Co-host, Planet Money (temporary)

Planet Money is looking for a temporary co-host/reporter on the Planet Money podcast team for up to six months. You will pitch, report, write, re-write, and co-host about one episode a month with a lot of help from the team, while also helping colleagues on their episodes. You will also file radio stories for other NPR programs and generally assist with all Planet Money does in podcast, broadcast, newsletter, TikTok and elsewhere. We are an extremely collaborative and tight-knit team with broad creative freedom to tell stories however we can. We are looking for someone who thrives with that wide remit. 

This job is a chance to help millions of listeners make sense of one of the most confusing moments in our nation’s—and the world’s—history. You’ll have to juggle themes of fairness, well-being, inequality, power, race, nationalism efficiency, productivity, comparative advantage, and all the other usual economic vocabulary words. And you will make people care.

Application Deadline: Friday, March 1, 2024

Please read on for details, including what you must submit to apply.

Who Should Apply? 

For this temporary assignment, we are especially looking for people who can demonstrate an ability to pitch, report, write, and execute whole long-form podcast episodes at a pace of about one per month.

This is not a job for someone who likes to take one assignment, go off solo for long stretches, and return with a fully formed gem. Nor is it for someone who gets too precious about every detail and lets perfectionism derail a project. This is not an investigative reporter job. This is also not a news job, where capital I “importance” alone gets a story greenlit. We consider ourselves explainers and storytellers. We work as a team at just about every step of the process. You will be expected to help everyone else do their best work, as they’ll help you. It’s usually fun.

The ideal candidate does NOT have to love Planet Money as it is. We invite criticism and want new voices to join the team. Tell us what bores you about the show, what we’re missing, and if the show is missing the mark, tell us why it does not speak to you. We want that message — delivered with empathy and kindness — in our edit room.

HOW TO APPLY

1) Please submit a resume

2) Please also submit a short cover letter telling us about yourself, your experience, and what you are curious about lately. We'd like to get a sense of what you would want to pitch and cover for Planet Money and how that meets the needs of our audience in this particular historical moment. We also want to hear why you want the job, and how you think you might improve Planet Money if hired. We invite your critiques; offering constructive, actionable editorial feedback is a core part of the job. 

3) Please include links to past work, even if it is not exactly like Planet Money. Feel free to also send us links to things you love that inspire your work.

4) Please include a link to an audio file in which you explain The Impossible Trinity, aka the Trilemma. This job is about making complex topics clear and entertaining. So show us how you do it. You can put the link at the bottom of your cover letter. The file should be no more than 3 minutes. It doesn’t need to be fancy. It can be just you into your phone or anything else you like. We won’t be evaluating you on your production skills. We’re looking for explanatory clarity and how enjoyable it is to listen to.

Collective Bargaining Agreement Statement: This is a union-represented role covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with SAG-AFTRA. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Find, pitch, report, book, script, narrate an episode, and broadcast radio pieces on deadline.
• Co-host, co-write, peer-edit and otherwise chip in helping on episodes reported by teammates.
• Contribute to group edits of other staff members' work.
• Graciously take edits from your team members, and work collaboratively with them at every step of the process with respect and kindness.
• Ability to work with producers in a way that facilitates their journalistic and professional development.
• Ensuring all journalistic and ethical standards are met and exceeded.
• Write web, social, video, and newsletter versions or stories as needed
• Represent NPR and Planet Money in live and online events occasionally and appear on other media to promote Planet Money.
• Mentor and assist in the professional development of junior staff.
• Along with co-hosts, editors, and staff, set the news agenda for the program.
• Factor in the diversity of sourcing and representation of all voices when planning and executing the program.

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT

Although we especially welcome those with economic or finance expertise, formal education is not what is important to us. There is no educational requirement.

WORK LOCATION

• Remote Permitted: This is a remote permitted role. This role is based out of our New York City office but the employee may choose to work on a remote basis from a location that NPR approves.

JOB TYPE

• This is a temporary (6-month) full-time position.

COMPENSATION

Hourly Rate: The U.S. based anticipated hourly rate for this opportunity is $58.90 - $73.08 per hour. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum hourly rate NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

Benefits: NPR offers access to comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPR’s benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness, paid time off, and financial well-being. Plan options include medical, dental, vision, life/ accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, short-term disability, and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees. 

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.