In three…two…one
My experience as an 8News intern
As my internship has come to end, looking back I can say interning with 8News was the most beneficial internship I could have accepted. Being offered the opportunity to see the workings of a newsroom was an experience I will never forget. The Communication Studies department at Longwood prepared me well for my internship, but what I learned throughout my eight weeks were lessons you cannot learn in the classroom.
Over the eight weeks, I worked alongside reporters, producers and the web team. I shadowed their current position and was also able to see a glimpse of the future for news. During my time, 8News was implementing their “Digital First” initiative, with digital only reporters and web stories. It was enlightening to see the way the news works now, but also where the news is headed.
Looking back on my internship, I have grown and improved tremendously as a reporter, writer and professional. Yet, one aspect I did not touch on were the relationships I made. Each newsroom is different, but I was lucky my internship was filled with supportive and caring people. If I ever had a question, needed critique or advice, multiple people were open to helping and offering their words to me. What I have learned in terms of technical skills are exceptionally important, but more importantly to me was the ability to seek help and advice and keep the relationships I have made for the future.
Ever since freshman year, I have been adamant I would be a news reporter and anchor on television. Even though I have been determined to become a news reporter and anchor, I was nervous that after interning, my mind and future career would have changed. Luckily, after interning I am more determined than ever to continue, after being able to experience a newsroom.
Every day I interned was different and I loved the change and excitement the newsroom offered. The work was hard, but it was worth it. Being able to tell stories of other people is an indescribable feeling, and being on the sidelines during breaking news is an experience unlike any other. I still do not know where or what market I want to start my future career in, but I am excited for the future station I get to work alongside. 8News gave me such a valuable opportunity that I’m ready to take my talents to another station to learn and grow even more as a professional.
During my eight weeks, I knew I would learn substantial knowledge for my future and after reassessing the skills I hoped to learn, I am able to say I not only learned these skills but more. I was prepared for my internship, but there were aspects I felt I lacked from the classroom and needed to learn.
For one, I was determined to work on my writing, whether it was with a reporter or a producer. I was constantly writing during my internship. There were moments I had free time, which I chose to spend writing. I would write, ask for critiques and would write again. In the beginning, many of my scripts were critiqued and changed. Yet, as I practiced and improved, my scripts were being changed less and less by the end of my internship.
When shadowing the web team, I worked to put together story ideas that would do well on social media and make creative tweets. The biggest skill I learned, with the web team, was to think about the audience and someone my age. By using this advice, I wrote stories I would want to see and click on when scrolling through my timeline. This advice not only works for 8News, but also at school when planning stories that students will want to watch.
In addition to writing stories, the web team also spent substantial time working to improve my professional pages. With their help, I was able to start my Facebook page and become an active social media reporter. The team also gave me advice on how to grow and connect as a young professional. This is an aspect I am grateful I learned during my time, that I did not know how much I would appreciate and need to know for my future.
In my first journal, I also attributed wanting to refine my editing skills. Editing is an area I was comfortable with from school, but felt I could use some fresh ideas to change up my reporting. When watching the reporters, I would take notes of edits I liked and would work well in my future, including short SOT’s and two shot frames. In refining my editing, I learned that broll’s natural sound should play in the package and broll should not move with zooms or pans. I also learned how to entice the audience with the best SOT you have and then start the package. After spending time with the reporters and watching their editing, I am able to take away those skills which will help improve my own work.
Lastly, throughout my internship, there were different challenges I faced including script writing, lowering my voice and being creative with social media posts. Many of these individual challenges and how to overcome them came with time and practice, and I was able to work through them. Yet, one of the biggest challenges I faced was a more personal challenge of being a perfectionist. During my first two weeks, if I made a mistake during my internship, I was incredibly hard on myself for it. My mistakes were not hurting anyone or the newscast in any way, but nevertheless I was disappointed. I had too much headroom in my broll one day, I had an off colored broll shot another and when doing my stand ups, if I made a mistake I would stop. By practicing, these mistakes were helping me improve, but in those first two weeks learning that it’s okay to make a mistake was difficult. I did not suddenly not be a perfectionist, but I worked to remind myself that as long as I did my best to not make the same mistakes again, it was okay. Although there were other challenges I faced, being a perfectionist was one I continually had to work through and push past to become a better version of myself in the end.
