Intern, Reverb Video - MPR News chez Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) / American Public Media

Position Information:

• Start Date: January 5 – June 5, 2026
• Hours: 40 hours per week (9:00 – 5:00pm)
• Location: Open to any city in Minnesota
• Compensation: $20.00/hour
• Application deadline: Application will close once finalists are selected.

Intern, Reverb Reporter:

Are you energetic, proactive, and versatile? Do you have an eye for stories that involve or impact younger adults in Minnesota, and ideas on how to craft content that’s likely to reach and engage them? If yes, come join our team as the Reverb Video Intern to produce impactful social-media video about locations and issues across Minnesota. We want you to be excited about the opportunity to cover a wide range of topics quickly.

In this role, you will work exclusively on recording, producing and occasionally hosting social-media video, with a focus on collaborating with MPR News journalists in bureaus across greater Minnesota to increase our output of videos from outside the Twin Cities metro. Our experienced editors will be there with you every step of the way as you hone your craft and develop your voice and style as a journalist. Join our team and see your work reach thousands across the state while launching your career in public media.

The Reverb team is a small team of reporters, producers and an editor who create news content for younger Minnesotans. We do that by centering their perspectives, answering their questions, celebrating them, and exploring how they’re uniquely impacted by issues. We prioritize digital content, aiming to serve young adults news how they want it (faster, shorter and scannable) and where they are (on their phones and on social media).  

You can see some of our team’s content at mprnews.org/reverb and on the MPR News TikTok and Instagram accounts. 

Key Learning Goals:

The goal of this internship is to provide you with immersive learning and real-world experience through impactful work. By the end of your internship, you will be able to:

• Develop Digital-First, Mobile-Optimized Journalism Skills: Learn how to tailor news reporting for social platforms like TikTok and Instagram, including how to engage Gen Z and Millennial audiences using platform-native formats and tones.
• Strengthen Visual and Multimedia Storytelling Techniques: Gain hands-on experience in shooting, editing, scripting, and publishing short-form video content—from idea to final product—primarily using Adobe Premiere Pro to publish at least one video per week.
• Gain Newsroom Collaboration and Pitching Experience: Work closely with experienced reporters, editors, and fellow visual journalists in a fast-paced newsroom environment, including routinely giving other visual journalists guidance on how to capture video for you; learn how to pitch and shape stories that align with both editorial goals and audience needs.
• Understand Social Listening and Audience Engagement Strategy: Learn how to identify what’s trending, monitor conversations, and spot opportunities to localize or elevate regional stories that matter to younger audiences.
• Apply Analytics to Inform Content Decisions: Build fluency in interpreting social media performance metrics and iterating based on audience feedback and engagement data to improve future storytelling.
• Optional/Bonus Learning Outcomes:
  • Experience being on-camera and developing a personal presence in journalism
  • Exposure to public media’s mission and editorial ethics
  • Understanding of how social media content contributes to larger membership, trust, and brand goals at a public media organization

Responsibilities:

• Pitch, produce, and publish short-form social video content
• Collaborate with Reverb and Regional reporters to create engaging, timely videos for TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms that translate local news into youth-friendly formats
• Identify and respond to trending topics with urgency and creativity
• Monitor statewide and national trends, especially those resonating with younger audiences, to localize and tell stories that matter to Minnesotans.
• Translate complex regional reporting into accessible, engaging video narratives
• Distill in-depth reporting into compelling formats that reflect the voices, questions, and needs of young Minnesotans across diverse geographies.
• Experiment with video tone, style, and storytelling formats
• Innovate and test different styles, formats, and on-camera approaches to find what best connects with Gen Z and Millennial audiences
• Track and iterate based on performance analytics
• Use platform analytics to assess video reach and engagement; apply insights to refine and improve future content.

Benefits:

• Eligible to accrue sick time off
• Eligible for health insurance as required under the ACA
• Eligible to participate in the APMG retirement plan

Programming:

• Participate in robust on-boarding experience
• Professional development: on-the-job training, intercultural development assessment, formal performance review feedback sessions, etc.
• Participate in brown bag sessions to gain broader perspective of the organization

Required Qualifications:

• Students who are currently enrolled and have completed one year of their post-secondary program, are enrolled in a graduate program, or have earned a degree in the last 18 months
• Able to work 9:00 - 5:00pm central; Monday - Friday
• Ability to shoot, edit, and publish engaging short-form videos tailored for platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
• Ability to identify timely, relevant, and local stories that resonate with younger audiences.
• Understanding how different platforms function, what kinds of content perform best on each, and how to optimize for engagement.
• Comfort working across editorial teams, receiving feedback, and participating in the pitching and editing process.
• Willingness to test new formats, styles, and tones—including being on camera—to connect with younger, diverse audiences.
• Basic reporting skills, including ethical sourcing, fact-checking, interviewing, and adherence to editorial standards (e.g., AP Style).
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, content-driven environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience Creating Short-Form Explainers or FAQ Content: Demonstrated ability to break down complex topics in accessible, engaging formats—especially those geared toward Gen Z or Millennial audiences.
• Fluency with Social Video Editing Tools: Proficiency in video-editing programs such as CapCut, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, or native programs within TikTok and Instagram Reels, and video tools such as external microphones and lighting.
• Use of Analytics to Guide Content Decisions: Familiarity with analytics tools like Instagram Insights, TikTok Analytics, Tubular Labs or CrowdTangle; ability to assess engagement and iterate accordingly.
• Comfort Being On-Camera: Willingness to appear in videos as a host or narrator, including delivering scripts or improvising in a conversational tone.
• Strong Writing Skills for Digital Platforms: Understanding of AP Style, writing for social captions, and adapting tone for different platforms and audiences.
• Knowledge of Minnesota Communities and Regional Issues: Insight into the culture, politics, and lived experiences of diverse communities across Greater Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro.
• Cultural Curiosity and Pop Culture Awareness: Ability to creatively tie news to cultural moments, trends, or memes in a way that’s relevant and respectful.

Next Step in the Application:

In addition to your skills and knowledge, we want to get to know you in the application process. Please include a cover letter (of no more than 1 page) with answers to the following:

• What interests you about this internship?
• What professional skills would you like to add to your toolbox in the months and years to come to grow in your career field?

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation
• Physical Demands:
  • Required to move about in an office environment and sit for extended periods of time
  • Required to move about in the community
  • Frequent use of hands for data entry/keystrokes and simple grasping
• Working Conditions:
  • Moderate noise level
  • Occasional exposure to prevalent weather conditions

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply.

MacMillan Internship & Fellowship Program at MPR|APM

Minnesota Public Radio | American Public Media are grateful for the long-time, generous philanthropy of Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan for investing in the future of public media through transformational internships and fellowships. Their recent grant will significantly strengthen our internship program, produce enriching programming, and prepare the next generation for careers in public media. We are pleased to recognize this generous support in the name of the program – the MacMillan Internship & Fellowship Program at MPR|APM.