The Hearst High School Media Internship at The Paley Center for Media is a 5-week, paid, best-in-class media-focused summer internship for rising 11th and 12th grade students. The program will encompass Media Literacy and Digital Learning, Media Career Development, and Mentorship. The internship offers students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, and network necessary to prepare for college and to break into the media and entertainment industry.
Applications for next summer will open February 2025.
This program is made possible by the generous support from:
Internship Overview
The Hearst High School Media Internship will provide students with an understanding of media and its power and offer a meaningful educational and career readiness experience. The internship will create ongoing access and opportunity and serve as a pipeline for developing diverse talent from all backgrounds inspiring the next generation of media industry professionals. Through these three pillars—Media Literacy and Digital Learning, Media Career Development, and Mentorship—students will gain invaluable insights and experience.
Above all, interns will gain skills in public speaking, production research, script and column writing, as well as editing and audio production that are crucial for college and career readiness.
Internship Highlights
During this internship, students will:
- Meet high-profile industry professionals and learn about their career paths while receiving career advice.
- Go behind the scenes and visit newsrooms, podcast studios, and/or television production sets, among others.
- Strengthen writing and research skills while creating a column for the Paley Education newsletter.
- Hone digital and storytelling skills by producing an original podcast. Listen to the podcasts produced by the interns!
- Build an industry network and receive valuable mentoring.
Who is eligible to apply?
The application is open to rising 11th and 12th grade students.
All participants must present a valid employment certificate (NY State Working Papers) upon commencement of the internship and must be able to work legally in the U.S. More information about NY State Working Papers can be found here. Info for Connecticut Working Papers is here, and here for New Jersey. For students residing in other states, please speak with your high school principal or guidance counselor to obtain the necessary instructions for obtaining working papers in your state.
Will I be paid as an intern?
Yes, Interns will be paid $16 per hour, and a Metrocard will be provided for local commuting costs.
What is the Internship timeline?
The summer internship will last five weeks, meeting four times a week for six hours at a time except when noted otherwise (see full schedule below).
Pre-Internship Schedule:
| February 2024 | Application opens | |
| April 12, 2024, by 5 pm ET | Application due | |
| April 26, 2024 | Finalist candidates are notified | |
| May 11, 2024* | Finalist candidates are interviewed in person | |
| May 17, 2024 | Accepted interns are notified | |
| June 22, 2024* | Accepted Intern and Family Reception, 1–3 pm: A two-hour session for interns and at least one parent or guardian to become familiar with the internship and its staff and review requirements and expectations. |
2024 Internship Schedule:
How to Apply
A letter of recommendation from a teacher or mentor MUST be submitted to be considered for the internship. Please make sure the letter of recommendation includes their name, phone number, and email address. Please upload your teacher/mentor letter of recommendation as a “FILE.”
Please double check that all email addresses on your application are entered correctly. Errors might impact our ability to get in touch with you about your application.
If you have any questions about the internship that haven't been answered, please feel free to reach out to Rebekah Fisk at eduny@paleycenter.org.