USC Annenberg Launches Fellowship Program with Fusion

Fusion today announced that it is partnering with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to offer recent graduates several working fellowships specializing in digital storytelling, investigative reporting and documentary production.

As part of the ongoing career-track fellowship program, three recent graduates will be hired annually to work for Fusion, a news, pop culture and satire network aimed at a young, diverse American audience. Fusion is a joint venture of Univision Communications Inc., and the Disney/ABC television network.

“Millennials are the most socially and culturally connected generation, so we have to think beyond the traditional modes of journalism,” said Fusion CEO Isaac Lee. “By creating a pipeline of innovation between Fusion and the world’s best journalism schools like USC Annenberg, Fusion can continue to push the envelope and develop new ways to communicate with this young, diverse generation.”

Fellows will work for an initial six-month period at either the network’s Miami headquarters or Los Angeles production offices and will be assigned to one of Fusion’s production units.

"We are thrilled to partner with Fusion to offer Annenberg graduates professional opportunities with an innovative, forward-thinking media company,” said School of Journalism Director Willow Bay. “Working at a network that offers millennials a unique mix of programming that includes in-depth reporting, investigative journalism, original series and documentaries will be extremely valuable for our grads. We look forward to developing new ways to collaborate with Isaac Lee and his team.”

For Summer/Fall 2015, fellows will be assigned to the following units:

• Digital Unit: Fusion is focused on pushing the boundaries of storytelling in the digital space to change the way people interact with stories. One example of this is Fusion’s Bad Paper report that centered on an interactive game about the seedy world of debt collectors. Fellows will be working on special projects like this with the digital team. The Fellows will be adept at data visualization and infographic design and should have the ability to craft stories through visual and interactive media.
• Investigative Unit: Fellows will have the chance to work with Fusion’s intrepid team of investigative reporters by helping to research and produce original investigative reports that will have an impact like “Pimp City” and “Tasered.” Through both narrative and interactive storytelling, Fusion’s investigative team covers issues about injustice, corruption, immigration, and the economy among other topics that are important and relevant to its audience.
• Documentary Unit: There has been an increase in documentary viewing over the past several years, especially among younger viewers. Fellows will assist in the production of original feature length documentaries that are relevant for Fusion’s young, diverse audience. They will do camera work, producing, editing, and research.

Fellows will be treated as Fusion employees, and be supervised and evaluated by each of the unit’s coordinators. Fusion will provide training and evaluation for each fellow when they begin the program. At the completion of the fellowship, fellows may be considered for a permanent position at Fusion. In selecting the 2015 fellows, USC Annenberg’s department of career services will work with Fusion to establish the application process.