Internship opportunity – Digital News Archive

If you wish to make a difference in places where free media is under threat or does not exist, RFE/RL offers eligible, qualified students the opportunity to engage with professionals and to learn more about our mission. In doing so, you would acquire direct, practical experience with the support of a mentor. Internships are a competitive process and are unpaid. We offer skills development and an opportunity to contribute to an exciting media project.  

The Digital News Archive Team is seeking Prague-based interns to assist with Archive projects year-round. The selected intern(s) would be expected to assist on the projects from 10-15 hours per week. Days per week are flexible and depend on the agreement with the mentor and the students’ schedule. The expected length of the internship is 1-3 months.  

The internship will provide exposure to the production and editorial processes of a broadcast media organization, with a specific focus on archive management and collection development. The interns will learn specific library and information management skills and principles in relation to a broadcast media company that will also be applicable to other organizations that produce a large number of files and data with multiple departments and stakeholders. The intern will not perform journalistic duties such as reporting, writing, pitching articles or videos, publishing or distribution of video or audio.  

You will learn:  

• about the work of the Digital News Archive team 
• about archiving principles of collection development, media management and metadata creation. 
• how to select media for archive based on RFE/RL's Collection Policy. 
• about various digital and analog media formats 

Expected duties may include all or some of the following:  

• selection of video content for archive 
• cataloging of video for archive 
• research on news stories and video content, identification of key information  
• working with various RFE/RL stakeholders, including producers, video editors, service personnel, bureaus and language services 
• working on inventory of legacy media in RFE/RL Services in Prague 
• documenting workflows as needed 

Minimum requirements:  

• Enrolled university student or recent graduate – must be in good standing. 
• An educational background in Library Science or Archives, or work experience in this field is requested. 
• Ability to review and critically assess texts in English. Candidates must be proficient in written and spoken English. 
• Knowledge of Russian, Ukrainian, or another language from RFE/RL’s broadcast regions is a plus. 
• Experience with Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, etc.). 
• Ability to apply critical thinking skills to problem solve and identify solutions. 
• Previous cataloging experience is desired but not mandatory. 
• Keen interest in history (European, Russian, Central Asian), journalism, or current affairs. 
• Good communication skills and ability to work and engage with a variety of stakeholders with a professional attitude. 
• Ability to multitask and to work in a team. 
• Keen attention to detail.