f.a.q.

Dates
Pitch Criteria
Work Sample Criteria
Application How-Tos
Selection Process
Eligibility
Fellowship Expectations
Fellowship Provisions
Additional Questions

When is the application due?

Applications are due July 1, no later than 11:59 PM. [top]

When will I be notified?

We will notify applicants of selection by July 31. [top]

When will the fellowship start?

The three-month fellowship will start in the fall, with dates determined according to the fellow’s schedule and any travel constraints. [top]

What are the criteria for the pitch?

A pitch is much more than just a region of the world. Your pitch should be timely—why does this story need to be told now? It should be original—surprise us with a story we haven’t heard, an angle that hasn’t been addressed.

Sell it. Your pitch should take us to places the mainstream media has not. Indeed, take us above the fray. Above all, the story you pitch should have the capacity to transport the audience to places they have not experienced, to expose them to voices they have not heard while giving them a good reason why you have chosen to report this story. It should be specific enough to articulate the types of people you would expect to speak to, and places you will expect to visit on the course of the story. Yet broad enough to adapt once the story veers off course (the best ones often do).

Your pitch should identify multiple characters and a story line that will develop over the three-month duration. We do not expect that you will be able to anticipate every permutation of what you will report, but we should have a good sense of the target. In many ways, a good pitch is as much about raising good questions as it is about predicting the answers. All stories reported from the field will relate back to these basic questions. If things change, we expect that your pitch will adapt accordingly, so you shouldn’t feel that you are binding yourself to what you write here.

If there’s a background to why you are submitting a pitch—an article, an experience, or a person—please feel free to reference this in your written statement to give us a better sense of your perspective. [top]

I have multiple pitch ideas. May I submit multiple pitches?

One application per applicant, please. If you are torn between two stories that you would like to pitch, pick your favorite. [top]

I have a great story idea, but I see that NPR already has a correspondent in the region that I would like to cover. Should I pick a different one?

Yes. Unless you feel that the content of your work would be substantially different from the reporting currently offered by the existing NPR correspondent, you will fare better if you select a different region. [top]

Do work samples need to have been published/aired?

On-air clips should demonstrate your ability to tell a story. Ideally, they will be stories that have aired or been published online or elsewhere. However, we know that you are at the beginning of your careers, and that perhaps you haven’t had an opportunity to make it on the air yet. If that is the case, we shouldn’t be able to tell the difference (theoretically); your samples should be polished and professional. [top]

May I upload writing clips as on-air clips?

No. On-air clips should be audio or video pieces. You may upload writing clips as additional work samples, however. [top]

What work experience is required of fellows?

The Above the Fray fellow is meant to jump start an already-burgeoning career. We do require that an applicant have at least three (3) but no more than five (5) years of professional journalism experience, with a preference for some radio experience. For the purposes of totaling your work experience to determine whether you are eligible, freelance work should be counted; internships should not. [top]

Do work samples need to be in english?

Yes. All work samples must be in English. [top]

May I save my application as a draft before submitting?

Applicants may save the application while working on it. However, once submitted, you will not be able to go back to make changes. Once your application has been saved as a draft, a link to request your recommendations will be activated. [top]

How do I request recommendations?

The application requires that two (2) recommendations be requested through our online system. We advise that you make a personal request to let your references know to expect an e-mail from us. Once your application has been saved as a draft, a link to request your recommendations will be activated. Before issuing the e-mail requests for letters of recommendations, please ensure that you have entered your first and last name into the application form. You will be prompted to enter the contact details for your two references, whereupon they will be e-mailed a unique link to upload your letter of recommendation as an attachment (preferably as a Word or PDF document). Please ensure that you have verified the e-mail addresses in advance, since requests will be e-mailed when you click "Save." You will not be able to update this information later. [top]

Will I be notified when my letters of recommendation have been submitted?

No. We will do our best to contact each applicant when application materials are complete, but it may not be possible. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all materials are submitted in time to meet the July 1 deadline. [top]

How are fellows selected?

Applications are reviewed by a selection committee consisting of the John Alexander Project directors and board of advisors. A final decision is made jointly by the John Alexander Project and NPR. [top]

What citizenship is required of fellow?

As of June 9, 2011, there is no citizenship requirement, however applicants must be fluent in English and all work samples must be in English. [top]

Are there minimum and maximum age limits for fellows?

No. [top]

May a fellow also be reporting for their employer or freelancing?

While reporting as an Above the Fray fellow, you will be on exclusive assignment with the John Alexander Project and NPR and should not report for other outlets. [top]

Are fellows required to produce a news story at the end of the fellowship?

It is our hope and expectation that fellows will produce at least one piece to air before the fellowship is over, however we expect that fellows will constantly be pitching stories for consideration for NPR’s air and website. Pitches will be directed to the appropriate desk and editor. Additionally, if the fellow discovers ancillary stories during the course of the fellowship, or if news breaks at or near their location, fellows will be available for coverage as necessary. [top]

Is NPR guaranteed to air my work?

As with any other correspondent, NPR is under no obligation to air or publish material that does not meet its standards. [top]

What costs does the fellowship cover?

Fellows will be awarded $24,000, disbursed at predetermined intervals, to cover production expenses for the duration of the fellowship—travel, lodging, equipment, interpreters, local transportatio, including a stint in Washington, DC, for immersion at NPR before being deployed. Once selected, it is up to the fellow to draw up a budget for final approval. [top]

Does the program provide security?

The John Alexander Project cannot cover stories that require security personnel for the fellow. Please choose a region to tell a story where such protection is not required. [top]

Does the program provide health insurance coverage?

Health insurance coverage is the responsibility of each fellow. We encourage you to ensure that your current plan will offer continuing coverage. [top]

Additional questions?

We’re learning as we go, so we may have missed something. Send us an e-mail: info@thejohnalexanderproject.org