The Mike Simonson Fellowship is a two-year position that offers an early career journalist the opportunity to develop their investigative reporting skills. The fellow will be embedded in the newsroom at Wisconsin Watch and will work closely with editors at Wisconsin Public Radio to produce in-depth stories for radio, print, and the web. Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit investigative newsroom that distributes stories to news outlets across the state free of charge. WPR's news department seeks to empower Wisconsin's communities through rigorous reporting that provides context, holds public officials accountable, and sheds clarifying light on complex topics. The person in this role should have radio experience and excellent communication skills including newsgathering and reporting techniques. This position will report to the News Director.
Responsibilities:
Researches, prepares, and reports stories that are balanced, issue-oriented, and analytical for use in news and/or public affairs programs. Employs editorial judgement to select sources, conducts and records interviews, writes scripts, and may edit audio and/or video during the production of reporting assignments.
60% Contributes content including interviewing sources, writing stories/reports, and completing other necessary production tasks to create news/public affairs reports
10% Applies editorial judgment and maintains industry standards of journalistic ethics and excellence
20% Stays abreast of developments in assigned areas, maintains contacts on continued stories to ensure follow-up, and researches topic areas to provide in-depth reports
10% Collaborates with digital content teams on both long-term and short-term multimedia projects
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion
Qualifications:
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS -At least 1 year of audio news experience -Demonstrated experience in producing in-depth reporting -Excellent communication skills including newswriting for broadcasting and online
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS -Proven ability to work in both independent and collaborative settings -Demonstrated ability to operate audio production equipment -Knowledge and understanding of Wisconsin news, culture, issues, and personalities. -Demonstrated ability or interest in reaching under-covered communities. -Experience working in public media
Work Type:
Full Time: 100%
It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.
Appointment Type, Duration:
Terminal, 12 month appointment. This position has the possibility to be extended or converted to an ongoing appointment based on need and/or funding
Salary:
Minimum $48,000 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications
Additional Information:
The person in this position will be required to comply with the Ethical Guidelines for Editorial Staff of Wisconsin Public Radio and Television located here: https://www.wpr.org/wpr-ethical-guidelines, in addition to the UW-Madison code of ethics.
The University of Wisconsin is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
The following must be received for your application to be complete: 1) Resume; 2) A cover letter describing how your experience relates to the listed required and preferred job qualifications. 3) Samples of the broadcast stories and/or web articles produced for three news stories.
Note that as the process progresses, we will need three professional references and their contact information. At least one should be a current or former supervisor.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.
Employment will require a criminal background check. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has been a catalyst for the extraordinary since its founding in 1848. Our students, staff, and faculty partake in world-class education and conduct prolific research that solves real-world problems. Our guiding principle is the Wisconsin Idea, a commitment to outreach that creates a better future for our state, our nation, and the world. We value the contributions of each person and recognize that diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation.