AIR’s New Voices Public Radio Fellowship

The AIR New Voices Public Radio Fellowship is designed to foster the growth and development of public radio professionals, empowering individuals with mid-level experience as reporters, hosts, producers, and editors in public media newsrooms or podcasting.

📖 About AIR New Voices Public Radio

Each year, AIR identifies and cultivates a diverse roster of underrepresented early-career talent, equipping them with skills to better understand their role as mission-driven audio makers. Participants emerge with a clearer picture of how they can find their space within the industry.

Selected fellows receive:

• Mentorship
• Professional development support
• Structured networking sessions with industry leaders
• A $1,000 stipend

Participants are paired with mentors for the duration of the program, supported by their cohort peers, the New Voices Captain, and Program Manager. Upon completing the program, fellows join an incredible network of alumni representing all levels and careers in the audio industry.

🎯 Program Objectives

• Offer mentorship and guidance from experienced public radio professionals.
• Build a support network of contacts within the public media industry.
• Increase diversity and representation within public radio newsrooms.
• Provide webinar programming and discussion groups on topics related to working in public radio newsrooms and the challenges faced.

🗓️ Fellowship Details

• Duration: Eight weeks (September 2 – October 23, 2025)
• Meeting Schedule: Twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6–8 PM ET
• Capstone Project: Fellows will complete a well-formed story pitch, workshopping ideas throughout the program before pitching to decision-makers at NPR and member stations.

Failure to attend all required sessions will result in removal from the program and loss of stipend.

💡 Benefits

• Sixteen selected participants will receive mentorship, professional development support, and online workshops with industry leaders.
• Each participant will be thoughtfully matched with a mentor for monthly meetings during the program.
• Access to a curated series of compelling speakers presenting on various topics, providing versatile skills for adapting to a changing media landscape.
• $1,000 stipend for full participation.
• Fellows will publicly identify themselves as “AIR New Voices” in bios and bylines.
• Completion of short surveys after each lecture/presentation.
• Evaluation of program experience, progress on initial goals, mentor feedback, and vision for the future of audio.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Currently work in public media or have previous experience in public media.
• Be mid-career and seeking mentorship and training to achieve career goals.
• Have experience working in media, including producing, editing, or pitching stories.
• Come from historically marginalized and/or underrepresented communities lacking access to opportunities and resources.

📋 Responsibilities and Expectations

• Commitment to participate in all required programming, mentorship, and feedback reports.
• Submission of a final project for review and potential participation in a pitch party.
• Must be 18 or older to apply.
• Applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens but must be based in the U.S. and have a U.S. bank account to receive the stipend.
• Willingness to engage in group settings and build connections within the cohort.

📅 Application Process

• Application Deadline: July 6, 2025
• Program Start Date: September 2, 2025
• Program End Date: October 23, 2025

Apply now via the AIR New Voices Public Radio Application Portal.

🌐 Contact Information

For more details, visit the AIR New Voices Public Radio Program Page.

This fellowship is sponsored by the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR).

• Sixteen selected participants will receive mentorship, professional development support, online workshops with leaders in the industry.
• Each participant will be thoughtfully matched with a mentor they will meet with each month during the program.
• A curated series of compelling speakers will present on various topic, providing you with a toolkit of versatile skills to adapt to a changing media landscape, while reimagining more collaborative career paths.
• AIR will award a $1,000 stipend to each fellow for your full participation.
• You will be asked to publicly identify yourself as “AIR New Voices” in your bios and bylines.
• You will need to complete a short survey after each lecture/presentation.
• You will complete an evaluation about your experience in the program, progress on the goals you initially set at the beginning of the program, your experience with your mentor and your vision for the future of audio, the ways in which you can help shape the industry. We'll also be very interested to hear about the connections you will make.