Al Bustan News Service Reporter

Note: Please send your cover letter, resume, and portfolio to News@albustanseeds.org with your full name in the subject line.

Job Overview: We are seeking a talented Reporter to join our News team for a Journalism Fellowship. The Fellow will produce outstanding articles for our news site, covering Arab-American and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) communities in the Greater Philadelphia area.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Report two news articles per month. (500-word minimum) 
• Work remotely with ability to cover news stories within the Philadelphia area (some of which require reporting in-person) 
• Monitor news and generate relevant story ideas that include a wide range of voices and perspectives. 
• Pitch news stories to and Report stories assigned by the News Editor. 
• Collaborate with News team, Al-Bustan staff and leadership. 
• Adhere to Al-Bustan’s editorial standards. 
• Report to the Editor.  
• Fellowship spans 6 months from the hire date, with the possibility of continued work with Al-Bustan News. 

COMPENSATION:

• Fellows are paid $625 per article with a maximum compensation during the Fellowship of $7,500. 

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent (journalism or communications degree preferred)  
• Minimum of 1-2 years of reporting experience 
• Passionate about news relevant to the Arab-American and larger SWANA communities 
• Excellent news judgment and ability to identify and pursue local news stories.  
• Ability to write stories following AP guidelines 
• Ability to work under deadline 
• Ability to cover news stories within the Philadelphia area. 
• Strong editorial judgment 
• Understanding of journalistic ethics and standards, with a commitment to factual accuracy 
• Strong communication and organizational skills 
• Commitment to independent media 
• Ability to attend periodic meetings at our Philadelphia offices. 
• Applicants must have valid US work authorization 
• Fluency in Arabic is a plus, but not required 

FELLOWSHIP DATES

6 months, beginning Fall 2024 

Note: Please send your cover letter, resume, and portfolio to News@albustanseeds.org with your full name in the subject line. 

Web: https://www.albustanseeds.org/news 

Job Type: Part-time 

Work Location: remote 

ABOUT AL-BUSTAN NEWS

Al-Bustan News is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces traditional and multimedia journalism covering issues of importance to Philadelphia's Arab and larger Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) communities. Al-Bustan News was founded in 2022 by our parent organization, Al Bustan Seeds of Culture, a leading advocate for Arab culture and education. Al-Bustan believes that the voices and perspectives of the SWANA community in Philadelphia and throughout the US are often marginalized and ignored by the mainstream media and government and founded Al-Bustan News to address this issue. 

Al-Bustan (Arabic for "The Garden") is a nonprofit organization that highlights Arab culture through artistic and educational programming. Al-Bustan promotes cross-cultural understanding among youth and adults of all ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds while supporting the pursuit and affirmation of Arab American culture and identity, playing a constructive civic role within broader American society. 

To increase the recognition of SWANA voices in our region, we launched Al-Bustan News to amplify the diversity of SWANA voices and issues. Through articles and audio/video content, we dig into pressing local, state, national, and international issues, covering various topics, including politics, immigration, labor, the environment, education, health care, and technology. We focus on news from the SWANA region and its impact on the local SWANA community in Philadelphia, empowering them with knowledge and connection. Lastly, we give special attention to Arab cultural life within Philadelphia, including art, music, literature, food, entertainment, sports, and more. We consider arts and culture a powerful medium for engagement in self-expression and exploration of cultural identity. Through our arts and culture reporting, Al-Bustan News provides a platform to challenge assumptions about the SWANA community that are typically portrayed in popular culture and news, fostering open-mindedness by presenting a more nuanced and accurate portrayal of the SWANA community.

As an independent news project, Al-Bustan News does not accept government funding, corporate sponsorship, or advertising revenue. Our editorial independence is never compromised because we are funded exclusively through grants and donations from individual supporters.