♕STUDY HALL OPPORTUNITIES 09/07/2023♕

 

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 only survived their sixth round of COVID last week by smoothing their brain with The Real Housewives of NYC. 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

►Ready to launch a news organization but not sure where to begin? Join the completely free-of-cost, fully remote Google News Initiative Pre-launch Lab. For eight weeks, the program will provide 24 entrepreneurs with the guidance and hands-on coaching to launch a journalism or content business. Questions? Join our live info sessions this Tuesday, September 12 and September 21. Applications due September 22. Find out more here.

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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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 September 29. 

If you’re interested in volunteering as a community judge, please reach out to Daniel ([email protected]). 

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: –MIT Technology Review is looking for pitches of narrative features, essential profiles, and sharp reported essays on “exploration and hidden worlds” for an upcoming issue. The rates range from $1-$2 per word. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] by September 18. 

NEW: –Trails Magazine is looking for pitches of features, opinion pieces, profiles, service journalism, and other formats on “backpacking and other human/naturally-powered means of sleeping outdoors” for its upcoming fifth and sixth issues. The theme of issue five is “transition.” The rates start at $0.50 per word. See their pitch guide for more info, including how to pitch.

NEW: –Prism is looking for pitches “from Hawaii-based residents about the aftermath of the Lahaina fire.” The rate is $0.50 per word. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –New Lines Magazine is looking for pitches of essays on “some overlooked or misunderstood part of history” or “that offer an overlooked angle on a current affair, developing news story, cultural phenomenon, and more.” They are interested in stories from the MENA region, particularly the Gulf, to commission. The rates start at $600 for “shorter, more commentary-focused” pieces and $800 for regular essays. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –Scalawag  is looking for pitches of essays, narrative features, and other formats for its Salt, Soil, and Supper section. The rates range from $500-$1,500. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches by TOMORROW, September 8. 

NEW: –The Latinx Project is looking for pitches of essays on the theme of “Re-Collections: Unmounting Colonial Histories,” including reclaimed narratives, re-interpreting museum collections, and other topics. The rate is $500 per essay. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches by November 12.

–Translash Media is looking for pitches of personal essays and journalism by transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people for National Hispanic Heritage Month. The rate is $350 per piece. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] by TOMORROW, September 8. 

NEW: –Washington Post is looking for pitches of personal essays on “the skyrocketing cost of childcare and how it’s affected [your] family.” The rate is $300 for 800-1,000 words. Send pitches to [email protected] by TOMORROW, September 8.

–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]. 

NEW: –Insider is looking for pitches of personal essays from moms who have experienced mom-shaming for having fun or partying. The rates range from $200-$250 per essay. Send pitches to [email protected] “ideally ASAP (next couple weeks).”

TIME-SENSITIVE PITCH CALLS, BELOW FAIR RATES 

NEW: –Insider is commissioning train reviews from “writers traveling between Paris and Rome or Paris and Amsterdam this late summer/early fall.” They are also open to other major city routes. The rates start at $185. Send inquiries to @fi_clair on X. 

NEW: -ApartmentAdvisore is looking for pitches of reported features, interviews, personal essays, and other formats on “all things renting” for its The Key editorial. The rates start at $125. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches  to [email protected] “with the subject line labeled with ‘PITCH:’ followed by a few words summing up the idea or a suggested headline.”

EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

NEW: –Rest of World is always looking for pitches of longform narrative features on “the impact of technology in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or Eastern Europe.” The rates start at $1 per word and “the majority of [their] feature stories are 3,000 words.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] and/or [email protected]. 

NEW: –Subaru Drive is always looking for pitches of reported lifestyle features on “topics that appeal to Subaru owners, especially adventure, car travel, pets, outdoor activities, the environment, healthy living, vehicle maintenance, and safety.” Pitches from writers who are Subaru owners are preferred, but not required. The rate is $1 per word and “sometimes more for complex assignments with high research/low word count.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –Asimov Press is always looking for pitches of essays “that make sense of biology, AI, and our collective future.” The rate is about $1,000 per essay, according to DMs with founder Niko McCarty. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –The Body is always looking for pitches of interviews on topics related to HIV and AIDS from US-based and international writers. The rate wasn’t given, but was previously $400 per interview in May 2023. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –New Internationalist is always looking for pitches of commentary on progressive internationalist politics. They are “particularly keen to hear from those whose voices are often under-represented in Western media.” The rate is £0.27 ($0.34 USD) per word. Send pitches to [email protected] with “a bit about you and why you’re well placed to write the piece, and links / examples of previous writing if possible.”

