Interns work in all areas that this Philadelphia-based, non-profit activist group does—research, advocacy, activism, and direct services to organizations across the country that want to start low-power radio stations. Our projects include lobbying Congress, building radio stations, studying FCC regulations, and working with diverse community groups. Prometheus is a great place to gains skill in political organizing, media research, and technical radio work.

Prometheus is a collectively-run organization and interns participate in the decision making process.

Announcing Prometheus Radio Project Spring/Summer Internships

Deadline to Apply: February 22, 2009

More information below, write This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for an application

The Prometheus Radio Project builds, supports, and advocates for community radio stations that bring together and empower local, participatory voices and movements for social change. To that end, Prometheus strives to demystify technologies; illuminate the political process that governs access to our media system; and demonstrate the powerful effects of media on our lives and our communities!

General Information:

The Prometheus Radio Project is looking for interns to work with us from March 30^th to September 25^th. 2009. We have four paid internship opportunities for people interested in working out of our Philadelphia office for 32 hours a week during this 6 month period. Interns will be compensated $800 monthly. Interns must attend a mandatory orientation week from March 30^th- April 3^rd in which they will have an opportunity to learn about a wide variety of topics including the history of Prometheus and the Low Power radio movement, basic radio engineering, as well as consensus-decision making, non-profit management, and legislative organizing.

Prometheus also offers numerous unpaid internship opportunities including internships for college credit, and shorter term more flexible unpaid internships and various other volunteer opportunities. E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in these.

To apply:

Send a writing sample, cover letter and resume via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with subject header INTERN followed by the position you are applying for. If you are applying to be the development and communications intern, “INTERN: Development and communications” would be your subject line. The other subject links would be INTERN: “Organizing” / “Station Support” / “Development and Regulator”. Please tell us why you would be a good match for this internship. As we have several internship positions open, please specify which position you are applying for.

All Interns will be involved in various aspects of The Prometheus Radio Project’s work including a mixture of research, advocacy, activism, and providing of direct services to organizations across the country that want to start or already operate community radio stations. Our projects include advocating for LPFM in Congress, building radio stations, studying FCC regulations, and working with diverse community groups. Prometheus is a great place to gain skills in political organizing, media research, fundraising, development and technical radio work. Interns participate in the collective decision-making process of the organization and play an important role in organizing community events.

All interns will do the following work:

• Facilitate and participate in weekly collective meetings

• Prepare and update organizational materials

• Maintain email communications

• Do database entry

• Answer and field phone calls that come into Prometheus

• Conduct outreach efforts including tabling and event planning

• Utilize the wide array of electronic tools that facilitate communications and information sharing

• Take an active role in “intern self-management” (this simply means that there will be a number of tasks that are given to the intern group as a whole and interns will work together to distribute and accomplish tasks, hold one another accountable for completing tasks, and communicate with staff about the progress of work.)

We are looking for people who are:

• Self-motivated

• Skilled at juggling numerous tasks

• Have experience working in collectives or groups

• Computer savvy- comfortable with Internet Research, Word (or open source equivalent) etc.

• Have experience with radio or community media

• Feel an affinity with Prometheus’ Mission

• Coming from communities that are marginalized from media ownership/access

• Speak numerous languages, Spanish Language a major plus

Below are specific details about tasks, skills, and responsibilities associated with the specific program work.

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Political Organizing Internship:

This intern will work closely with our Campaign Director on our legislative campaign to expand Low Power FM radio to communities across the country. This position will also include regular travel to Washington DC (about 2 1/2 hours from Philadelphia.)

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinating efforts to pass City Council Resolutions for LPFM

• Lobbying, designing and originating outreach materials

• Scheduling congressional meetings

• Communicating with people who want radio stations and plugging them into the campaign

• Conducting fast-paced research.

Some skills/qualities that are a plus

• Ability to multitask and keep up with lots of e-communications (like 150 e-mails a week!)

