Category: Opportunities

Media Diversity Australia, in collaboration with Western Sydney University, presents the MEDIA INDUSTRY PATHWAYS PROGRAM.

This dynamic series is designed to provide comprehensive support to culturally and linguistically diverse students, graduates, and job seekers in communications. The program aims to equip participants, especially those with refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds, with the skills, confidence, connections, and experience necessary to thrive in the Australian media industry and pursue employment opportunities.

In September 2023, four evening sessions will be held at WSU’s Parramatta City Campus, showcasing an impressive lineup of renowned journalists, presenters, and media professionals. Prepare to be inspired and gain invaluable insights from these accomplished speakers as they share their expertise and experiences.

After completing the seminar series, selected participants will embark on internship placements (details forthcoming).

This program is limited to past and present Western Sydney University students.

[This program is now closed.]

Media Diversity Australia proudly upholds and promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity practices in media recruitment and workplace environments. This commitment is made possible through the generous support of our program sponsors, the Bennelong Foundation and Multicultural NSW.

Media Diversity Australia has joined forces with Weld Stories, a Sydney-based digital content agency committed to social impact storytelling, to offer a Winter Fellowship for one candidate to join Weld’s small team full-time across May and June 2023.  

• The Winter Fellowship is scheduled to run from Monday, May 2023 until Friday, June 16.
• The Fellowship recipient will be mentored and supported by an MDA Mentor.

THE SIX-WEEK PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE

• Calls with Weld Stories clients
• Concept development
• Research and planning
• Writing and editing
• Pre-production and production
• Distribution strategy
• Briefing of designers
• Reviewing edits
• Delivery of assets
• Developing and creating vibrant and relevant stories for MDA’s social channels
• Competitive weekly stipend provided for the duration of the Fellowship

HOW TO APPLY

• Applicants must have the right to work in Australia
• Applicants will be from a First Nations or culturally and racially marginalised (CaRM) background
• Applicants will preferably have experience working in new media or demonstrate strong writing or presentation skills
• Applicants will ideally be available full-time for six weeks, however, scheduling flexibility can be discussed
• You must address all of the following to be considered for this program:
• In 500 words or less, please tell us about you, your media and communication experience, your leadership qualities and aspirations, and why you should be an MDA Winter Fellow.
• Please attach a CV and at least one written reference.
• Applications open on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 9 am AEDT and close on Friday, April 21, 2023, at 5 pm AEST.
• The Fellowship winner will be announced in late April 2023 after a shortlist interview process.

Applications are now closed.

Three fellowships worth $15,000 each, that will take place during the federal election and will be Canberra-based for Australians under the age of 30, who are passionate about media, politics and diversity.

The project aims to place 12 journalism students at different mainstream media outlets.

Fellowships are available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, and Adelaide.

Mid-career women journalists of First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to undertake a 12-month program to help pave a pathway into leadership roles.

Media Diversity Australia is calling for expressions of interest from mid-career, women journalists of First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to undertake a 12-month program to help pave a pathway for them into leadership roles.

• This program is designed to empower First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse women journalists and provide them with the requisite knowledge and skills to navigate climbing the ranks of editorial leadership.
• The ten (10) Mentorships will be Australia-wide (two of the 10 successful Mentees will be University of Melbourne and Monash University alumni).
• Mentees will undertake a rigorous selection criteria process based on skill set, experience, personality, cultural fit, and geographical location.
• Once accepted, each applicant will be matched with the right Mentor.
• MDA will facilitate multiple online meetings between Mentors and Mentees before commencing the 12-month Mentorship program to ensure a smooth onboarding process.
• The Mentorships are scheduled to commence in mid-2022.
• The Mentorship recipients will be mentored and supported by an MDA Project Manager.
• Mentorships will take place with one mentor connected to one media outlet for the duration of the placement.

 THE 12-MONTH PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE

• Multiple in-person sessions with their Mentor in their respective workplace.

• Multiple online workshops with individual Mentors.
• Multiple online workshops with all Mentors focusing on professional development, leadership skills, presentation skills, compelling storytelling, and insights into effective editorial processes.

