Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship

Launch your Career in Journalism

The year-long Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship is for early-career journalists who are aspiring future leaders in the industry.

As a finalist for the fellowship, you’ll have the opportunity to find placement as a paid, full-time journalist at a participating news outlet, joining colleagues who are passionate about journalism and the critical role of the free press in society. You’ll learn from each other, on the job, and from a robust, real-world curriculum presented by seasoned, professional journalists.

In-person and Virtual

Fellows gather weekly to engage in robust coursework, such as media training and workshops and discussions about today’s most pressing journalistic issues. Three times during the year you’ll join the other fellows and faculty for additional workshops and activities at multi-day summits.

Our participants — up to 60 per fellowship class — come from all over the United States. The news organizations they work for range from metropolitan dailies to local market television stations to digital enterprises. Fellows contribute their many unique perspectives to an ongoing dialogue over the future of journalism.

Just the Facts

Advisor Program

The program places each fellow into an advisory group with several other fellows and an experienced professional advisor. These groups meet twice a month during class time to build community, allow for peer mentorship and professional development, and workshop innovation projects together.

Innovation Project

Fellows propose a positive change or improvement for their newsrooms. They might create a coverage plan for an underserved community or a series of articles on a topic not previously covered. The goal is to stretch beyond everyday assignments and innovate with the limits up to the fellows. As a competition, previous winners include a fellow who built a video graphic interface for her employer and another who launched a podcast for her TV news station aimed at millennial audiences.

Summits

Three times during the year, fellows come together to learn from each other and from faculty face to face. Guests at summits have included Poynter’s top lecturers, the StoryCorps team, ethics experts, documentarians and filmmakers, and leading journalists. The June 2019 opening summit keynote speaker was CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett at the National Press Club. Each summit focuses on journalism skills as well as discussion topics, such as small breakout sessions exploring case studies that represent thorny ethical issues. Fellows also have a chance to hone tactical skills including media and interview training. We also have some fun. Whether it’s attending a World Champion Washington Nationals baseball game, playing shuffleboard under the Florida sun, balancing super-size Jenga, or enjoying great Italian food, we make sure it’s not all work and no play.

Important Program Dates

Application Opens January 13, 2023
Application Closes March 10, 2023
Fellowship Class Announced June 26, 2023
Program Begins August 2, 2023
Program Ends May 17, 2024

Why Poynter-Koch?

The authors of the First Amendment understood that a free and robust press is a crucial component in the system of checks and balances built into American society.

Journalists and storytellers discover and then report what is fact — and what is not. They shine light on inaccuracies and injustice, adopting a role as the ultimate stone kickers and skeptics. They inspire and educate with stories that explain, provoke, and expose the world around us. In doing so, the press builds a foundation of trust and mutual understanding that is essential for progress in all its forms.

The Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship’s curriculum is designed to address not only the hard skills of reporting and storytelling techniques but also the pillars of First Amendment law, foundations of a free press, and the core values that underpin public service journalism.

While bringing differing perspectives from varying roles and newsrooms, Poynter-Koch fellows share common ground: a commitment to the ideals and values of journalism. The power of the program comes not from the curriculum but from the diversity of fellows’ perspectives.

Curriculum Snapshot

Opening Three-day Summit (August)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fall Semester
Curriculum includes Foundations, Digital Skills, Business of Journalism, Diversity and Journalism, Journalism Ethics and more. Fellows also meet regularly with advisory group.
Midyear Summit (February)
St. Petersburg, Florida
Spring Semester
Curriculum includes Audience Development, Media Law, Beat Building, and Life Skills for Journalists. Fellows continue to meet with advisories and work on innovation project.
Closing Summit (May)
Washington, DC

Partner Organizations (2022-2023)

amNewYork

Baltimore Witness

Bay City News Foundation

Bay Nature

Belleville News-Democrat

Bronx Times

Capital Press

Centre Daily Times

CT Mirror

Dallas Morning News

El Nuevo Herald

Enlace Latino NC

Florida Times-Union

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Government Executive

Green Valley News

Herald-Tribune

Idaho Statesman

Kansas City Star

Madison Minutes

Miami Herald

MinnPost

NPR

Oregon Public Broadcasting

Palm Beach Post

RJ Media Group

Brooklyn Paper

Street Sense Media

Sun Herald

Tampa Bay Times

13WMAZ

The 74

Charlotte Observer

The Dispatch

The Nevada Independent

The News & Observer

The Sacramento Bee

The Salt Lake Tribune

The State Media Company

The Texas Tribune

Tri-City Herald

WBEZ

WBRC

WBTV News

WTVG-13ABC

Partner Organizations (2021–2022)

The 74

The Advocate

Alabama News Network

American Heritage Magazine

Baltimore Witness

Bay Nature Institute

Bradenton Herald

The Bronx Times

The Cedar Rapids Gazette

Civil Beat

The Clarion-Ledger

Connecticut News Project

Dallas Morning News

D.C. Witness

The Detroit News

The Dispatch

El Nuevo Herald

The Fresno Bee

Florida Times-Union

Gay City News

KALB-TV

Kansas City Star

Lexington Herald-Leader

Metro Philadelphia

Miami Herald

The Modesto Bee

Montclair Local News

Myrtle Beach Sun News

Nashville Scene

The Nevada Independent

The News & Observer

NJ.com

Religion Unplugged

The Sacramento Bee

The Scope

Street Sense Media

The Telegraph

The Tribune

Washington City Paper

Washingtonian

WAFF 48 News

WBEZ Chicago

WBRC-TV Fox 6 News (Birmingham, AL)

WBTV-TV CBS (Charlotte, NC)

WLBT News

WOIO Cleveland 19

Partner Organizations (2020–2021)

Allsides

Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting

Belleville News–Democrat

Blavity

Bradenton Herald

Cadillac News

Center Square

Chalkbeat

Dallas Morning News

D.C. Witness

The Detroit News

The Dispatch

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Free Spirit Media

The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA)

Greenwood Commonwealth

GroundTruth Project

Hearst

Houston Chronicle

The Journal (Tioga Tribune)

Kansas City Star

King's County/Queen's County Politics

Lexington Herald-Leader

The Miami Herald

National Review

The Nevada Independent

New York Daily News

News and Observer

News Center Maine

Noozhawk

Religion Unplugged

The Scope

SeattlePI.com

St. Louis Public Radio

Tampa Bay Times

Texas Metro News

Washington Examiner

Washington City Paper

WBRC-TV Fox (Birmingham, AL)

WBTV-TV CBS (Charlotte, NC)

WCSC-TV CBS (Charleston)

WCSH-TV NBC (Maine)

Additional Resources

Application Process

Click to begin a new application or to finish a previously started application.

FAQs

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