FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS
What is the Public Media Village?
The Public Media Village was born out of a vision from Keith Woods, NPR’s Chief Diversity Officer in 2015 after seeing the same small handful of public media organizations at minority journalism conferences year after year and realizing that we could have a greater impact on the industry if we combined forces. We have over 35+ public media organizations from radio broadcasting to television, spanning across the country.
Can you define the relationship between NPR and member stations?
NPR provides national and international news that’s independent and fact based.
Member Stations are also independent but focus on local news stories in their surrounding communities. Some stations cover the entire state, some cover a region of that state.
Each member station determines its own format, scheduling, and programming. They may select certain programs from NPR such as Morning Edition or All Things Considered to be added to their schedule. The decision is entirely up to them.
Member stations are partners with NPR in newsgathering. Station reporting makes up a key part of NPR's national newsmagazines and newscasts and is especially critical for the coverage of milestone news events such natural disasters, the impact of war on local communities, and national elections. These reports bring local flavor, relevance, and perspective to NPR programs, with local reporters and hosts who are deeply familiar with the issues, events and people they cover.
Is the public media network currently hiring?
Yes! Each station represents their own hiring needs. Connect with any representative you see here to learn more about their opportunities. You can also log into our website – thinkpublicmedia.org and it will link you to each stations’ individual career website to learn more about the position and apply directly. And obviously follow us on all our socials.
If you know of people who would be interested in working for a mission driven organization, whether they are in content, IT, HR, Marketing, etc., please refer them to us. We love referrals!
Are cover letters needed?
Depending on the position, some do say cover letters are required. For content positions, it is best to include a cover letter along with your application. Cover letters are a way for you to showcase your writing skills and give recruiters and hiring managers a glimpse of who you are as a potential employee. Your resume is a cliff note version of your overall experience. The cover letter expands on your experience, giving the reader the emotional aspect of your experience.
How do I make my application stand out?
Do your homework, learn as much as you can about the organization you are applying to. Make sure you understand the organization’s mission and values. Listen/watch their shows, browse through their social media feed to understand the content they produce.
Customize your application (cover letter) to that organization and talk about how their mission/values align with yours. Show genuine interest in the role /organization by tailoring your application materials.
Share your “why” - why are you applying to that role, for that particular organization at this particular time.
Be creative and let your personality shine through. This is where your cover letter can give recruiters/hiring managers a glimpse of who you are.