Opportunities 01/12/2023

TIME, BuzzFeed News, Associated Press, and more.

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 currently in Naples contemplating the perils of aging ahead of their 31st birthday. The newsletter is released on Thursdays. Once in a while, we take a day off for mental health breaks and holidays, which is why we took an extremely necessary holiday break for a few weeks. 

►To help make the Opps better for all of our members, we introduced an Opps Feedback Form. Let us know what we can do to improve the newsletter.

►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 new Jobs Webform.

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

►Make space for your ideas with SVA’s MA program in Design Research, Writing & Criticism. The nine-month, intensive course runs from Sept through May and is aimed at established or emerging writers who want to look at the world through the lens of design. Send inquiries to [email protected] and begin your application by this Sunday, January 15 for priority consideration for 2023-24 scholarship funding!

►Public Books — the online mag of ideas, arts, and scholarship — is hiring a managing editor! The position is FT and residence in New York state is required (but remote work is acceptable).  The salary range is $75,500-$77,500, and the salary and benefits are through Columbia University. Apply today!

►New Year, Same ADHD?  AllDayDreaming.org is a member-only community of talented ADHD creatives who want better focus, smarter productivity, and less burnout. We offer virtual co-working and support group sessions. Get unstuck and join today.

>> The Classified Ads are back and better than ever. We’ve expanded our Ad model to include placement in our two weekly newsletters: Thursday’s Opportunities and our Digest newsletters. We also offer add-on placement for Slack and Listserv posts. Want to promote your job opening / pitch call / new project / ecommerce brand? Click through for rates, testimonials, and to get in touch. <<

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RESOURCES

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. 

NEW: -The Fund for Investigative Journalism provides emergency grants of up to $10,000 for stories on threats to democracy in the US. The fund reviews proposals on a rolling basis and ends on January 1, 2024.

-The Reporting Job Board by Investigative Reporters and Editors is a continually updated website for jobs in reporting, editing, academia, and more.

-“Knowing the News” is a new study by the American Press Institute about how Gen Z and Millennials get information on essential topics. The study focuses on six topics: national politics and government; social issues; crime and public safety; traffic, transportation, and weather; COVID-19 information; and health or mental health.

–Accessible Social is a free resource hub that helps make your social media content more accessible to people with temporary or permanent disabilities, including vision and hearing impairments.

Want more resources? Check out Resources For Journalists Seeking Therapy; Trans Journalists Association’s Style Guide; NBCC Book Coverage Publication List; Who’s Behind This Website Checklist; SpotlightDC Investigative Journalism Fund; United States Journalism Emergency Fund; Transcription Tool Safety Guide; Labor Action Tracker; Rate Sharing Database; NPR Diverse Sources Database; Online Violence Response Hub; Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Journalists Therapy Relief Fund; Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund; Developing An Investigative Pitch Guide; Britany Robinson’s Big List of Writing Deadlines; Study Hall Transcriber Database; Study Hall Fact Checkers Database; Freelancing Guide/Editorial Contacts spreadsheet; #FreelancerPayGap spreadsheet; Pitch Guide Database; Chelsea’s Guide to Freelancing doc; PACER; Priya Krishna’s resources for food writing; Election SOS Report; and the Extremism Coverage Prep Guide.

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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 being above $100 USD for around 700-800 words and above $0.10 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 RATES

–The Food Section is looking for pitches of reported stories on food and drink in the American South. The rate is $1,000 for 1,200 words, and may also cover some expenses. See their pitch guide for more info, including how to pitch.

–Narratively is looking for pitches of first-person essays or reported articles on “inspiring and dramatic stories that celebrate Black broadcast journalists who have broken down barriers and blazed their own trails.” The rates start at $1,000 per story. Send pitches through their pitch form by January 27.

–Inherited, a podcast on climate change, is looking for pitches of stories on the “themes of earth, air, fire, water, and ether through [their] ongoing lens of climate and youth” for their third season. They are “specifically seeking pitches from young (17-24) BIPOC folks and those from marginalized or frontline communities, with first-time storytellers especially encouraged to apply.” The rates start at $750 per story and while there is no minimum length for a piece, they are “unlikely to produce pieces longer than 25 minutes.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches by January 31.

–The New Republic is looking for pitches of reported stories on inequality, including the social safety net, corporate shenanigans, the labor movement, Indian Country and tribal sovereignty, and more. The rates start at $400, but tend to be around $0.50-$1 per word “based on the extent of reporting required.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected].

-NYU’s LatinxProject is looking for pitches of essays on algorithms, AI, Web3, and other topics for their spring exhibition. Pitches are welcome from all freelance writers, not only NYU students. The rate is $300 for up to 1,500 words, and goes up to $500 for longer pieces. Send pitches to [email protected] by January 30.

