News Intern - The Bellingham Herald

The McClatchy Company•Bellingham, WA

55d•$19 - $19•Onsite

About The Position

The Bellingham Herald values early-career journalists. You are the future of our industry. Our interns have moved on to become reporters, editors and publishers at news organizations across the country and beyond. Join us in Bellingham, Washington, as a paid intern and gain practical education and professional experience while having a great time working alongside reporters and editors in our newsroom. You will work on stories, be assigned a mentor and talk about the ever-changing world of journalism with experts, from our president and regional editor to investigative journalists. What should you know about our company? We are part of McClatchy, a digitally driven company focused on innovation, with newsrooms in 30 communities in the United States. Our headquarters is in Bellingham, Washington, a vibrant and scenic place to live. The community is thriving with an array of new restaurants, breweries and cultural attractions, including galleries and theaters. Nestled between the Salish Sea and the North Cascades, Bellingham offers abundant outdoor activities like kayaking, hiking and skiing. With easy access to two national parks - North Cascades and Mount Baker - and the San Juan Islands, nature is always close. Plus, the bustling city of Vancouver, B.C. is just an hour's drive away. We primarily serve Whatcom County, covering breaking news, weather, government and entertainment news. We are an award-winning organization with a reputation for accuracy, fairness, credibility and civic purpose. Our investigations bring about change. Our community involvement touches readers. We deliver information to them quickly and truthfully. What's the goal of this internship? Our goals are many. First is to educate and train aspiring journalists in the principles and rigors of their desired profession. Second is to bring new voices to our newsroom to give us fresh perspectives. Third is to put you to work - you will write stories (or take photos, create social media plans or make videos). Fourth, this can be a try-out. We are surveying and assessing future journalists either to fill jobs or to recommend to our colleagues in other news organizations around the nation. How does the internship work? Our interns are vital and we value them. The program works this way: Internships are generally 12 weeks, 40 hours per week, and interns earn $19.13 an hour. Schedule could include weekend hours. You will learn how to cover a wide variety of local news. This is a general assignment internship that will give you an array of clips and experience. You might write a breaking news story about a crime one day, a profile about a new business opening the next, and cover a city council measure later in the week. You will be assigned stories and will also be responsible for pitching story ideas throughout the internship. Most interns work with an editor to choose one larger project to work on throughout their time in the newsroom that is published as the culmination of their internship. Each intern, while being assigned to the newsroom and responsive to its supervisors, also has a peer mentor.

Requirements

The ability to write quickly, accurately and well.
Solid news judgment and excellent journalism ethics.
A deep curiosity and high energy.
Self-motivation, with an instinctive grasp of what is important and interesting to audiences on all platforms, including social media.
A collaborative style that works comfortably across teams spread throughout the office and company.
Ability to find great stories that are highly readable and contribute to our mission.
Ability to use SEO smartly and strategically and to understand other audience growth processes.
Experience using data and research to inform reporting.
A commitment to diverse coverage through community engagement and source building.
Proficient knowledge of technology, including content management systems and storytelling tools.
Ability to quickly and accurately research and verify the authenticity of information, sources, photos and video.
Must have reliable transportation and a valid driver's license and vehicle insurance (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).