Everything You Need to Know About WDET’s Detroit StoryMakers Fellowship

101.9 WDET is now accepting applications for its Detroit StoryMakers Fall/Winter Fellowship. 

The paid fellowship will provide a new path to public radio for metro Detroit’s media makers, journalists and storytellers.

Fellows will learn the art of audio storytelling for radio through a series of trainings, workshops and one-on-one consultations with WDET staff. The fellowship is intended to support emerging media producers that reflect metro Detroit communities and perspectives who are commonly underrepresented or misrepresented in media, opening the door for a more equitable and representative public media ecosystem in the region.

Running from November 2019 to March 2020, fellows will meet regularly at WDET and produce a series of stories through the duration of the program. Stories may appear online and on-air for WDET.

Applications are now closed for the 2019-2020 StoryMakers Fellowship.

Here’s a quick rundown of frequently asked questions regarding the fellowship. 

When is the application due?

The application is due at 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 6

Who should apply to this fellowship?

Up and coming journalists, filmmakers, photographers, or other media makers in metro Detroit who want to produce stories for radio and have a unique perspective to share – especially one that is commonly under- or misrepresented in the media.

What kind of experience do I need for this fellowship?

There isn’t one single qualification needed, but you should have a demonstrated interest in media, documentary, or journalism and have a clear focus on topic, community, or issue. This fellowship is intended to make public radio more accessible to independent media producers in metro Detroit.

How will fellows be selected?

A committee made up of WDET News and Programming staff will review all submitted applications and select the four fellows by Nov. 15. The committee will select four fellows based on a mission of providing a broader diversity of representation in local news and reporting. The fellowship should help to advance fellows’ careers in media and journalism, as well as speak to Detroit’s many communities.

Is this fellowship paid?

Yes. Each fellow will receive a stipend of $1,500.

What will the time commitment be for the fellowship?

The fellowship will begin the week of November 18, 2019 and run until March 2020. Participation in evening meetings and workshops at WDET studios is a key part of the fellowship. The cohort will meet bi-weekly through December 31, 2019, and weekly from January-March 2020, or until all three stories are completed. Fellows will be expected to conduct field reporting outside of scheduled meeting times.

You mention ‘community’ a lot in the application – what do you mean by community?

We are using the term community broadly for this fellowship. Different kinds of communities include neighborhoods, religious groups, shared interest groups, religious identities, gender identities, hobbies, professional groups, age groups, and more. The important thing is that fellows have a meaningful connection to the community they are reporting on.