–Passionfruit, the Daily Dot’s creator economy newsletter, is looking for pitches of think pieces, interviews, and reported features on “creator economy business news, viral labor stories, [and] investigations into unfair business practices against creators” centered around Black History Month. The rates start at $250 for think pieces, $300 for interviews, and $450 for reported features. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Time Out is looking for pitches of features on interesting underground scenes and subcultures happening in the UK (esp. outside of London). They are particularly interested in pitches on “unlikely music hubs, experimental fashion and art, niche interests, [and] urban sports.” The rate is £0.25 ($0.30 USD) per word. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Mildew is looking for pitches of stories on “secondhand fashion, vintage clothes, fashion history, creative reuse, [and] recycling” that “inspires readers to think about old clothes in new ways.” They are also interested in “flea market photo tours from around the world, and explorations of how your culture shapes ideas around reuse.” The rates start at $150. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] by January 22.

–Parents.com is looking for pitches of essays and features on lifestyle, entertainment, and “family and parenting trends.” The rates start at $150 per piece. Send pitches to @sona_c on Twitter.

–Cake Zine is looking for pitches of essays, recipes, features, and other content on the theme of “humble pie,” including “broad interpretations of humiliation and hearty servings of contrition.” The rates range from $125-$175 for pieces of 350 words or less, $200 for 500-1,000 words, and $300 for up to 2,000 words. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches by 9AM EST TOMORROW, January 13.

NEW EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

–MIT Technology Review is always looking for pitches of news stories, features, profiles, essays, op-eds, and more on technology and, more specifically, the “areas where technology and humans collide — where technology meets the real world.” The rates range from $1-$2 per word. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to commissioning editor Rachel Courtland at [email protected] with “PITCH” in the subject line.

–SleepFoundation.org is always looking for pitches of stories related to sleep. They are particularly interested in pitches tied to current events, based on new data and research, and touching on social justice or sleep inequity. The rates start at $750 and roughly work out to $1 per word. See their pitch guide for more info.

–Business Insider is always looking for pitches of “character-driven and in-depth narrative features that break ground.” They are also interested in photo essays. The rates start at $1 per word for features. Send pitches to [email protected].

–TIME is always commissioning “experienced health and science journalists who can write smart, well-reported features on a variety of medical conditions” — including Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer, gut health, heart health, asthma, and more. Writers should have at least five years of experience covering health, science, or medicine. The rate is $1 per word for 1,800-word features. Send inquiries — including clips, one or two paragraphs about your experience, and which conditions you want to cover — to [email protected].

–Mother Jones is always commissioning online features and magazine stories, including “culture essays, back-of-the-book columns, front-of-the-book dispatches, and features or profiles.” The rates start at $0.75 for online and $1.75 for print. See their pitch guide for more info and their staff page for who to pitch.

–BuzzFeed News is always looking for pitches of essays and reported pieces on “smart, ambitious, and unexpected tech-related stories.” The rates are $0.33 per word for essays and $0.50 per word for reported pieces. Send pitches to [email protected] with “pitch” in the subject line.

–Audubon Society is always looking for pitches of essays, deep dives, reported features, and other formats on “how climate change is affecting birds and ecosystems.” The rates are roughly $.50 per word for online and $1 per word for print. See their pitch guide for more info, including how to pitch.

–The Daily Dot is always looking for pitches of reported features on sports and internet culture for their Presser series on “the intersection between sports, identity, and the internet, as well as their Pixel Pitch series with Striker. The rates range from $450-$750 for 1,500 words, “with at least three sources quoted.” Send pitches to [email protected].

–Passionfruit, the Daily Dot’s creator economy newsletter, is always looking for pitches of think pieces, interviews, and reported features on “creator economy business news, viral labor stories, investigations into unfair business practices against creators,” and more. The rates start at $250 for think pieces, $300 for interviews, and $450 for reported features. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Catapult is always looking for pitches of first-person essays “driven by cultural analysis.” They are particularly interested in pitches on “travel and postcolonial writing, immigration and homes, gender and sexuality, food and drink, style, architecture, classical art, video games, and any intersection of those subjects.” The rates start at $200 per essay. See their pitch guide for more info.

–Sentient Media is always looking for pitches of reported stories, analysis, and news pieces on “the impacts, injustices, and consequences of meat and dairy farming.” The rates start at $200 per piece and increase based on reporting and research. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected].

