$5,000 environmental journalism award

Applications are being accepted for the 2008 Oakes Award, which awards $5,000 "to the author(s) of an article or single-topic series on an environmental issue initially published between October 1, 2007, and September 30, 2008."

Only newspaper and magazine articles are eligible. Entries must be received by November 1.

Photojournalism: How to break in

Attention aspiring photojournalists:

"Everyone entering the field must understand they must be better than established pros at everything," award-winning photojournalist Mark Hancock writes in CubReporters.org's latest career advice column. "They need superior technical skills, a business plan, access, outlets and a unique style. They must capture stories the world has never seen, or be able to tell old stories better than anyone ever has."

Read his full column on how to become a photojournalist. For more tips and to find photojournalism internships and jobs, visit Mark's photojournalism blog.

Freelance for North Shore, Mass. paper

The Town Common Newspaper, a weekly newspaper located in Massachusetts' North Shore region, seeks several reporters/writers with a camera. The paper covers the towns of Newburyport, Amesbury, Salisbury, Newbury, Byfield, Rowley, Ipswich and Georgetown. The freelancers will report on various subjects during weekdays and some weekends.

Technorati Profile

-Mark Grabowski

Reporter opening @ Houston-area weekly

Tomball Magnolia Tribune, a weekly Houston-area newspaper with over 100,000 readers, is seeking a full-time general assignment reporter. To apply, submit a resume and writing samples via e-mail to editor@tribunenews.com or by fax to 281-255-3082.

Part-time copy editor @ CNNmoney.com

CNNMoney.com is looking for a freelance copy editor to work part-time in its New York office. Work involves copy editing during 3-hour early morning and late afternoon shifts one or two times per week. Interested candidates should email moneyjob@turner.com.

One-year internship @ Jersey magazine

New Jersey Monthly, a regional magazine, is seeking a paid one-year editorial intern. The intern's duties include fact checking, research, maintaining calendars and some reporters for the magazine and its website. The full-time internship pays $8 per hour and includes benefits. Applicants should be familiar with New Jersey. The intern does not need to have a car because the magazine is located in Morristown, N.J., which is accessible by the regional train line.

Medical evidence boot camp for journalists

To help journalists who cover health and medicine, MIT’s Knight Science Journalism Fellowships program will offer an intensive course on how to evaluate medical evidence, Dec. 1-5.

"Medical researchers from MIT, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, the NIH, the FDA and other institutions will teach the course. They’ll explain how clinical trials are designed and carried out and why some kinds of studies are more credible than others. We’ll explore the politics and ethics of how new drugs are tested, often by the companies that stand to profit from them."

The 12 journalists selected will receive $500 for travel expenses to Cambridge, a hotel room and meals. Applicants must have at least five years experience. Apply by September 15.

Fulbright scholarships for journalists

Applications continue to be accepted for some Fulbright Scholar awards in journalism during the 2009-2010 academic year, e-mails the Council for International Exchange of Scholars.

Professionals and faculty in journalism may apply not only for awards specifically in their field, but also for one of the many “All Discipline” awards open to any field.

For more info, visit http://www.cies.org/ for descriptions of available awards and new eligibility requirements. Awards are closing daily, so consult the relevant program officer before applying.

Journalism internships in Dallas

University of North Texas's journalism department has assembled a fairly lengthy list of internship opportunities in the Dallas area and beyond. Every day, new journalism and public relations internships are listed.

-Mark Grabowski

National Endowment for Democracy journalism fellowship

The National Endowment for Democracy invites journalists worldwide to apply for its Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program. Fellows will take up full-time residence for five-to-10 months at the International Forum for Democratic Studies, the research arm of the Endowment, located in Washington, D.C.

According to its organizers, the fellowship "enables democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and enhance their ability to promote democratic change."

Fellows receive a monthly stipend for living expenses, health insurance, travel reimbursement and a fully-equipped office and research support.

The application deadline for 2009-10 fellowships is November 10.

D.C. event: Environmental reporting seminar

Winners of the 2008 Grantham Prize, which recognizes excellence in environmental reporting, will give presentations on September 8 in Washington, D.C., in which they describe the work involved in reporting their stories and the impacts of those stories. There will also be a panel discussion about efforts to develop a national strategy to address climate change.