NEW: –The Xylom is always looking for pitches of personal essays, analysis, opinion pieces, and narrative-driven features on science topics. The rates start at $200. See their pitch guide for more info and 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: –NPR is hiring a Washington, DC-based politics reporter on a one-year contract to cover new voters, “including members of Gen-Z and new citizens,” throughout the 2024 election. Candidates should have at least three years of experience. The rate is $40.86 per hour. The position is covered by SAG-AFTRA. No application deadline info was given for the role, but the position will begin in October 2023. 

NEW: –The Daily Beast is hiring a social media editor on a part-time contract to monitor traffic and write timely social media posts. Candidates should have some social media and news experience and “must be able to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends.” The rate ranges from $30-$39.99. No application deadline info was given for the role.

NEW: -Center for Humane Technology is hiring a grant writer on a part-time contract to prepare meeting briefs, develop grant proposals, and other tasks. Candidates should have at least three years of grant writing experience. The rate is $75-$100 per hour, and requires working three to six hours per week. No application deadline info was given for the role.

FULL-TIME JOURNALISM JOBS

NEW YORK CITY

NEW: –FiveThirtyEight is hiring a visual journalist to cover US politics and elections through “daily graphics production, collaboration on reported stories, and work on [its] “big swing” interactives.” Candidates should have at least two years of relevant experience, including proficiency in Adobe Illustrator. The salary range is $97,908-$131,340. The position can be based in New York or Washington, DC. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: –The Daily Beast is hiring a managing editor to oversee the newsroom and shape coverage of breaking news, enterprise, and investigations across all sections. Candidates should have at least five years of journalism experience, including at least three years of editing experience. The salary range is $105,000-$120,000. No application deadline info was given for this role.

NEW: -Pratt Institute is hiring a staff writer to cover art, design, architecture, and other areas of art and culture for its Communications and Marketing division. Candidates should have at least four years of content writing experience. The salary range is $69,000-$73,000. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: –Vanity Fair is hiring a senior editor for The Hive, it’s “home to authoritative, real-time coverage of politics, media, tech, and business.” Candidates should have at least three years of newsroom experience, including some experience managing a team of writers. The salary range is $95,000-$115,000. No application deadline info was given for this role.

WASHINGTON, DC

NEW: –NPR is hiring an editor to develop and pitch story ideas and original content for its flagship news program, Morning Edition. Candidates should have at least six years of experience as a reporter, editor, or producer. The salary range is $102,500-$105,000. The position is covered by SAG-AFTRA. No application deadline info was given for the role.

NEW: –The Daily Beast is hiring a politics reporter to cover Congress and Congressional elections. Candidates should have at least three years of reporting experience. The salary range is $75,000-$82,000. No application deadline info was given for this role.

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

NEW: –Vox is hiring an audio producer to pitch, book, produce, and edit episodes of its The Grey Area podcast. Candidates should have at least two years of audio production experience working on a podcast or broadcast radio program. The salary range is $77,000-$92,400. The role is covered by the Vox Media Union. No application deadline info was given for the role.

NEW: -The Associated Press is hiring a reporter to join its Race & Ethnicity team to cover the intersection of race, justice, and inequity.” Candidates should have at least three years of experience as an editor, reporter, or social media producer. The salary range is $46,047-$80,714. The position is covered by the News Media Guild. The deadline to apply is September 27. 

NEW: –Nieman Journalism Lab is hiring for multiple positions, including a general staff writer to cover “the evolution of the news ecosystem” and a generative AI staff writer to cover “the ways that generative AI affects our industry, for better and worse.” Candidates for both positions should have at least two years of journalism experience. The salary range is $68,000-$72,000 for the general staff writer and $72,000-$76,000 for the generative AI staff writer. No application deadline info was given for these roles.

