Internships, News Assistants and Fellowships

At WETA, we have three different pathways into public broadcasting. Participants in our programs will gain educational and practical experiences in the field of public broadcasting and news journalism. We currently have three programs designed for college students and recent graduates. Each provides a unique perspective into the world of public media.

Internships
News Assistants
Fellowships

Internships

WETA’s internship program is offered year round and designed to provide students and recent graduates with an educational and practical experience in the workforce, specifically the field of public broadcasting. Intern schedules may range from full time to part time. Various departments offer internship opportunities at WETA ranging from Communications to TV Broadcasting, from Corporate Marketing to National Outreach.

Interns may also participate in events outside of their daily tasks, such as tours of other public broadcasting facilities, learning sessions with managers and opportunities to sit in on live broadcasts.

Internship sessions follow the below schedule:

Spring Session: January – April
Application deadline: November 15^th
Summer Session: May – August
Application deadline: March 31^st
Fall Session: September – December
Application deadline: July 31^st

Application deadlines are firm unless otherwise noted. All applications received before the deadline are considered for the upcoming session only.

Applicants are contacted only if selected for an interview.

To be eligible, interns must be currently enrolled in a college or university or have graduated within 12 months from the beginning of the internship. Interns may receive academic credit for their internship if approved and arranged by their educational institution.

All WETA internships are paid at $12/hr. Students are responsible for their own housing arrangements and transportation. WETA offers free parking.

Internships are currently available in the following departments:

News Assistants

PBS NewsHour

The News Assistant position is a paid, entry-level program designed for recent graduates and aimed at providing practical experience in a broadcast and digital news setting at PBS NewsHour. Each position is 1-year and is full time (40+ hours/week). The application period is approximately February - April.

News Assistant opportunities are available in four areas:

Production
Politics
Foreign Affairs
Social Media

Production

You will have the opportunity to particiapte in many aspects of producing a nightly television new program in our Production News Assistant position. You will rotate through some, or all, of the following areas: field shoots, research, logging, newsdesk, online.

Foreign Affairs/Politics

As a Foreign Affairs or Politics News Assistant, you will work with the respective beat, assisting with the creation of our stories. You may have the opportunity to assist with some, or all, of the following duties: research, pre-interviews, guest booking, transcriptions, field shoots and tape production.

Social Media

For this position, we’re looking for creative thinkers with visionary ideas on how to tell science stories using social media. During your tenure, you will be involved in creating social media and other online content for PBS NewsHour’s science team. This includes pitching ideas, assisting in story research and development and producing original content for PBS NewsHour’s website and social media platforms. You will be encouraged to explore existing and emerging digital platforms with the purpose of telling stories in new and innovative ways. You will also have the opportunity to attend a series of breakfasts with various members of our organization — including correspondents, producers, and reporters — and have the opportunity to research, interview, and write for PBS NewsHour’s Rundown blog in addition to your daily support staff duties.

Fellowships

Gwen Ifill Washington Week Fellowship

The Gwen Ifill Washington Week Fellowship is named after the late Gwen Ifill who served as Moderator and Managing Editor of Washington Week from 1999 until her death in November 2016. The Fellowship provides college graduates hands-on, real-world experience working on a news analysis program. The fellowship is a 6 month, full-time position and includes a three thousand dollar ($3,000) per month stipend (less applicable taxes and withholdings). Washington Week is PBS’s longest running news analysis program and is broadcast nationally. Fellowship terms typically run from January-June and July-December. The application period is approximately October for the January session, and May for the June session.

The Gwen Ifill/PBS NewsHour Journalism Fellowship

The Gwen Ifill/PBS NewsHour Journalism Fellowship was created with funding from the Washington Press Club Foundation in honor of Gwen Ifill, the award-winning former PBS NewsHour co-anchor and managing editor. The fellowship is a 10-week, 40+ hour per week position that pays $13/hr. Current undergraduate and graduate students in good standing with their college/university and enrolled as of January 1 are eligible to apply. Applications will be accepted spring each year.