• Familiarity with web 2.0 tools- Facebook, non-html web editing, wikis, web based servers, and other open source tools

• Graphic design and layout skills

• Ability to conduct fast paced on-line research

• Bilingual (Spanish/English preferred)

• Knowledge of the Local Community Radio Act and the struggle for the creation of LPFM.

• Organizing experience that will bring networks and relationships into the campaign.

• Able to think strategically and are passionate about local community radio as a tool for social movements and progressive community organizations.

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Technical & Station Support Internship:

This intern will work alongside our Technical Organizer and Station Support Organizer in providing direct support, both technical and organizational to existing community radio stations and prospective station applicants. Much of the day-to-day involves communication with radio applicants to answer their questions about technical matters, FCC rules, funding opportunities and radio station management issues.

Responsibilities include:

• Explaining the FCC Radio licensing process to community groups interested in starting a radio station

• Assisting stations and applicants with all the nitty gritty for getting and staying on the air

• Assisting stations who are at risk of losing their licenses

• Generating coverage and interference software with FM Allocations software

• Helping plan our Radio Barnraisings, station builds and other events

• Creating and maintaining online tools and social networks for increased collaboration

Qualifications:

• Familiarity with radio station equipment, engineering and operations

• Familiarity with the FCC and a general knowledge of government agencies

• Community Organizing experience

• Good communication skills and comfort dealing with a wide range of inquiries - some of these issues are tricky, and hard to explain!

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Development & Communications Internship:

The Development and Communications Intern will work closely with our Development Director to maintain and develop fundraising strategies through our donor program, foundation and grant-related activities, tracking and revision of our annual plan, and the production of our bi-annual print and up-coming electronic newsletters.

Responsibilities include:

• Helping maintain and develop our donor program including corresponding with donors

• Fashioning on-line and print materials

• Helping prepare frequent mailings

• Working to maintain and improve our contact data

• Conducting guided research of foundation prospects

• Helping write grant proposals, tracking grant-related program activities and aiding in the mid-term and final grant reporting process

• Guiding the production of our bi-annual print and up-coming electronic newsletters

• Coordinating the process of collecting articles and materials, editing, layout&design, distribution and data clean-up for our newsletters

• Supporting the Development Director in the design, tracking and revision of our annual fundraising plan

• Reading and analyzing budget figures, crunching numbers, helping to prepare financial reports to the staff and board, and tracking progress on various fundraising activities.

Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; a positive mindset, ability to work collaboratively and willingness to engage with people via phone and in person is a must

• Well-organized; the ability to effectively undertake and prioritize several projects simultaneously

• Strong writing skills

• Experience with contact management databases and mail merging, as well as familiarity with Adobe graphic design programs, is a big plus

• Willingness to "dress up" for the occasional public event where folks wear fancy clothes and schmooze it up; genuinely enjoying this is optional

Regulatory & Research Internship:

The regulatory intern will work on law and technical policy questions, helping to read, evaluate and reply to comments and lawsuits at the Federal Communications Commission which affect the fate of community radio stations.

Responsibilities:

• Research and explore issues relevant to community radio in technology, politics, media and law

• Search legal documents for precedent

• Draft and review legal arguments

• Write and possibly illustrate popular articles for our newsletter and website

• Make contacts with affected radio stations (or those who would like stations) to encourage participation in the federal rulemaking process

• Various administrative tasks to support Prometheus' policy operation

• Organize for events, FCC meetings, demonstrations, and other possible tactics in winning more low power stations and fairer treatment for existing stations.

• Work with scholars doing research on media issues

Qualifications:

• Excellent writing and online research skills

• Knowledge of law, especially communications law, and the American political system

• Aptitude with technical aspects of radio and spectrum allocation

• Familiarity with research methods for social sciences

• Grassroots organizing experience

• Experience with community media organizations

Your supervisor was self-taught in most of these areas, it's fine if you want to learn these things by doing them too. As long as your philosophy in life has been to " not let schooling get in the way of your education," you'll do great.