What are the responsibilities and job description for the Gwen Ifill PBS News Fellowship (Summer) position at WETA?
Brief Description
POSITION OVERVIEW:
This 10-week PBS News Hour summer fellowship was created in honor of award-winning anchor, reporter, and author Gwen Ifill, the former PBS News Hour co-anchor and managing editor and Washington Week moderator and managing editor. The Fellow participates in the development and production of the PBS News Hour. Primary responsibilities as assigned by the Senior Broadcast Producer will be to: research national, international, and political news stories; gather editorial information and video elements; cover live events; generate story ideas; copy edit; assist with video editing; and produce broadcast and web content.
Primary Responsibilities
As our fellow you’ll:
Participate in the development and production of PBS News Hour by:
Core Competencies
WETA and NewsHour Productions are Washington, DC established media and news organizations. We are a largely local workforce based out of the Campbell Place office in Arlington, VA. WETA and NewsHour Productions value employee flexibility when possible. Most positions based in our Arlington, VA office will be onsite or hybrid, depending upon the role.
Company Overview
WETA and its subsidiary NewsHour Productions LLC serve local and national public media audiences by producing and distributing content of intellectual integrity and cultural merit. Through broadcast, digital and community services, the organization offers compelling, diverse programming on five television channels, including primary channel WETA PBS, and on WETA Classical, the exclusive home for classical music in the nation’s capital; produces a portfolio of national television productions, including PBS NewsHour, recognized globally for bringing balanced, in-depth news coverage to all Americans; creates impactful documentaries with longtime production partners Ken Burns and Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; features a variety of content offerings on weta.org, WETA Passport, the PBS Video App and the WETA Classical App; and serves communities near and far with education and engagement initiatives that contribute to the company’s mission of public service. Benefits | WETA
Equal Employment Opportunity
WETA and NewsHour Productions are equal opportunity employers committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and internships. WETA and NewsHour Productions make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
This 10-week PBS News Hour summer fellowship was created in honor of award-winning anchor, reporter, and author Gwen Ifill, the former PBS News Hour co-anchor and managing editor and Washington Week moderator and managing editor. The Fellow participates in the development and production of the PBS News Hour. Primary responsibilities as assigned by the Senior Broadcast Producer will be to: research national, international, and political news stories; gather editorial information and video elements; cover live events; generate story ideas; copy edit; assist with video editing; and produce broadcast and web content.
Primary Responsibilities
As our fellow you’ll:
Participate in the development and production of PBS News Hour by:
- Researching issues and preparing background information for news segments
- Produce video, sound, and graphic elements that may include package production. Log and archive video feeds, maintain production notes and assist with editing.
- Organize scripts for live, daily broadcasts.
- Create web content and features including, but not limited to interviews, podcasts, web chats, etc.
- Collaborate with outside sources on securing production elements related to the program.
Core Competencies
- Excellent writing and research skills.
- Demonstrated interest in journalism and/or television production.
- Knowledge of various research sources with particular emphasis on using the web as a research tool.
- Professional phone manner and solid administrative skills.
- Strong work ethic and effective time management.
- Knowledge of PBS News Hour’s journalist style.
- US Citizen.
- Current Undergraduate or Graduate student enrolled and in good standing at a college/university as of January 1, 2026, who will not be graduating in May 2026.
- Proof of academic achievement in college/university.
- Recipient of need-based financial assistance for college/university education.
- Autobiographical essay to be no longer than 400 words.
- High School Diploma / GED
- Current Undergraduate or Graduate student enrolled and in good standing at a college/university as of January 1, 2026, who will not be graduating in May 2026.
WETA and NewsHour Productions are Washington, DC established media and news organizations. We are a largely local workforce based out of the Campbell Place office in Arlington, VA. WETA and NewsHour Productions value employee flexibility when possible. Most positions based in our Arlington, VA office will be onsite or hybrid, depending upon the role.
Company Overview
WETA and its subsidiary NewsHour Productions LLC serve local and national public media audiences by producing and distributing content of intellectual integrity and cultural merit. Through broadcast, digital and community services, the organization offers compelling, diverse programming on five television channels, including primary channel WETA PBS, and on WETA Classical, the exclusive home for classical music in the nation’s capital; produces a portfolio of national television productions, including PBS NewsHour, recognized globally for bringing balanced, in-depth news coverage to all Americans; creates impactful documentaries with longtime production partners Ken Burns and Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; features a variety of content offerings on weta.org, WETA Passport, the PBS Video App and the WETA Classical App; and serves communities near and far with education and engagement initiatives that contribute to the company’s mission of public service. Benefits | WETA
Equal Employment Opportunity
WETA and NewsHour Productions are equal opportunity employers committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and internships. WETA and NewsHour Productions make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.