Engagement Journalism Intern

The Opportunity

The Engaged Journalism Team works with both WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times journalists to imbue a community-first approach to our work. At Chicago Public Media, we define “engaged journalism” as a process that starts by identifying and listening to specific communities before any reporting and production. That community input informs what we cover, what we make and how we make it. Our Engaged Journalism Team strives to provide practical, actionable utility to the people we serve. We work to rebuild trust in communities by meeting our audiences where they are.

The Engaged Journalism Team Intern will learn the principles, strategies and tactics that underpin our work. They will help us reach out to communities, develop creative ways of listening and gathering input from them, and using that input to shape our journalism. This could include in-person outreach at events and in neighborhoods; digital outreach in the form of surveys and social media; and analogue outreach, such as writing letters to incarcerated people as part of our Prisoncast! project. The internship also will involve updating and maintaining the administrative systems and database that form the backbone of our team. The ideal candidate is passionate about producing journalism and tools that serve communities across Chicagoland. They’re comfortable talking with strangers, and getting strangers to get comfortable with them. They are creative, highly organized and self-driven. They are willing to learn from experienced newsroom reporters, producers and editors.

 A bit about our internship programs:

• Many, but not all, of our interns have completed college or some other form of education and/or certification in the journalism or media field(s).
• Many go on to careers in public media or other outlets. Many have found their way back to WBEZ, too.
• We pay $20/hour, non-negotiable
• Positions are daytime work hours on a Monday through Friday schedule, though some flexibility may be possible

Interns work full time 40 hrs/week Program term is 12 weeks (June 9, 2026 - September 10, 2026) 

What we are looking for our candidates to display in their resumes, cover letters and interview conversations: 

• Knowledge about WBEZ and our mission of serving the community
• Strong interest in learning and contributing to our mission 
• Curiosity and the willingness to learn
• Understanding of the value of bringing together diverse perspectives
• Why WBEZ is part of your career planning in journalism and media
• Specific skills you want to learn during the internship 
• If applicable, any links to a portfolio of writing samples; audio, video, or multimedia packages; or other completed work that may be relevant to this opening

The application deadline is Friday, March 20, 2026. Managers plan to select candidates by early May. 

Accepted applicants will be required to start training in Chicago on June 9, 2026. Internship ends September 10, 2026.