The event will be held at the Newseum and runs from 1 to 9 p.m. It's free and open to the public, but seating is limited and you must R.S.V.P.

Speakers include the prize-winning reporting team from the New York Times: David Barboza, Keith Bradsher, Howard French, Joseph Kahn, Chang W. Lee, Jimmy Wang, and Jim Yardley. Panelists include Bracken Hendricks of the Center for American Progress; James McCarthy of Harvard University; James Rogers of Duke Energy; and Lisa Mullins, host of the Public Radio International program, The World.

Free journalism conference on climate change

The McCormick Tribune Specialized Reporting Institute on Climate Change is offering an all-expense paid conference October 12-14 at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Meals, lodging and a travel stipend will be provided.

"During the conference, you’ll learn from experts and insiders what kind of energy, economic and environmental policies to expect from a McCain or Obama administration. You’ll find out more about carbon issues before the upcoming U.N. Climate Change Conference. And you’ll be able to more fully explore the impact of climate change at local, national and international levels."

The application deadline is September 8.

Stringer wanted @ suburban Philly paper

Chester County Press, a weekly newspaper located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, seeks a freelance reporter to cover municipal meetings and community events. Compensation is said to be "excellent."

"Candidates should be able and willing to regularly attend and report about school board, township, or borough council meetings during weekday evenings," the ad says.

-Mark Grabowski

Thoroughbred racing writers

Horse Society Magazine, a lifestyle publication covering the thoroughbred racing industry, is seeking paid freelancers to write about people in racing, major racing venues, fashion, thoroughbred farms, charities and, of course, the horses themselves.

NYC lecture: web tips for journalists

Sree Sreenivasan, Dean of Student Affairs and new media professor at Columbia's journalism school, e-mails:

Folks: I am teaching a class Wednesday morning and have lots of room for guests. If you happen to be free and want to come for a free session, please stop by. No RSVP needed.

* Wednesday, 10:30-noon
Smarter Surfing: Web Tips and Tricks Every Journalist Should Know

Columbia Journalism School, LECTURE HALL
116th St & Broadway (#1 train to 116th St)

If you can't make it, most of the material I will be covering is available on http://www.SreeTips.com

Entry-level sports reporter @ Jacksonville paper

The Jacksonville Journal Courier sports department is seeking a part-time writer to cover high school and college sports and to assist in the office. "This is an ideal job for a college student, especially someone interested in journalism as a career," the ad says.

-Mark Grabowski

Get paid to travel around U.S. and blog

What a fun writing gig: Southwest Airlines is looking for someone to travel around the country for the next year and blog about it. The winner will be provided with airfare and hotel accommodations for each assignment along with a laptop, video camera and editing software. A minimum of four vlogs, or video blogs, will be produced. Applications are being accepted this month. To apply, you must submit a one-minute video.

Paid internship @ Seattle biz paper

Puget Sound Business Journal, located in Seattle, is looking for a college junior or senior to work as an intern reporter and write business-related stories. The fall internship pays $8 per hour and the intern is expected to work 20 hours per week.

-Mark Grabowski

Writer wanted for article on bank

Wanted: a freelancer to write, help pitch and hopefully place a story in a national publication (e.g. USA Today, Wall Street Journal) about St. Mary’s Bank, the United State’s first Credit Union. This November marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of St. Mary’s Bank. Compensation is negotiable.

Magazines expected to avoid staff cuts

Although their newsstand sales are down, U.S. magazines are not expected to experience the large staff cuts now plaguing the newspaper industry.

“The newspaper and magazine industries really only share one thing – they both use paper,” Barry Hollander, associate journalism professor at the University of Georgia's Grady College, recently told PRWeek. “Newspapers are a geographic niche; magazines are a subject niche. The reasons [people buy] papers and magazines are totally different.”

In addition, magazines tend to rely more on freelancers, analysts say, so they don't have large staffs like papers.

