John DiStaso Political Fellowship

John DiStaso Political Fellowship

The John DiStaso Political Fellowship is a one-semester paid position at Hearst ABC affiliate WMUR-TV in Manchester, NH.  Our Fellow will work closely with members of our political team on several projects including daily political coverage, our 2022 and 2024 election-related coverage, and our weekly political show, “CloseUP”.  The Fellowship will be awarded to a motivated junior or senior in college who is interested in pursuing a career in political journalism.

More about John DiStaso

John DiStaso was the most experienced political journalist in New Hampshire. He was often referred to as the “dean” of New Hampshire’s political press corps. John died from complications of pancreatic cancer on April 21, 2022, at the age of 68.  Throughout his career, DiStaso interviewed four sitting presidents and countless presidential candidates while covering 11 New Hampshire primaries. John spent much of his career working for New Hampshire’s largest newspaper, “The Union Leader”.  He spent the last seven years of his career working for WMUR, where he wrote daily for WMUR.com regularly breaking stories.  He also often appeared on WMUR-TV to provide analysis for political stories.

The opportunity

In this political fellowship, you’ll play a meaningful role on the experienced political team of WMUR. You’ll follow in John’s footsteps working on daily political coverage. You’ll learn from John’s enduring legacy, as well as the experienced political team at WMUR to gain the knowledge and experience to launch a successful career in political journalism.

How to qualify

• Working toward a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Journalism, Communications or a related degree
• Experience in journalism through internships or college media
• Goal to work in the field of journalism
• Excellent writing and research skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Deadline driven
• Willingness to work various shifts including nights, weekends and holidays
• You also need to have a strong academic record, and two recommendations from faculty or internship supervisors

How to apply

Please apply on our career site. Include the following documentation in your application:

• Include the following documentation in your application:
  • A letter expressing interest in the fellowship and promoting your candidacy
  • A summary of your commitment to journalism (one page, single-spaced)
  • A current resume citing work experience and accomplishments
  • A complete academic transcript through your completed semester
  • Two academic or professional recommendations
  • Finalists will be interviewed by phone and either in-person or via video conference

Application deadlines

For the fall fellowship, applications are due by June 15th. For the spring fellowship, applications are due by September 15th. Decisions regarding fall selection will be made in July and decisions regarding spring selection will be made in October.