Next Generation Internship

The PBS Wisconsin Next Generation internship is designed for students currently enrolled in their second year or above of a two or four year college, and is meant to prepare students of color, and those from other groups underrepresented in the media industry, for a successful career in public media. The successful candidate will work with PBS Wisconsin in one of four focus areas: Production, Design, Marketing & Engagement, or Development. The internship will last at minimum for one academic year, with the potential to continue until graduation.

PBS Wisconsin’s mission is to boldly enrich, educate and entertain diverse audiences of children and adults through the innovative use of television production and broadcasting, other communication technologies and community engagement. We provide access to local and national content, extending its reach and impact in the communities we serve, and reach over 1.4 million households in the state of Wisconsin.

The Next Generation intern will receive close supervision and coaching as a professional in public media, increasingly receiving more project responsibility as professional growth is demonstrated. The successful candidate will be flexible in terms of project assignments, with the option to become more heavily involved on a higher level, depending on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and desired area of study.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Current enrollment in the second or higher year of study at a two to four year college, with a focus area in either production, design, marketing & engagement, or development
2. Ability to work an average of 15-20 hours/week
3. Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
4. Some travel necessary

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

1. High standards of journalistic integrity
2. Passion for public media
3. Knowledge and understanding of public broadcasting journalistic ethics

POSITION SUMMARY/JOB DUTIES
The Next Generation intern will begin in the Fall Semester (exact date TBD) and is considered a developmental project assistant. Regular and concentrated coaching on writing, editing, and other aspects of media production, design, marketing, or development is an important element of this internship. There is also potential for the intern to contribute to PBS Wisconsin’s online efforts, such as posting photos or raw audio to our website, helping to create special pages for future projects, etc.

NOTE: Because of ongoing campus COVID restrictions and accommodations, some of these internship experiences may be virtual/remote or hybrid in nature.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (choose one of the following focus areas):

Design Focus Area:

• Animation: Learn the fundamentals of animation production including how to pitch a concept, develop storyboards and animatics, and produce a final animation. Gain an understanding of concept art development, storytelling, character design, and the animation principles of timing and movement.
• Environment Design: Learn how to create both physical and digital environments for a variety of productions, multimedia projects, and events.  Gain experience with creative spatial design problem-solving, layout and construction methodologies.
• Graphic Design: Learn how to conceptualize, develop, and produce digital and print designs by creating on-brand, compelling visual assets.  Gain experience in working within established brand and style guidelines and creating original design work for both production and promotional uses.
• Motion Graphics & Live Broadcast Graphics: Learn the concepts for designing and animating multimedia graphics and video content through storytelling, design, and animation principles. Gain insight into how artistic design, photography, video, infographics, and kinetic typography are combined to create dynamic, visual content.  Learn how to use a Character Generator to design and provide real-time graphics for remote and in-studio productions.

Goal: Build understanding and competence in design work that can provide a useful skillset for someone pursuing a career in one of these facets of design.  Spend time learning the ins and outs of each specialty unit within Design: Animation, Environment Design, Graphic Design and/or Motion Graphics.

Development Focus Area:

• Fundamentals and practice of communication with donors: Learn and practice written communication with donors, distinguishing between one-to-many, one-to-some, and one-to-one communications. Communications will have varying goals and authors. Media may include email, print pieces, newsletter articles, and direct correspondence.
• Fundamentals and practice of donor stewardship: After a donor has made a gift, assist with and engage in the activities that show gratitude and appreciation, further build the relationship with the donor, assure that their gift is applied according to their intent, report on station activities, and build toward the next gift.
• Development backshop: Hands on work with constituent relationship management, gift processing, and portfolio management.
• Intra-organizational collaboration: Learn how development communicates, engages, and collaborates with the other departments within PBS Wisconsin, both to advance development work and to advance the organization’s mission. Learn how development communicates and works with its Board of Directors.

Goal: Build understanding and competence in fundraising and development work that can be used either to advance a career in development and/or be a useful skillset for someone working independently or needing to interact with a development team. Spend time learning the ins and outs of each specialty unit within development: Membership, Corporate Support, Major Gifts, Planned Giving, Special Events, and Grant Writing.

Marketing and Communications Focus Area:

1. Promotions:This includes working across platforms to build awareness and engagement around key projects.  Involves publicity, social, marketing, copywriting, etc.
2. Community Engagement:  Includes developing and stewarding partnerships, events and forums at various levels across the state relating to priority projects.  Topics range from early childhood events to community film screenings, veterans’ advocacy work and more.
3. Digital:  A broad area representing opportunities on the technical development and design side, on the content creation and engagement side, and right down the middle in areas such as UX and immersive experiences.

Goal: Build understanding and competence in marketing and communications work that can be used either to advance a career in the field of marketing and communications and/or be a useful skillset for someone pursuing a career in media production, development, etc. Spend time learning the ins and outs of each specialty unit within Marketing/Communications: Promotions, Community Engagement, Design and Digital.

Media Production Focus Area:

1. News and Public Affairs Reporting: Journalistic fundamentals and production practices of reporting on state politics and issues. Learn and practice journalistic editorial and ethics best practices, research and pitch skills, source building, interview skills, oral and written communication with sources and other team members, scripting for a visual medium and voice-over performance. Work will encompass many platforms, including broadcast, online and social channels.
2. Storytelling Reporting/Producing: Journalistic fundamentals and production practices of reporting and producing narrative-driven stories about Wisconsin’s people and places. Learn and practice journalistic editorial and ethics best practices, research and pitch skills, source building, oral and written communication with sources and other team members, interview skills, scripting for a visual medium and voice-over performance. Work will encompass many platforms, including broadcast, online and social channels.
3. Documentary Production: Journalistic fundamentals and production practices of producing long-form history, cultural or news documentaries. Learn and practice journalistic editorial and ethics best practices, research and pitch skills, source building, oral and written communication with sources and other team members, interview skills, scripting for a visual medium and voice-over performance. Work will encompass many platforms, including broadcast, online and social channels.
4. Digital Media Production: Journalistic fundamentals and production practices of conceptualizing and producing original, digital-first content. Learn and practice journalistic editorial and ethics best practices, research and pitch skills, source building, oral and written communication with sources and other team members, interview skills, scripting for a visual medium, desktop editing and voice-over performance.  Work will encompass digital and social channels.
5. Videography and Video/Audio Editing: Fundamentals and production practices videography and editing for broadcast and digital platforms. Learn and practice professional grade field and studio camera operation, lighting techniques, audio recording best practices, non-linear editing and oral/ written communication with sources and other team members. Work will encompass many platforms, including broadcast, online and social channels.

Goal: Build understanding and competence in media production work that can be used either to advance a career in production and/or be a useful skillset for someone pursuing a career in development, marketing, etc.  Spend time learning the ins and outs of each unit of Media Production: News, Feature Reporting, Documentaries, Digital-First and Videography/Editing.

ANTICIPATED START DATE	Fall semester, 2021
ANTICIPATED END DATE (IF APPLICABLE)	Minimum of one semester
ANTICIPATED HOURS/WEEK	15-20
SCHEDULE	M-F, arranged with supervisor
SALARY/WAGE	$12/hour

HOW TO APPLY
Apply at https://studentjobs.wisc.edu/ by  May 24, 2021. The job number is 498774. A completed application will include:

• A comprehensive résumé
• A detailed cover letter explaining: how you meet the qualifications, why this internship meets your career development needs and which focus area you prefer
• A list of two (2) professional references, including an email contact for each (references may be tied to your academic career)

Direct inquiries and online support questions to: Erin Cook, PBS Wisconsin, 821 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, 608-263-0477.