Legal reporting fellowship for freelancers

Carnegie/Newhouse School Legal Reporting Fellowships provide up to $3,000 each, plus other benefits, for freelance journalists examining some aspect of the American legal system.

"Apply if you: Are a U.S.-based journalist, working in any medium, whose primary source of income is freelancing," the fellowship's website says. "Are reporting on, or proposing, a project of a nonpartisan nature that focuses on law, lawyers, judges, or the justice system -- locally, regionally, or nationally. Can document legitimate out-of-pocket expenses, such as travel or records acquisition, that have not been reimbursed by another party. Can assign productive research or reporting tasks to a dedicated, talented Newhouse journalism student whom we'll pay to help you throughout the 2008-09 academic year."

The deadline is September 8.

-Mark Grabowski

About.com seeks freelancers

About.com, a subsidiary of the New York Times Co., is seeking part-time writer-experts to produce and maintain Guides for its website. You'll build and maintain a GuideSite, a topical section of About.com that contains articles, reviews, a blog, a discussion forum and a bio page about you. Along with a base payment of $725 a month, About.com pays based on page views.

Positions available include:

• Travel journalist
• Health writer
• Home & Garden writer
• Entertainment writer
• Tech journalist
  

All-expenses paid journalism workshop in China

Reuters Foundation is accepting applications from U.S. and Chinese journalists to participate in an all-expenses paid journalism training workshop in Beijing, China, November 10-14.

The program features guest speakers, reporting field trips and classroom training. Topics covered include China's rise as a global power and connections to the U.S.; manufacturing; energy and commodity consumption; a changing Chinese society; and China's growing political, media, and economic linkages to the world.

Applicants should be full-time reporters from the U.S. or China with a minimum of three years experience in journalism. Six American journalists and six Chinese journalists will be selected. The deadline to apply is Sept. 12

Journalism fellowship in Vienna

Milena Jesenská Fellowships "enable two U.S. or Canadian journalists to spend up to three months in Europe working on a European topic of their choice, enlarging their knowledge of social and political issues there, and establishing working contacts with European journalists, politicians, and opinion makers."

Fellows receive a $12,500 stipend, office, computer with Internet connection, travel money, and access to the research services and programs in Vienna where they will be based. Duration of the fellowships and start dates are negotiable for between Oct. 1, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2009.

Hurry and apply -- the application deadline is August 31!

-Mark Grabowski

Fellowship for foreign journalists

Here's a journalism fellowship opportunity for non-U.S. journalists:

The Humphrey Fellowship Program offers a 10-month stay at a journalism college in the United States to study journalism and undertake professional affiliations at U.S. news organizations.

"The programme includes financial support for studies, travel, workshops and seminars, a monthly stipend, funds for books, and a computer subsidy," according to the website. "Applicants should have a minimum of five years of substantial professional experience, limited or no experience in the U.S., and demonstrated leadership qualities and commitment to their communities. Most applicants have English skills and undergraduate degrees, but some exceptions are allowed."

Nominations are due by Oct. 1, so get working on your application ASAP.

Job market good for young journalists

Despite large layoffs in the traditional media, the job market for journalism graduates has remained largely unchanged, a newly-released survey finds. The employment rate is holding steady, while salaries are increasing in some cases.

The findings, by the University of Georgia's James M. Cox Jr. Center for International Mass Communication Training and Research, include:

• On Oct. 31, 2007, 63.3% of the bachelor's degree recipients had a full-time job, a figure nearly identical to the 2006 report of 64%. Almost all of the 2007 bachelor's degree recipients who looked for work had at least one in-person job interview in the six to eight months after graduation.

• The median salary for 2007 bachelor's degree recipients was $30,000 -- exactly the same as the median salary for 2006 grads. Meanwhile, the median salary for 2007 master's degree recipients was $40,000 -- $2,000 higher than a year earlier.
  

Given the current turmoil of the industry, many analysts consider this good news.

Paid fall internship @ NY biz paper

Crain's New York Business seeks a paid intern this fall for reporting and researching. The weekly tabloid newspaper focuses on New York-area business news for upper-level executives and entrepreneurs.