–The Tennessee Lookout is always commissioning writers for news stories, enterprise pieces, longform features, and investigations on politics and policy issues in the state. “Knowledge of Tennessee is helpful but not necessary.” The rates range from $150-$200 for dailies, $400-$500 for enterprise, and $1,000-$2,000 for longform and investigative pieces up to 3,500 words. Send inquiries to [email protected].

–Autostraddle is always commissioning Black queer writers to produce culture pieces. The rates range from $100-$200 per piece. Send inquiries to [email protected].

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL LIST OF 200+ EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES.

FREELANCE, PART-TIME, AND TEMPORARY JOBS

–Delish is hiring a temporary social video coordinator to help ideate, produce, and edit social videos. Candidates should have a “solid sense of what type of content people respond to on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.” The rate is $25 per hour, and the position requires working 20 hours per week on a hybrid remote and in-office schedule in New York City. The deadline to apply is this Tuesday, January 17.

-ioby is hiring a part-time content writer to produce two pieces of content per month that “helps establish ioby as an expert voice in the fields of grassroots fundraising, organizing, and movement-building.” Candidates should have some experience writing about civic leadership, fundraising, movements for social and racial justice, and other related topics. The rate is $50 per hour, “with the expectation that you’ll work about 8-10 hours per month.” There is no deadline to apply, but the start date is February 1.

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS

-The Fund for Investigative Journalism is accepting applications for their paid Investigative Story Grant program. The program aims to provide grants of up to $10,000 to produce “investigative stories that break new ground and uncover wrongdoing in the public or private sectors.” Stories “must be published in a US media outlet in English” and “come from a US-based reporter or have a strong US angle.” The deadline to apply is January 30.

FELLOWSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

–Insider is accepting applications for their paid Reporting Fellowship program. The program can be done in one of the following tracks: tech and trending news (East Coast or remote), and economy (remote). The program pays $20 per hour and fellows are expected to work full-time for six months (plus “overtime when needed and approved”). According to the assistant managing editor, Andrew Leung, the start date for each fellowship “would likely be February/early March.” Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

–The Philadelphia Inquirer is accepting applications for their paid summer internship program. The program can be done in one of the following tracks: features, business, news, health, opinion, Now desk reporting, audience development, or visuals and photography. The internship pays $18 per hour and interns are expected to work 30 hours per week for nine weeks (from June through August). The deadline to apply is February 1.

JOBS

NEW YORK CITY

–The Infatuation is hiring a senior editor to manage their team, including editing every review, guide, and newsletter. Candidates should have at least five years of editing experience, some management experience, and a passion for restaurants and NYC. The salary range is $85,000-$130,000, commensurate with experience, and “you’ll get a $30,000 annual restaurant budget for dining out.”

-The Associated Press is hiring for multiple positions, including a New York City reporter and a business reporter. Candidates for both positions should have at least two years of reporting experience, and “professional competency in a language besides English is a plus.” No salary info was given for these roles. The deadline to apply is this Wednesday, January 18 for the NYC reporter and January 24 for the business reporter position.

CENTRAL

–WZMQ 19 is hiring a Marquette, Michigan-based reporter to cover inequality, affordable housing, food insecurity, healthcare, and education. Candidates should have some reporting experience, and “television news experience is preferred.”

SOUTH

–Scalawag is hiring for multiple positions, including a creative director to build their visual brand and an editor-in-chief to guide their team. Candidates for the EIC positions should have at least three years of management experience, and candidates for both positions must live in or be from the South and be able to “articulate an understanding of [the] region’s politics and political struggle.” The salary is $93,600 for the creative director and $99,840 for the EIC. Both positions can be remote within the US South; for the creative director role, preference is given to candidates based in Atlanta, New Orleans, or Durham. The deadline to apply for both positions is TOMORROW, January 13. 

-The Associated Press is hiring a San Antonio, TX-based reporter to cover immigration, which will include regularly traveling to the US-Mexico border. Candidates should have at least two years of reporting experience, and “fluency in Spanish is a major plus.” No salary info was given for this role. The deadline to apply is January 20.

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

–BBC Worklife is hiring a deputy editor to commission and edit daily reported features from their freelance contributors around the world. Candidates should have at least five years of experience “editing reported, narrative digital features with both short- and long lead times.” The salary range is $80,000-$95,000, commensurate with experience. The position can be remote or based in New York, Washington, DC, or London — though “you must be authorized to work in the United States to be considered for this role.”

-The Southern Poverty Law Center is hiring a managing editor to supervise their staff and produce their bi-annual print and digital magazine, Learning for Justice. Candidates should have at least five years of writing and editing experience and three years of editorial management experience. The minimum salary is  $105,840, commensurate with experience. The position can be remote or based in one of the cities they have an office in.