NEW: –NPR is hiring a supervising editor to “shape coverage of the biggest domestic stories of the day” for its National Desk. Candidates should have at least eight years of experience as a “news reporter or editor, including demonstrated experience covering national news.” The salary range is $130,000-$160,000. The position can be remote or based in Culver City, CA. No application deadline info was given for the role.

–Capital B is hiring a newsletter editor to manage its newsletter portfolio. Candidates should have at least four years of relevant experience, including some “experience growing Black digital audiences.” The salary range is $85,000-$100,000.” The deadline to apply is TOMORROW, September 8.

FULL-TIME NON-JOURNALISM JOBS 

NEW YORK CITY

NEW: -The New York Philharmonic is hiring a social media manager to manage its social media calendar, including managing creative and copy from beginning to end. Candidates should have some experience managing social media for a brand. The salary range is $70,000-$85,000. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: -Condé Nast is hiring a copy director for its Condé Nast Content Integrity Group (CIG), “a shared-resources division of copy editors and researchers who support a range of consumer titles and content.” Candidates should have at least a decade of experience copyediting consumer magazines. The salary range is $82,000-$120,000. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: -The New York of Academy of Sciences is hiring a digital content manager to develop and implement a content strategy, including producing “blog posts, articles, features, reports, videos, photo galleries, podcasts, and other materials.” Candidates should have at least three years of editorial or strategic communications experience. The salary range is $70,000-$75,000. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

-The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation is hiring a digital content coordinator to develop content on its website and social media channels, including written, photo, and video content. Candidates should have at least three years of web, social media, or digital content production experience. The salary range is $55,000-$65,000. The deadline to apply is next Friday, September 15. 

WASHINGTON, DC

NEW: -The DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative is hiring an engagement manager to “develop and implement engagement strategies through marketing, social media, events, and other communications needs,” including creating and managing a monthly newsletter. Candidates should have some prior experience with DC non-profit arts/education programs. The salary is $55,000. The position can be remote, however, “priority will be given to applicants who live in DC.” No application deadline info was given for this role.  

NEW: -Pew Research Center is hiring a senior researcher on its News and Information Team to study “the changing ways Americans learn about the major trends and events shaping society.” Candidates should have at least 15 years of social science research experience, “with a minimum of 10 years of specialized survey research and analysis experience expected.” The starting salary is $120,000. No application deadline info was given for this role.  

CALIFORNIA

NEW: –Goodreads is hiring a San Francisco-based program manager to “lead the development and implementation of social media content.” Candidates should have at least three years of program or project management experience and three years of copywriting skills. The salary range is $59,300-$142,800 (lol). No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NORTHWEST

NEW: -Brooks is hiring a Seattle-based copywriter to “develop a wide range of work, from brand campaigns to video concepts to product headlines to packaging copy.” Candidates should have at least three years of writing experience, with some “technical writing experience and/or creative agency experience preferred.” The salary range is $67,091.50-$100,688. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

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EVENTS

NEW: -The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas is hosting a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on “how to use ChatGPT and other generative AI tools in your newsrooms.” The four-week event will teach students about the types of AI that can be leveraged across news operations — and what tech developments the next few years may bring. The course will be held from September 25 through October 22. 

NEW: -The Institute for Independent Journalists is hosting a series of free webinars throughout fall and winter for independent journalists, especially those within the BIPOC community. The topics include: Health and Science Journalism (September 29), Sustaining Your Long-Form Journalism Career (October 27), Business and Personal Finance Editors Panel (November 17), and more. See their page for a full list of events. 

-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: -Black Public Media is accepting applications for its 2023 Open Call. The program is focused on climate stories that “present the voice of the Black community as it relates to our changing environment.” The awards include one $30,000 award to a stand-alone or limited series short project, plus five $40,000 awards and one $150,000 award for broadcast-length or feature projects. The deadline to apply is September 25.

-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

-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 NAJA Next Gen Radio: Indigenous and Oregon Public Broadcasting. There is no fee for the program, and stipends are available to selected reporters. The deadlines to apply are this Sunday, September 10 for the Tulsa-based newsroom, October 1 for the Oregon-based newsroom, and October 15 for the Albuquerque, NM-based newsroom.  

-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.