Job · San Francisco, CA · Internship

Forum Intern

KQED · Arts, Culture & Humanities · $108.9M budget · 577 staff · Since 1954

Why KQED

FY2024 · Form 990Its mission and biggest programs, as filed

Broadcasts news, public affairs, and cultural programs via radio and other platforms to inform and inspire Bay Area communities.

  • Multiplatform content - news, arts and science: see schedule okqed's content teams develop news and programming that complements distributed content from our national media partners, including NPR and PBS. Focusing on regional news, arts & culture, education and science, KQED…$32.2M spent in FY2024
  • Television: see schedule okqed 9 and KQED plus are among the nation's most-watched public television stations with an average of approximately 470,000 weekly viewers in the san francisco-oakland-san jose market. KQED owns and operates public television stations KQED-tv/dt channel 9…$18.8M spent in FY2024
  • Fm radio: see schedule okqed public radio is among the most-listened-to public radio stations in the nation, with an average of nearly 700,000 weekly radio listeners in the san francisco metro survey area.KQED owns and operates KQED public radio 88.5…$10.2M spent in FY2024

Before you apply

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Pays its leaders
$248K–$542K
12 officers reported
Fine: from the org's Form 990.
Pt VII · Sec A
Budget
$113.0M
spent in FY2023
Fine: from the org's Form 990.
Pt I · Ln 18
Staff
577
employees
982 volunteers
Fine: from the org's Form 990.
Pt I · Ln 5–6
Spent on programs
67%
of spending
Fine: 67% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Surplus or deficit
−4%
of revenue, FY2023
Concern: revenue was below expenses in the latest filing.
Pt I · Ln 19
Cash reserves
35 mo
of spending, in cash and securities
Looks good: 35.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Latest return
FY2023
latest Form 990
Fine: the latest return is for FY2023, 3 tax years back; within 3 tax years.
IRS e-file
IRS status
501(c)(3)
tax-exempt since 1955
Looks good: listed by the IRS.
IRS BMF
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernTap a box for the reason.

About the role

The org's own posting, as written

Deadline to apply for KQED Internships is Friday, October 30, 2026. Please state which internship(s) you are applying for in your cover letter and apply to each internship individually. This is a paid internship, working 16 hours per week from Tuesday, January 19, 2027, through Friday, June 25, 2027. The current hourly rate is $19.61 per hour. KQED is one of the largest news producers and newsrooms in California. One of our flagship shows is “Forum,” two hours of daily conversation and news co-hosted by Alexis Madrigal and Mina Kim.

In this internship, you’ll help put together a live, fast-paced show, ranging from expert panels on the latest news, to one-on-one interviews with authors, musicians, artists and other engaging voices. Duties involve pitching show ideas, in-depth research, comment compilation and moderation during the live show, answering phones, pre-interviewing guests, posting to social media, audio editing, working very closely with producers and eventually producing a few of your own shows! While fast-paced, we have a friendly, convivial team and look forward to giving the next generation of journalists a peek into the world of radio show production.

KQED envisions a public media organization with a culture that centers on human dignity, equity, and belonging. This will enable us to better serve and reflect the Bay Area through diverse and inclusive storytelling. We value the contributions of marginalized people in society — including Black, Indigenous, and all people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people — and we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, and we strongly encourage members of these communities to apply. The mission that drives us: KQED provides citizens of Northern California with a community-supported alternative to commercial media.

We provide citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions; convene community dialogue; bring the arts to everyone and engage audiences to share their stories. We help students and teachers thrive in 21st-century classrooms, and take people of all ages on journeys of exploration- exposing them to new people, places and ideas. This role will work hybrid between working in KQED's newly renovated headquarters and working remotely.

Essential Functions

Research program topics and offer show ideas Conduct preliminary phone interviews with potential guests Provide production assistance before, during and after live broadcasts Create web pages and social media posts Perform routine administrative tasks Knowledge/Experience Required: Solid writing and communication skills Reliability and professional demeanor Knowledge/Experience Desired: Some prior journalism experience is desired but not required. Strong interest in the news and a familiarity with Bay Area, California, national and international current events. Growth & Development Opportunities: Forum interns can expect to learn what it takes to produce a fast-paced daily public…

Read the full posting

About KQED

From its Form 990
  • Budget $108.9M · Arts, Culture & Humanities
  • Staff 577 · founded 1954
  • Pays its leaders $248K–$542K (12 reported)
  • Open jobs 25 · Jobs at KQED · Full 990 report

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