The MBA Paid internship Program is an educational program designed for students interested in pursuing a career in over-the-air broadcasting or communications. Over the course of the Summer or Fall semesters, students learn how a broadcast radio or television station operates. Stations may hire in sales, traffic and business offices, programming and promotions, students will understand what keeps a radio or broadcast television station on the air.
The MBA is pleased to offer our paid internship program again in 2024. The MBA will be awarding up to five “regular’ internships to be used by member stations to fill any internship vacancy that fits a station’s needs. The MBA will offer up to two additional apprenticeships specifically for those pursuing a career in broadcast engineering.
Internships will be up to $4,140.00 ($15.00/hr. x 20 hrs/week x 12 weeks + 15% for payroll taxes and hiring expenses).
Fill out the online form or download a station application below. Stations must submit the application by Friday, December 29. Prospective interns will apply directly to stations that receive a 2024 paid internship.
Rules For Applying
In order to qualify for the MBA Paid Internship Program, stations must:
- Be a member of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association with 2024 dues paid in full.
- Run recruitment advertisements to hire interns. (copy will be provided or write your own)
- Post the open intern position on the MBA Job Board.
- Have aired an MBA Public Education Program (PEP) campaign in the last 12 months.
- Exceptions made for Non-Commercial and/or Public Stations
- Have a dedicated supervisor to oversee the intern during their time at the station.
Station Selection:
Five stations will be selected at random among those applying for regular paid internships. Two additional stations will be selected for a paid engineering intern. While we do not dictate what a student’s tasks are for our regular internship, we would ask that engineering internships cover aspects of IT and engineering at your station.
Note: Stations that have won an internship in 2022 and 2023 MAY NOT be eligible for a second intern until all qualified applying stations have received an intern. When all new stations have received an intern, the eligibility for all stations is reset. If you want an intern, PLEASE APPLY EVERY YEAR as the MBA has no way of knowing when that may occur.
Application Timeline*:
- January 5, 2024: Station’s application for internship program consideration due to MBA.
- January 12, 2024: Stations to be notified if they will receive intern, PSA scripts sent to stations
Summer Internship
- Starting January 15: Stations may run PSA’s/Recruitment ads for their particular internship position; Stations to conduct interviews.
- Intern Acceptance Form for each participating station due to MBA. Failure to return the form may result in loss of funding for paid internship. Upon receipt of Acceptance form, checks will be distributed to stations to coincide with start of summer internships.
Fall Internship
- August 18: Checks will be distributed to stations to coincide with fall internships.
*dates subject to change
Student Requirements for reqular internship
In order to qualify for the intern program, students should:
- Be entering their junior or senior year at an accredited college or university.
- Be majoring in broadcasting, communications, electronic media, marketing or other broadcast-related fields.
- For the Engineering Internships – be majoring in engineering, IT, computer programming, mechanics, or a broadcast-related field.
- Have good computer skills, excellent written and verbal communication abilities and knowledge of current events. A 3.0 GPA or above is recommended.
- Interview with prospective station(s).
- Be a Massachusetts resident OR a non-resident student currently attending an accredited college or university in the Commonwealth.
*dates subject to change