When reflecting on the goals I set during my internship, I did not achieve them all, but I am not disappointed in what I did accomplish. Throughout my time, I was able to finish my reporting reel, have 2 VOSOT’s completed, have more than 10 scripts written and a whole news block executed by myself.
During my internship, I worked tirelessly to critique and improve my reel. I took advice I learned at Longwood and at 8News to make the best reel I could. Though my reel will constantly change, and I already have critiques to improve upon, I am proud of my reel. Not every stand up I took during my internship was reel worthy, and that is okay, I am learning and growing with each take. I only began reporting on camera this past year, but comparing the growth in my presentation to the last reporting assignment I completed at Longwood, I have improved and become more comfortable on camera as a reporter. These stand ups and packages were taken throughout my eight weeks, and even watching them back my growth and confidence can be seen increasing on camera. My reel was the biggest goal I had for my internship, and I am overjoyed to have completed it.
Although, I accomplished many of my goals I was not able to accomplish having four to five packages and being able to take a social media video every time I was with a reporter. These goals became difficult as I was not with a reporter everyday of my internship.
For my reel, I wanted every stand up and package to be different. If I had sacrificed difference in my reel, I would have been able to reach my goal of four to five packages. Yet, after watching many reporting reels, I preferred when stands up were not taken from packages later in the reel. This is a personal preference for my reel, and for future internships I will know how to better schedule my time to achieve more packages.
In addition to this, always recording a social media video became difficult. Specifically, there were times and stories where I did not feel right taping a video of myself when people behind me were grieving. Times like this, I believe it is more important to be a respectful journalist than to fulfil taking a video.
Throughout my internship, Alex Thorson, Chris Payne and Constance Jones were three people who constantly supported and mentored me as I learned and grew accustomed to the news.
Alex was a reporter I frequently shadowed and was so welcoming to me. Throughout the process, Alex became my mentor. I am so thankful for all Alex did for me, as she genuinely cared about helping me improve. Alex helped in any way she could, whether it was shooting a stand up, reading my scripts or helping me edit. Alex was constantly pushing me to the best reporter I can.
Chris, my internship supervisor, was so helpful by giving myself, and the other intern, a weekly schedule. Chris made me feel at home in the newsroom by checking up on me and always pointing me in the right direction. Chris even allowed me to work extra days for experience, in which one day I followed Kerri O’Brien. Chris worked hard to allow me to have the best internship experience, which I am so grateful for.
Lastly, Constance Jones gave me the most thoughtful and helpful advice during my internship. I have always wanted to become a reporter on E! News and Constance always told and encouraged me to keep working towards that goal, and that our minds are our biggest limitations. Every time I saw Constance she reminded me to keep dreaming and keep working. I am so thankful to have had Constance’s support and encouragement throughout my time.
Personally, 8News is the most beneficial internship experience for interested Longwood students, yet, you get what you give. 8News gave me a real look into a newsroom, but a lot of what I experienced was from asking. Although interns are given a weekly schedule, it should be noted for interested students, it is up to you how hard you want to work. I do not mean it in an overly confident or condescending tone but I took it upon myself to ask for more work. I noticed when I shadowed the reporters there was down time, but I wanted to do more, so I started reporting on social media, asked to take stand ups and make packages. If I was working with Kyle, the 5 p.m. producer, and was out of work, I would ask other producers if I could assist them or if the web team needed stories scheduled. I even got the opportunity to follow the anchors Amy Simpson and Constance Jones by asking.
Which leads me to the biggest lesson I learned. Typically, the worst thing someone can say to you is “no”. Once you overcome the fear of your question being rejected, you can do whatever you put your mind too. A lot of what I experienced, especially following the anchors, would not have happened had I stopped myself due to the fear of someone rejecting me.
This internship expierence is more than worthwhile, but students should be prepared to put in the work to reap the benefits. If any Longwood students are interested in interning at 8News, they should work towards that goal. It is not going to easy, but it will be more than worth it.
