Note: applicants do not have to be an American citizen to take part in the program but international applicants must obtain their own visas. The fellowship is open to anyone with an interest in pursuing radio, web-based or other forms of journalism and to a broad range of individuals, ages and backgrounds.
The Pritzker Fellowships program is designed to fulfill our most important goal: to discover, encourage and train the best possible representatives of a diverse new generation of public-media talent.
WHAT THE PRITZKER FELLOWSHIPS OFFER
Two Pritzker Fellowships will be awarded each year to diverse candidates who aspire to become journalists and who show promise as radio producers, journalists and story tellers.
The Pritzker Fellowships will offer high level mentorship and professional development focused on journalism. Pritzker Fellows will be given rigorous training in public radio journalism and will work alongside some of the nation’s most respected reporters, producers and editors.
Each Pritzker Fellow will receive a stipend of $20,000 and will receive the same benefits enjoyed by employees of Chicago Public Media.
Applications are now open for the 2012 Prizker fellowships. You can apply online here.
PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Throughout the training period, the Pritzker Fellows will work on many projects and develop skills within their chosen arena. The training will be extremely targeted and in-depth.
Pritzker Fellows will start off closely observing station life – from story production to field work. They will be given the opportunity to meet our experts and learn more about what they do.
Throughout the first months, Fellows will be given basic story production and editing training, including:
- Journalism, ethics training
- Audio and video production
- Writing for the radio and web
- On-air skills
- Web production
Based on specific areas of interest, Pritzker Fellows will be paired with a mentor for the remainder of the program. That mentor will be a senior level journalist or producer who will provide rigorous coaching, critique, hands-on opportunities, and special assignments.
By the end of the program, each Pritzker Fellow will be expected to produce a feature story as their final project. Throughout their months at the station, they will work closely with their mentor to define the project and to receive the training needed to make it a success.
DURATION
Professional training will be provided at the WBEZ studios over a period of nine months, with full 40-hour work weeks required. The program will begin in July 2011 and conclude in April 2012. Fellows are expected to make the program their primary focus during the term of the Fellowships.
Each Pritzker Fellow will be awarded a stipend of $20,000 and will receive the same benefits enjoyed by employees of Chicago Public Media. The stipend will open the door to applicants who otherwise would not be in a position to consider participation in an extended training program.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Anyone with an interest in pursuing radio, web-based or other forms of journalism and meets the requirements below is eligible.
The program is open to a broad range of individuals, ages and backgrounds. We especially encourage interested minority candidates to apply. Consideration will be given only to candidates nominated by a community-based not–for-profit organization and who possess the following characteristics:
- Exceptional communication aptitude
- Have not earned a degree in journalism
- Will not be enrolled in an academic program throughout the duration of the program
- Show promise as radio journalists and producers
TIME FRAME
Chicago Public Media will begin accepting applications on April 06, 2012. All applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 pm on May13, 2012. We will not accept any applications or changes to applications after the deadline.
The 2012 Pritzker Fellows will be announced in June 2012. The Pritzker Fellowships will commence on July 6, 2012, and go through April 5, 2013.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants can apply for the program by going to: http://chicagopublicmedia.org/content/apply.
Nominations can be submitted by going to: http://chicagopublicmedia.org/content/nominate.
We will not accept any other form of submission. The application and nomination forms will only be accessible during the application period.
A COMPLETE APPLICATION PACKET MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
FROM THE APPLICANT:
1. Provide answers to the following questions:
- Why should we select you to be a Pritzker Fellow? (2,000 character maximum)
- What are your career goals and how do you think the Pritzker Fellowships will help you achieve these goals? (2,000 character maximum)
- What does media mean to you and how does it influence your life? (2,000 character maximum)
- What specific skills do you hope to learn or enhance during your time as a Pritzker Fellow and why? (2,000 character maximum)
- How have you been involved in your community, and why has your involvement been important to you? (2,000 character maximum)
2. Demonstrate your storytelling ability. Choose a story that is memorable and reflects your unique and distinct voice. Use audio, video, text or any other form of media which will make your story entertaining and informative.
3. Provide a current resume.
FROM THE NOMINATING ORGANIZATION
1. Provide a brief description of your organization (1,000 character maximum)
2. Provide a detailed letter addressing the following points (5,000 character maximum):
- How do you know the candidate?
- How have they been involved with your organizations and with community issues?
- Why do you think this person would make a good journalist or radio producer?
CHICAGOPUBLIC MEDIA
Chicago Public Media serves the public interest by creating and delivering diverse, compelling content that informs, inspires, enriches and entertains. Through a broad range of media platforms, we connect diverse audiences in our service area and beyond to one another. We help them make a difference in our communities, our region, and our world.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: bbosco@wbez.org (write Pritzker Fellowship in the subject field)
For submissions: apply online here
Website: http://chicagopublicmedia.org/
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