ABC News Audience Engagement Intern Spring 2027

Disney; New York (NY); On-site; USD 26,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

The ABC News Audience Development team at Disney offers an Audience Development Intern role in New York for a six‑month, full‑time program from January 2027 to June 2027. You will learn across journalism, analytics, and digital storytelling while supporting content distribution and audience growth across ABC News platforms.

You will work with seasoned professionals to apply editorial judgment and data insights, helping audiences discover and engage with breaking news and original journalism on

Qualifications

• Experience in journalism, news production, or digital media via coursework or internships.
• Understanding of the 24/7 news cycle and current events.
• Demonstrated writing and editing skills with samples or coursework.
• Experience using social platforms or content distribution tools.
• Familiarity with audience analytics and data‑informed decisions.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in fast-paced settings.

Responsibilities

• Support audience development initiatives across ABC News digital platforms.
• Curate content experiences and assist in distributing content to partners.
• Contribute to headline testing, trend monitoring, and platform discovery.
• Help grow engagement using data insights and editorial judgment.

Skills

Journalism experience

News cycle understanding

Writing and editing

Social media & distribution

Analytics awareness

Multitasking & deadlines

Education

Journalism/ Communications major

Job description

Job Summary:

About the Role & Program

The ABC News Audience Development team is responsible for creating, distributing, curating, and optimizing ABC News content across digital platforms, including ABCNews.com, mobile apps, major social media platforms, search, video, and other distribution channels. The team plays a critical role in connecting audiences with breaking news and original journalism while identifying opportunities to grow engagement across existing and emerging platforms.

As an Audience Development Intern, you will gain hands‑on experience at the intersection of journalism, audience strategy, analytics, and digital storytelling. Working alongside experienced audience development professionals, you will learn how editorial judgment, data insights, and experimentation help drive audience growth and engagement. The ideal candidate is passionate about news and current events, follows digital media trends, and is interested in understanding how audiences discover and consume content across platforms.

This internship is a full-time, six-month commitment in the New York, New York area from January 2027 - June 2027

What You Will Do

On any given day, you will support audience development initiatives across ABC News digital platforms, including ABCNews.com, mobile apps, search, social media, video, and other distribution channels. You will help curate content experiences across owned platforms, support audience growth strategies, and assist in distributing content to external partners to help maximize visibility during major news events. You will contribute to headline testing efforts, monitor news, search, and social trends, and help identify emerging platforms, formats, and audience behaviors. This role offers the opportunity to strengthen editorial judgment, analytical thinking, collaboration, and digital storytelling skills while gaining exposure to how data and audience insights inform content strategy.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Experience with journalism, news reporting, news production, digital media, or content creation through coursework, internships, campus media, or related projects.
• Understanding of the 24/7 news cycle, current events, and breaking news coverage.
• Demonstrated writing and editing skills through coursework, internships, campus media, or published content samples.
• Experience using social media platforms, digital publishing tools, or content distribution channels through academic, extracurricular, internship, or personal projects.
• Familiarity with audience metrics, analytics, or data-informed decision-making through coursework, projects, or prior experience.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively in a fast‑paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills

• Experience conducting research or analyzing audience, engagement, or content performance data.
• Familiarity with social media management, content publishing, or audience analytics tools.
• Experience creating content for digital, social, or campus media platforms.
• Experience working in a newsroom, media organization, student publication, or related environment.
• Familiarity with SEO, headline writing, or audience engagement strategies.
• Interest in emerging digital platforms and evolving audience consumption behaviors.

Education

• Junior or Senior year preferred.
• Major or coursework in Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Communications, Digital Media, Media Studies, Marketing, or a related field preferred.

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information

Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements:

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class at time of application OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship.
• Current Disney Interns, College, International, or Culinary Program Participants: You may only work for ONE consecutive year (12 months) in any combination of an internship and/or program.
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Possess unrestricted work authorization

Additional Information

• Able to have a consistent, reliable work schedule throughout the internship
• Fully available from January 2027 through June 2027
• Fully available from Monday through Friday, 40 hours each week
• Able to provide own housing for the duration of the internship program in the New York, New York area
• Able to provide/have reliable transportation to/from work in the New York, New York area

Materials Requested:

• A portfolio review is required for this position. For full consideration, please include a link to your portfolio on your résumé. Applications without a portfolio link on the résumé will not be considered a completed application packet and may not be fully considered for the position. Please visit our support site or additional information.

The pay rate for this role in New York is $23.00 per hour. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered. To learn more about our benefits visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.

About Disney Entertainment Television:

Disney Entertainment Television is a collection of renowned content brands at The Walt Disney Company creating original entertainment and news programming for the company's streaming platforms Disney+, Hulu and Star, and its broadcast and cable networks. Its extensive portfolio is comprised of ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Branded Television, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and Onyx Collective, in addition to Disney Television Studios, which include 20th Television, 20th Television Animation, ABC Signature and Walt Disney Television Alternative. Responsible for over 4,500 hours of programming a year across more than 300 programs of all genres, Disney Entertainment Television's creative brands are at the forefront of groundbreaking storytelling, captivating audiences and generating critical acclaim. In 2023, Disney Entertainment Television's programming excellence earned 163 Emmy nominations across daytime, primetime, news & documentary, and children's & family categories.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world‑class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney's stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & Intl, which is part of a business we call Disney Entertainment Television.

Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & Intl is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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