• An opportunity to attend and speak at an MDA networking event and/or be featured in MDA’s monthly newsletter.

HOW TO APPLY

• Applicants must be early to mid-career journalists or media professionals.
• Applicants will come from a First Nations or culturally or linguistically diverse background or have an interest in growing First Nations and cultural and linguistic diversity in Australia’s newsrooms (please note: the term “women of colour” denotes a  woman belonging to a racial group not categorised as white). 
• You must address all of the following to be considered for this program: 
  In 500 words or less, please tell us a bit about you, your media industry experience, your leadership aspirations, and why you should be an MDA Mentee.
• Please also attach a CV and at least one written reference.
• Applications open on Friday, March 4, 2022, at 9 am AEDT and close on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at 5 pm AEST. 
• Successful candidates will be announced in June 2022 after an interview process.

Applicants can apply by clicking here (Entries Closed). 

Early to mid-career Australians of Chinese heritage with experience or an interest in journalism to undertake an eight-week program working in mainstream newsrooms.

Media Diversity Australia is calling for expressions of interest from early to mid-career Australians of Chinese heritage with experience or an interest in working in journalism, to undertake an eight-week program working in mainstream newsrooms.

• The program is designed to improve journalism coverage of Chinese communities in Australia, by increasing the number of journalists with strong Chinese cultural connections. 
• It will provide Chinese-Australian professionals with the knowledge and skills to navigate climbing the ranks of editorial leadership, and mid-career Chinese-Australians working in other professions with flexible journalism work that may lead to a potential career pivot.
• The three (3) secondments will take place in Australian major cities.
• Secondees will undertake a rigorous selection criteria process based on skill set, experience, personality, cultural fit, and geographical location.
• Once confirmed, each Secondee will be matched with a mainstream newsroom to arrange working hours that are mutually beneficial.
• Any content produced by secondees and published by participating newsrooms will be free of the oversight or influence of any government agencies.
• The secondments are scheduled to commence in September 2022.
• The secondment recipients will be mentored and supported by an MDA Mentor.

THE EIGHT-WEEK PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE

• Working in mainstream Australian newsrooms on weekdays, after hours, or on weekends in agreement with applicants and newsrooms.
• Networking (virtual) sessions between secondees and Media Diversity Australia
• Multiple check-ins with MDA mentors throughout the eight-week placement
• “Getting to know you” profiles on MDA’s social media
• Google News Training sessions
• Opportunities to attend and speak at an MDA networking event and/or be featured in MDA’s monthly newsletter.
• Competitive weekly stipend for the duration of the Secondment.

EXPECTED PROJECT OUTCOMES

• Content produced by Secondees will be at the host newsroom’s discretion. Stories pitched by Secondees on China and geopolitical affairs and those affecting the Chinese-Australian community will be specially considered. 
• Better relations between Chinese communities, community media and mainstream media outlets.
• Improvement in the host newsroom’s access to the Chinese-Australian community.
• Increased diversity in the host newsroom’s commentary and interview subjects on stories relevant to the diverse Chinese-Australian communities.
• New pathways for community media journalists, professionals with strong writing and presentation skills, and interest in news and current affairs to enter the mainstream media with improved knowledge and understanding of mainstream media and journalism.

HOW TO APPLY

• Applicants must have the right to work in Australia and provide evidence if requested.
• Applicants will ideally have Chinese heritage
• Applicants will preferably be proficient in Mandarin or Cantonese
• Applicants will preferably have experience working in community media, new media or demonstrated strong writing or presentation skills
• You must address all of the following to be considered for this program:
• In 500 words or less, please tell us about you, your media and communication experience, your interest in China or Chinese diaspora story ideas, your leadership qualities and aspirations, and why you should be an MDA Secondee.
• Please attach a CV and at least one written reference.
• Applications open on Friday, July 1, 2022, at 9 am AEDT and close on Friday, August 12, 2022, at 5 pm AEST. 
• Successful candidates will be announced in August 2022 after an interview process.

Applications now closed.