship is remote, pays $15 per hour, and requires working “no more than 25 hours per week.” No application deadline was given for this program but the internship will begin on September 11. 

-The Cullman Center of the New York Public Library is accepting applications for its 2024-2025 Fellowship in New York City. The program awards 15 fellowships to scholars and writers, including journalists, whose work will “benefit directly from access to the research collections at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.” The fellowship includes a stipend of up to $75,000, the use of an office with a computer, and full access to the Library’s physical and electronic resources. The program runs from September through May. The deadline to apply is September 29. 

-The Wilson Center is accepting applications for its 2024-25 Fellowship. Fellows will “conduct research and write in their areas of interest, while interacting with policymakers in Washington and Wilson Center staff and other scholars in residence.” “Applicants must have a doctorate or JD.” The program offers a furnished office and stipend of $90,000 for the nine-month fellowship. The deadline to apply is October 1. 

-Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) is accepting applications for its Chauncey Bailey Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship. The one-year program provides assistance to attend a Data Journalism Bootcamp, the NICAR and IRE conferences, and more. The fellowship provides travel stipends, covers conference registrations, and other fees. The deadline to apply is October 5. 

-Hearst is accepting applications for its Hearst Journalism Fellowship. The program “consists of two 12-month rotations at [their] top metro papers and websites” as staff reporters. “Fellows will receive training, mentoring, and real-world experience,” plus a “competitive salary and benefits, including health insurance and moving expenses.” The deadline to apply is January 7. 

-NPR is accepting applications for its Next Generation Radio training program in various cities throughout 2023. The five-day program is designed to give participants “the opportunity to learn how to report and produce a non-narrated audio piece and a companion multimedia story.” The program partners include WUNC/North Carolina Public Radio, St Louis Public Radio, and NAJA Next Gen Radio: Indigenous, among others. There is no fee for the program, and stipends are available to selected reporters. The deadline to apply varies depending on the location.