Applications open for Tarbell Fellowship Programme 2023

The programme incorporates expert speakers, feedback & mentorship from experienced journalists and networking events with experts from leading AI organisations. Upon graduation, they expect fellows to bring their expertise to major newsrooms and publications around the globe.

The 2024 Tarbell Fellowship will run from January – December 2024.

Focus Areas

• They try to prioritise problems that:
  • Would have a huge impact if solved,
  • Are able to make progress on quickly, and
  • Are currently neglected.
• They’re open to supporting Fellows working on a range of issues. In 2024, they will focus exclusively on fellows seeking to cover artificial intelligence. Some other problems they’re particularly excited about include:
  • Ending factory farming.
  • Preventing the next pandemic.
  • Ensuring artificial intelligence is safe and beneficial.
  • Eradicating preventable diseases in LMICs.

How it works?

• Challenging
  • Fellows will spend the year building skills and a strong portfolio to accelerate their journalism career.
  • As the fellowship is not associated with a specific news outlet, fellows must work hard to gain experience. Stipends may be used to support freelancing, placements in major newsrooms, or the production of other forms of journalism.
• Full-time
  • The fellowship is a full time commitment. Journalism is a highly competitive industry, and they expect fellows to be completely focused on succeeding.
• Remote
  •  The fellowship is entirely remote. This enables them to support rising journalism talent from around the globe.
• However, they strongly encourage fellows to move to international journalism hubs for the duration of this fellowship. They expect this to accelerate fellows’ careers and will give preferential treatment to those willing to do this.

Benefits

• Placement: Fellows receive 9-12 placements at a major newsroom covering artificial intelligence. Placement details vary by outlet.
• Stipend: Fellows receive stipends of up to $50,000, depending on circumstances, for the duration of their placement. They expect stipends to vary between $35,000 – $50,000 depending on location and personal circumstances.
• Intensive AI Training: Prior to placements, fellows undergo a 2-month program on AI technical and governance fundamentals. This program requires 10 hours per week and is conducted remotely. Sessions include guest lectures, paired assignments, and readings.
• Oxford Summit: Fellows attend a two week summit in Oxford at the beginning of the fellowship. This will be an intensive fortnight of guest speakers, workshops and networking events in Oxford and London. Travel and accommodation costs will be fully covered.

Eligibility Criteria

• AI expertise: A deep interest in artificial intelligence and its effects on society. Many fellows will have experience working in tech journalism, machine learning research, or AI governance.
• Passionate about journalism: Previous newsroom experience (including at student newspapers) or comparable experience in a field such as law or research is desirable but not necessary. They seek to support early-career journalists and will prioritise potential over experience.
• Excellent writing skills: A creative approach to storytelling combined with the ability to quickly get to the heart of a new topic. Fellows must be able to produce compelling copy under tight deadlines.
• Relentless: The ability to doggedly pursue your goals and persevere in the face of adversity. Fellows must be willing to work hard, and be capable of withstanding repeated rejection.
• Open-minded: The desire to understand the truth of any given story, even when it conflicts with prior beliefs. Fellows must be open to criticism and recognising ways they can improve their writing and thinking.

For more information, visit Training for Good.