-Mark Grabowski

Paid internship @ science magazine

Discover magazine is offering full-time paid internships this fall in its editorial and Web departments, which are located in New York City.

Interns will research and fact check for stories, track down story ideas, and performing other duties to assist the editors in producing the magazine. This is not strictly a writing internship, but opportunities to write items for the magazine and Web site do arise.

"We particularly seek candidates who are enrolled in or have completed a graduate-level science-writing program, but other graduates who can demonstrate an interest in science journalism will be considered," the ad says.

-Mark Grabowski

Broadcast journalism career links

CubReporters.org now features a section on broadcast journalism. It includes internships, scholarships and fellowships, entry-level jobs and other career links.

As you know, the site has traditionally focused on print journalism, but, in this age of convergence, it's necessary to expand the website's focus and mission. The main parts of the website -- journalism jobs, journalism internships and journalism fellowships -- will also include more multimedia opportunities.

The broadcast journalism page is a work in progress; feel free to suggest any interesting links or good opportunities.

-Mark Grabowski

One-year internships available @ Toronto Star

The Toronto Star offers year-long paid internships for graduates under the age of 30, who have never held a full-time, permanent staff position at a Canadian daily newspaper.

"Successful reporting candidates rotate through teams in the city department," according to the Star's website. "Copy editing interns are assigned to at least three different editing desks during the year. The program begins with orientation and there are regular, mandatory seminar days. A demonstrated commitment to journalism is required, either through a combination of formal journalism training and experience, or extensive experience. We will consider candidates with non-traditional qualifications and credentials. The 2007 program includes six reporters, a photographer, two copy editors and graphic artist. This mix can vary from year to year."

-Mark Grabowski

Freelance for Raleigh paper

The Raleigh Telegram, a local general interest newspaper, is seeking freelance writers for shorter, feature-type stories and short news items. Specifically, the editors want "LOCAL stories about local people, places, things to do, etc. in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, etc. area." The pay is $10 - $20 per article, depending on the length and subject.

Journalism fellowships for criminal justice coverage

The Soros Foundation is offering a $45,000+ fellowship to "support writers, print and broadcast journalists, filmmakers, and other individuals with unique voices proposing to complete media projects for local, regional, and national markets that engage the public and provoke policy responses to one or more of the issues at the core of OSI's U.S. criminal justice priorities."

The fellowship is one year long, and winners can begin in September or April. Projects may be in any one of a variety of forms: print journalism, radio journalism, books, documentary film or video, photography, etc. Up to three people may jointly apply for a fellowship, however, only one stipend per project will be awarded.

The award includes a $45,000 stipend, $2,500 for health insurance, funds to attend the annual fellows meetings and access to technical assistance resources.

The application deadline is September 24.

Boston-area journalism internships

The Atlantic has a pretty good list of journalism internship opportunities offered in the Boston area. It includes info about internships at the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, Quincy Patriot Ledger, Boston Review, The Atlantic, Christian Science Monitor, various publishing companies and other publications.

-Mark Grabowski

Reporter @ Raleigh TV station

WNCN-TV, the NBC affiliate in Raleigh, seeks an embed reporter to cover local issues and events.

You will be expected to do it all, the job post says: "Embed reporters must have strong verbal and written communications skills and the ability to plan and coordinate news coverage, working with multi-platform producers. Must have the ability to use (or be trained to use) digital video camera and editing equipment and the ability to track audio and appear on camera for news reporting. They must have the necessary skills to achieve quality reporting on the web and on our broadcast air."

Paid fall reporting internships at Bronx papers

Norwood News, Mount Hope Monitor and Highbridge Horizon -- biweekly newspapers in the Bronx -- are seeking interns for the fall and possibly beyond.

"We rely heavily on contributions from our interns," the ad says. "You will not be pushing papers or making coffee. You will be writing serious news stories and other feature articles in a fascinating urban environment. It’s an opportunity to grow as a journalist and improve your reporting/writing skills on every level, while having an impact on a diverse and developing community."

Interns are asked to take photos as well, but experience isn't necessary. They will be paid a small fee per article and/or photograph that is published. College students, graduate students and aspiring journalists are all invited to apply.