Internships, Prometheus Radio Project

Posted by on December 11, 2011

Internships, Prometheus Radio Project

We are looking for interns seeking to gain useful skills and a meaningful experience in the movement to democratize the airwaves and the media.

The Prometheus Radio Project builds participatory radio as a tool for social justice organizing and a voice for community expression. To that end, we demystify media policy and technology, advocate for a more just media system, and help grassroots organizations build communications infrastructure to strengthen their communities and movements.

We envision a world in which the media is not a means to limit democratic participation, but a way for communities and movements to express themselves and struggle for justice. We imagine a nationwide community radio infrastructure made up of hundreds of independent, locally-orientated stations, part of a global movement to put media in the hands of the people.

Winter/Spring Internships available:
•    Community Radio Organizer
•    Policy Intern
•    Outreach Campaign – Communications Intern
•    Outreach Campaign – Organizing Intern

When: Winter/Spring internships go from late January to late April. Precise start and end dates can be negotiated; however, there will be a mandatory orientation the week of January 23. Summer internships will also be available.

Where: Philadelphia, PA

Time commitment: Flexible, 15-30 hours per week is desired. Please indicate how many hours you can commit to in your cover letter.

Compensation / Benefits: A limited amount of funding is available to support individuals who have a financial need that would otherwise prevent participation in this internship. If this is the case for you, please attach with your application a separate document titled “Financial Need Statement” indicating any such need. This will not affect your acceptance.

Interns who are university students are eligible for course credits. Other benefits include a rewarding experience, training, a letter of recommendation, ability to travel with Prometheus, and the option of paying the premium to access our health care program.

How to Apply: To apply, send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Please include the title of the internship in the subject line. [Extended] Applications are now due by 11:59pm EST on Sunday, January 8, 2012.

Community Radio Organizer
Expectations:
•    Strong commitment to our mission and values
•    Undergo training for community radio and intake technology
•    Willingness to travel and attend conferences
•    Desire to foster the collective structure of PRP
Tasks:
•    Answer phone calls and emails from potential applications
•    Data entry and electronic record keeping
•    Maintain contact data in a constituent relationship management system
•    Manage relationships with representatives from media outlets, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and social justice movements
•    Lead trainings and organize community meetings on LPFM
•    Perform research and assist in the creation of media and educational materials
•    Participate in conference, tour, and workshop planning
•    Support the regular updating of the website and social media sites
•    Grassroots organizing for LPFM campaigns at the FCC
•
Qualifications:
•    Strong communication (oral and written)
•    Ability to work in teams and independently
•    Experience working with communities historically marginalized from media access, representation, and ownership a plus
•    Understanding of existing social justice movements in a plus
•    Bilingual English/Spanish a plus

Policy Intern
After the recent passage of the Local Community Radio Act, the FCC is reviewing its rules and preparing to accept applications for new community radio stations, a major opportunity to shift our media landscape. The Prometheus policy intern will fight for a better media system by helping to change the rules on community radio. This will include researching the impact of proposed FCC rules, educating the public on that impact, and helping groups around the country to file their own FCC comments. The policy intern will also play a key role in a major data gathering initiative to better understand the community radio landscape. This project will use qualitative and quantitative data from community radio stations across the country to influence policymaking and improve the organization’s programs. The policy intern will help us to share this data internally and externally to support the community radio sector. This position will offer the chance to learn about the world of community radio as well as the regulatory system that governs our media.

Tasks:
•    Support campaign to involve grassroots groups in the FCC rulemaking processes with direct outreach and written materials
•    Support regulatory staff in ensuring that community radio survey data is successfully integrated into communitymediadatabase.org.
•    Research other issues related to the policy goals of Prometheus and present this research to policy staff through written reports and presentations

Requirements:
•    Strong ability to work independently, but also report progress, ask for help when needed, and take direction
•    Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and meet set deadlines
•    Strong written and verbal communication skills, especially in communicating effectively over the phone and in person with diverse groups
•    Interest in media policy
•    Comfort with collaborating with remote coworkers via phone, skype, and/or email

NOTE: Policy internship hours are flexible from 16-32 hours/week, based primarily from the Prometheus office in West Philadelphia, though working remotely is often possible. Because the policy internship supervisor works remotely from Washington DC most days, candidates must be able to communicate effectively by phone, email, and/or skype to ensure that projects are on track. No previous policy experience required, though an interest in technology, media policy, and/or community radio is a must.

Outreach Campaign – Communications Intern
After ten years of organizing, the Prometheus Radio Project and a widespread grassroots coalition successfully passed the Local Community Radio Act in early 2011. In the wake of our victory we are positioning groups to take advantage of the largest expansion of community radio stations in U.S. history. The Prometheus Radio Project is launching a nationwide, coalition-based campaign to prepare social justice and community groups throughout the country to apply for low power community radio station licenses.
Prometheus is running a strategic outreach campaign to spread the word about this one-time opportunity to social justice and community groups around the country who may want to start stations. Nationally and regionally, we will inform social movements and communities about the upcoming license opportunity and share the potential of community radio and independent media as tools for social justice.

Primary responsibilities:
•    Update and create stories for the Prometheus website
•    Work with the outreach team to connect with press outlets, write op-eds, and use social media to gain widespread visibility of our campaign
•    Work with volunteer participants to generate local and regional press coverage
•    Maintain contact data in a constituent relationship management system

Qualifications:
•    Strong communication (oral and written) and research skills
•    Ability to work in teams and independently
•    Experience working with communities historically marginalized from media access, representation, and ownership a plus
•    Understanding of existing social justice movements in a plus
•    Bilingual English/Spanish a plus

OUTREACH CAMPAIGN – ORGANIZING INTERN
After ten years of organizing, the Prometheus Radio Project and a widespread grassroots coalition successfully passed the Local Community Radio Act in early 2011. In the wake of our victory we are positioning groups to take advantage of the largest expansion of community radio stations in U.S. history. The Prometheus Radio Project is launching a nationwide, coalition-based campaign to prepare social justice and community groups throughout the country to apply for low power community radio station licenses.
Prometheus is running a strategic outreach campaign to spread the word about this one-time opportunity to social justice and community groups around the country who may want to start stations. Nationally and regionally, we will inform social movements and communities about the upcoming license opportunity and share the potential of community radio and independent media as tools for social justice.

Primary responsibilities:
•    Work with volunteer participants to organize regional and national outreach events to promote community radio
•    Perform research and prepare materials for outreach
•    Identify and connect with social justice and community organizations in key geographic regions
•    Maintain contact data in a constituent relationship management system

Qualifications:
•    Strong communication (oral and written) and research skills
•    Ability to work in teams and independently
•    Experience working with communities historically marginalized from media access, representation, and ownership a plus
•    Understanding of existing social justice movements in a plus
•    Bilingual English/Spanish a plus

The Prometheus Radio Project respects and values people of all backgrounds and considers applicants for positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, creed, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any legally protected status. As we work in collaboration with many communities that have been marginalized from media access, we work to employ members of these communities at Prometheus.