For Stations:
In order for a station to qualify for a paid internship, stations must:
- Be a member of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association in good standing for the current year.
- Run PSA’s to promote program, recruit interns.
- Designate a staff member responsible for overseeing the intern during their time at the station who can report back to MBA.
Station Selection:
Five stations will be selected at random among those applying.
Note: Stations that have won a past internship will not be eligible for a second intern until all qualifying stations have received an intern. If you want an intern, PLEASE APPLY EVERY YEAR as the MBA has no way of knowing when that may occur.
For Students:
In order for a student to qualify for the $10.00/hour paid internship, he/she must:
- 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.
- 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 residents OR a non-resident student currently attending an accredited college or University in the Commonwealth.
- Be prepared to work for 12 weeks at 20 hours per week.
For stations, the MBA requires the applying station be a paid member of the MBA. We will also require a post-internship survey for both student and mentor.
Upon acceptance into the program and hiring of your intern, the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association will send a check to your station in the amount of $2,760, covering 20 hours per week for 12 weeks at the current Massachusetts minimum wage of $10/hour, plus 15% more to cover payroll taxes and additional expenses incurred by the station during and after the hiring process.
The reason for having a paid internship sponsored by the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association is three-fold. One, unpaid internships are facing increasing scrutiny from the Department of Labor. Two, the Paid Internship Program, much like the MBA Scholarship program, will help MBA member stations fulfill their yearly Equal Employment Opportunity credits. Lastly, it is a great way to instill a passion for broadcast media in a future generation.
