Rappler opens 2023-2024 fellowships, welcomes student journalists to apply

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler and the Journalism for Nation Building Foundation (JNBF) are calling for applications for two fellowships – the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship and #FactsMatter Fellowship – now both on their third year.

These aim to equip fellows with the tools needed to combat disinformation, in both local and international spaces.

In this latest cycle, the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship opens its doors to:

• Campus journalists who want to be mentored by veteran journalists.
• Professional journalists across the country interested in becoming better at their craft.

Applicants should show potential to spark change in their communities.

The #FactsMatter Fellowship, meanwhile, is open to newsrooms in Southeast Asia interested in pursuing story projects related to disinformation.

The deadline for fellowship applications has been extended to November 3, 2023. The program for both fellowships will run from November 20, 2023, to March 2024.

What is the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship?

The Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship, via the Rappler-JNBF partnership, is being offered to local journalists in honor of the late investigative reporter Aries Rufo, who wrote for Newsbreak and Rappler on various issues, such as the church, judiciary, politics, and elections.

What is the #FactsMatter Fellowship?

The #FactsMatter Fellowship seeks to provide Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) newsrooms and their chosen journalist representatives the opportunity to better understand digital media, their impact on conversations about critical issues, how these could be manipulated, and how this manipulation can be prevented. The goal is to enrich coverage of these issues.

Both fellowships are supported by the National Endowment for Democracy.

Who can apply? How many will be chosen?

The Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship is open to the following: 

• Five (5) campus/student journalists currently enrolled in an accredited college or university and an active member of a campus publication or campus outlet.
• Five (5) working/career journalists who are either freelancers or employed by a media organization (print, television, or online).

The #FactsMatter Fellowship is open to:

• Three (3) ASEAN newsrooms (in print, television, or online), with an excellent command of the English language. The newsroom should nominate a reporter and an editor who will be working together.

What are the application requirements?

Interested applicants must submit the following:

For students

• Endorsement letter from a journalism professor/faculty member attesting to the student’s skills and capabilities
• 3 samples of published work in a campus publication
• Latest one-page resumé
• Letter of intent and commitment to complete the fellowship

For local journalists

• Latest one-page resumé
• Letter of intent and commitment to complete the fellowship
• For regular employees: letter from newsroom/organization that payment of salaries or fees will continue during the fellowship and a commitment to publish the final long-form story
• For freelancers: an endorsement letter from an editor of a reputable media organization, a letter signifying intent to deliver outputs and a commitment to complete the fellowship

For international fellows

• Endorsement letter from a senior editor nominating the reporter-editor tandem
• Latest one-page resumés of the reporter and editor working together
• Letters of intent and commitment to complete the fellowship
• Guarantee by the senior editor to publish the final long-form story produced by the reporter-editor tandem
• For regular employees: letter from the newsroom/organization indicating that payment of salaries or fees will continue during the fellowship

All letters should be addressed to Chay F. Hofileña, Rappler Investigative Editor and Training Head.

What will the fellowships entail? 

A series of training sessions will be conducted by Rappler senior editors and other key members of its research and data teams, both through synchronous and asynchronous online sessions, and in-person in the Rappler office.

These sessions will cover a wide range of topics that will help fellows understand and address disinformation, as well as do public interest journalism.

Local student journalists, paired with our partner newsrooms, will learn more about social media, technology, and disinformation. They will do research and submit weekly stories related to fact-checking and digital technology. They will also do stories that provide information about and are relevant to their communities.

Local fellows will do research and submit on a weekly basis stories incorporating fact-checking, current and relevant local issues. They will submit as a final requirement a long-form story related to disinformation, media, or technology and society.

International fellows representing their newsrooms will also work on media-related and fact-check stories, as well as produce as a final requirement a long-form story related to the information ecosystem, the state of disinformation, or the use of social media and/or technology in their respective countries.

What comes with the fellowship awards?

Filipino fellows will receive the following monthly stipends:

• Student journalists: P6,000 
• Local journalists: P13,000

ASEAN fellows and their newsrooms will receive a grant in two tranches:

• International fellows: Total of $5,000

You may access the application form here.

For any questions or concerns, and to submit applications, email us at fellowships@rappler.com. – Rappler.com