http://www.nytco.com/careers/internships/summer.html
Summer Internship Program
The New York Times offers 10-week summer internships to college students who have decided on careers in journalism.
The Times began the program in 1984. In its first 17 years, it was aimed at members of minority groups who, because of race or ethnicity, had been historically excluded from opportunities in America’s newspaper industry. While the internships are now open to all applicants, the program remains as an integral part of The Times’ enduring commitment to recruit and hire as diverse and as highly qualified a staff as possible.
In a city like New York, where the proportion of immigrant families grows every year, and at a paper like The Times, which must not only speak the language of the Washington foreign policy community but hear and understand the voices of the Dominican community in the Bronx, a diverse staff is vital.
The Times offers a summer of demanding work and high journalistic standards in these areas:
- James Reston Reporting Fellowships
- Thomas Morgan Internships in Graphics, Design and Photography
- Editing Internships
James Reston Reporting Fellowships
- Regular reporting assignments and bylines
- Eligibility for an extended internship of six months, which could lead to a staff reporting position
James Reston – called Scotty by virtually everyone who knew him – was a columnist, Washington correspondent and executive editor in his 50-year association with The Times. Perhaps the most influential journalist of his generation, he won two Pulitzer Prizes. He was also a talent scout of prodigious capacity, hiring and training some of The Times’s best-known journalists. He died in 1995 at the age of 86.
Up to four college students are selected as James Reston Reporting Fellows. We consider only seniors and graduate students who have had a previous summer internship on a daily newspaper.
The first week of the fellowship involves becoming familiar with New York City and the newsroom. Beginning with the second week, the Reston Fellows start work in a section that reflects their skills and area of interest – business, sports, science or Metro, for example – to report and write stories under the guidance of an editor or senior reporter serving as mentor. Some stories are assigned, but fellows are encouraged to come up with their own ideas. The goal of the program is to provide an opportunity for the fellows to stretch their journalistic skills with the help of some of the best reporters and editors in the country.
Fellows are eligible for bylines. In addition, at the end of the summer, one or more fellows could be asked – on the basis of performance – to stay in New York for an extended internship of six months. At the end of that time, the fellow may be asked to join the staff of The Times.
Applicants for the reporting fellowships should send a cover letter, resume and eight to ten newswriting samples from daily newspapers.
Thomas Morgan Internships in Graphics, Design and Photography
- Assignments for publication in various sections of The Times
- Credit lines, where applicable
- Eligibility for the annual Thomas Morgan Outstanding Intern Prize of $1,500
Tom Morgan was a reporter, an editor and a manager at The Times, and a role model in every assignment he undertook. He is also a past president of the National Association of Black Journalists, the largest organization of journalists of color in the country. He has received lifetime achievement awards from NABJ and the University of Missouri, his alma mater. He won a Nieman Fellowship in 1989.
One intern is chosen in each of these categories. They may be sophomores, juniors or seniors and must have had newspaper experience.
The first few days of the internship are spent getting oriented to New York City and the newsroom. Beginning with the second week, interns work in their respective areas:
Photography
The picture desk intern works with Times photographers and editors, shooting assignments for every section of the newspaper. The goal is to give the intern a taste of news, feature and sports photography, as well as the opportunity to learn lighting techniques from professionals. The intern is also expected to initiate enterprise projects apart from daily assignments. An editor serves as mentor and works with the intern every day, reviewing photos and providing guidance on work in the field.
Design
Working closely with art directors, the design intern helps design and produce pages and process art and photographs. The intern also attends editorial meetings and learns the computer systems used at The Times. The goals of the program are to introduce the intern to newspaper design and to identify future designers for The Times.
Graphics
The graphics intern works with the graphics editors, developing the skills to organize and present the news visually through charts, graphs and diagrams. The intern designs and executes graphics for publication in various sections of The Times. The goals are to help the intern develop fresh, to-the-point informational graphics and to identify future graphics specialists for The Times.
At the end of the summer, one Morgan Intern will be awarded – on the basis of performance – the Thomas Morgan Outstanding Summer Intern Prize, a $1,500 tax-free cash award. In the event of a tie, the award will be evenly divided.
Photography applicants should send a cover letter, resume and a portfolio reflecting a cross-section of their best work: portraits, features, sports and hard news.
Graphics applicants should send a cover letter, resume and samples of writing and graphic design work.
Design applicants should submit cover letter, resume and a portfolio that includes page layouts, dummies and typography.
Editing Internships
- Editing copy and writing headlines on a major desk at The Times
- $1,000 Newspaper Fund scholarship for eligible interns
Editing interns are chosen for the summer program in two ways: by Times editors and by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund through its national selection process. The internship is open to college juniors, seniors and graduate students.
Selection through the Newspaper Fund is based on experience – such as work on campus publications, reporting internships, work as a stringer – academic excellence, an essay and an editing test that all applicants must pass before being considered for the program. Before joining The Times for the summer, the interns participate in a two-week seminar sponsored by the Newspaper Fund. Subjects covered include libel law, journalistic ethics, page layout, headline writing, copy editing, grammar, punctuation, style and the finer points of newsroom protocol.
Applicants who apply directly to The Times must have previously been Dow Jones editing interns. They should submit 8 to 10 clips of their work.
During the 10-week internship at The Times, each editing intern is assigned to a major desk in the news department and – under the guidance of the copy desk chief and an assigned mentor – edits copy and writes headlines. The interns also participate in workshops with senior editors.
Those interns selected by Dow Jones receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Newspaper Fund upon completing the internship successfully and returning full-time to school.
The postmark deadline for applications to Dow Jones is Nov. 1. The postmark deadline for applications sent directly to The Times is Nov. 15.
Applications to the Dow Jones program are available through placement offices, campus newspapers or by visiting: http://djnewspaperfund.dowjones.com.
Salary for all interns: $855 a week
Housing: On the New York University campus for interns who live outside New York area. Cost is offset in part by a housing allowance.
Postmark deadline for applications (excluding Dow Jones): Nov. 15.
Applications for all internships (excluding Dow Jones) should be sent to:
Sheila Rule
Senior Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
- Academic-Year Internships
- David E. Rosenbaum Reporting Internship in Washington
- Web Internship
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