News Intern - The Bellingham Herald Job at McClatchy in Bellingham

The Bellingham Herald values early-career journalists. You are the future of our industry.

Our interns have moved on to become reporters, editors and publishers at news organizations across the country and beyond.

Join us in Bellingham, Washington, as a paid intern and gain practical education and professional experience while having a great time working alongside reporters and editors in our newsroom.

You will work on stories, be assigned a mentor and talk about the ever-changing world of journalism with experts, from our president and regional editor to investigative journalists.

What should you know about our company?

We are part of McClatchy, a digitally driven company focused on innovation, with newsrooms in 30 communities in the United States.

Our headquarters is in Bellingham, Washington, a vibrant and scenic place to live. The community is thriving with an array of new restaurants, breweries and cultural attractions, including galleries and theaters. Nestled between the Salish Sea and the North Cascades, Bellingham offers abundant outdoor activities like kayaking, hiking and skiing. With easy access to two national parks - North Cascades and Mount Baker - and the San Juan Islands, nature is always close. Plus, the bustling city of Vancouver, B.C. is just an hour's drive away.

We primarily serve Whatcom County, covering breaking news, weather, government and entertainment news. We are an award-winning organization with a reputation for accuracy, fairness, credibility and civic purpose. Our investigations bring about change. Our community involvement touches readers. We deliver information to them quickly and truthfully.

What's the goal of this internship?
Our goals are many. First is to educate and train aspiring journalists in the principles and rigors of their desired profession. Second is to bring new voices to our newsroom to give us fresh perspectives. Third is to put you to work - you will write stories (or take photos, create social media plans or make videos). Fourth, this can be a try-out. We are surveying and assessing future journalists either to fill jobs or to recommend to our colleagues in other news organizations around the nation.

How does the internship work?
Our interns are vital and we value them. The program works this way:

Internships are generally 12 weeks, 40 hours per week, and interns earn $19.13 an hour. Schedule could include weekend hours. You will learn how to cover a wide variety of local news. This is a general assignment internship that will give you an array of clips and experience. You might write a breaking news story about a crime one day, a profile about a new business opening the next, and cover a city council measure later in the week. You will be assigned stories and will also be responsible for pitching story ideas throughout the internship. Most interns work with an editor to choose one larger project to work on throughout their time in the newsroom that is published as the culmination of their internship.

Each intern, while being assigned to the newsroom and responsive to its supervisors, also has a peer mentor.

What skills are you looking for?

• The ability to write quickly, accurately and well.
• Solid news judgment and excellent journalism ethics.
• A deep curiosity and high energy.
• Self-motivation, with an instinctive grasp of what is important and interesting to audiences on all platforms, including social media.
• A collaborative style that works comfortably across teams spread throughout the office and company.
• Ability to find great stories that are highly readable and contribute to our mission.
• Ability to use SEO smartly and strategically and to understand other audience growth processes.
• Experience using data and research to inform reporting.
• A commitment to diverse coverage through community engagement and source building.
• Proficient knowledge of technology, including content management systems and storytelling tools.
• Ability to quickly and accurately research and verify the authenticity of information, sources, photos and video.
• Must have reliable transportation and a valid driver's license and vehicle insurance (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).
  
  The anticipated base pay range for this position is $19.13 per hour. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, department equity and relevant education.

Do interns participate in sports coverage?
This is a general assignment news internship. We do not offer a sports-specific internship. That being said, when interns have a particular interest in sports journalism, we try to find some opportunities for them to work with our sports reporters during their time in the newsroom.

When are the start and end dates of the internship?
Interns generally join us during the summer, but we are flexible with start and end dates and are happy to consider applicants who would prefer to join us during part of the school year.

What's the deadline to apply?
We accept applications on a rolling basis through December 31, 2025 at 5 p.m. PST.

Do you allow interns to work remotely?
We expect interns to be in the Bellingham area to report stories throughout our community. You are welcome but not required to work from our office space while you're here.

Questions about applying?
Are you on the fence about applying? Please do. We're excited to hear from you. Please include a cover letter, resume and examples of your work as part of your application. You may also include links to personal websites or your portfolio, if available. Send questions to Senior Editor Scot Heisel at sheisel@thebellinghamherald.com.

Travel Required
Yes. Driving for Business

About the McClatchy Media Company

The McClatchy Media Company features a portfolio of vibrant and trusted news, lifestyle, entertainment brands and a robust retail distribution network. Our iconic local news brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star and The Sacramento Bee, have collectively earned a total of 57 Pulitzer prizes and are complemented by popular lifestyle and entertainment brands such as Us Weekly and Woman's World. Together, our brands reach more than 100 million unique visitors a month,The McClatchy Retail Network, our distribution and logistics arm, offers delivery to more than 56,000 retail locations weekly.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.