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Tweet ThisInterning in the Time of COVID-19
By Dean’s Intern Willard West at NBC4
Throughout my internship on the digital desk at NBC Washington, my favorite thing was being in the newsroom. It was filled with noise — a police scanner constantly buzzing, an editor yelling instructions to the news chopper or across the room to a reporter, reporters chatting about the news of the day. The sounds helped to make it exciting and new every day.
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, I would key into the newsroom, and as the sliding doors opened, noise would erupt into the hall. It was invigorating. With a mug of coffee in hand, I would sit down and start cutting videos from broadcasts, turning police statements and information from reporters in the field into stories for the website.
As coronavirus started spreading in DC, we were forced to start working from home. Thankfully, I can still do my internship from my home in Wisconsin. I was never in a position where I was helping make TV, so I was fortunate enough to continue my internship. I help make information and segments from TV accessible on the internet, though we also produce a fair amount of original content.
Now I help produce web content from my childhood bedroom and kitchen table. The newsroom noises I loved to have humming in the background have been replaced by my dog’s barking and my family. I’m in a very privileged position to still be working (well, at least until May 8) during this difficult period for so many, and to have the support of my family in a comfortable home with plenty to eat. But it still feels as though I’ve slid backwards.
I know practically everyone else in my graduating class faces much uncertainty ahead. But in this time of social isolation, it is impossible not to feel somewhat alone. While things can seem a bit bleak right now, we have a lot to look forward to. And we have learned a new kind of resilience through this experience.
You never quite know what the day will bring at NBC’s Meet the Press. Meet the Press, which is the longest running program in television history, hosts U.S. and world leaders every week to discuss the news. You never know who you’re going to meet — particularly during an election cycle and a presidential impeachment.
As I grew up, I found myself pursuing many different dreams. I wanted to be an educator, an interpreter, and a traveler. Looking back, I have come to realize that I have followed all of these dreams by becoming a journalist. Being a journalist means always working in the front line and getting the first-hand information for the audience. As a journalist, you must travel and communicate complex issues to non-experts to inform a broad audience.
I have loved public media since I was a kid; some of my earliest memories consist of listening to NPR programs on morning car rides. This internship only intensified that passion for public media within me. At Current, I get to report on what’s happening in public media and provide that news to professionals in the field. This has given me a deeper understanding of how the systems of public media operate, and I continue to learn more with each new story. It’s also allowed me to connect with inspiring people who work in public media all over the country.
My time at Voice of America has been great! The employees I work with are so kind and helpful, and I know I can always go to them if I have a question or need help on anything. In fact, everyone I’ve met at VOA has been amazing, and they all make sure the other interns and I are getting the most out of our internship.
A normal week at CNN, the worldwide leader of news, is far from normal.
In the Documentary and Special Projects Unit at Voice of America, no day is ever quite the same. But, everyday is certainly exciting. I work alongside Senior Executive Producer Beth Mendelson, and I like to think of us as partners in crime. Since my first day on the job, I have felt like an integral part of the staff and not just as an intern. Right now we are in the re-production phase of a documentary about Press Freedom in Turkey. That is, we have a completed documentary that needs a bit of renovation. So, most days, we juggle with a seven hour time difference from Turkey to talk on the phone with our on-the-field producer about possible characters, links, and footage that could enhance our story—without drawing too much attention to the project. This fear stems from Turkey being among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists to work and live freely.
It’s rare enough to find an internship that is relevant to your major and interests, but it’s even
By Dean’s Intern Stephanie Mirah at Voice of America
When my editor asked me to cover the first public impeachment hearing, I experienced what some might call “imposter syndrome,” in that I did not believe that I belonged alongside the reporters from the large news organizations who were covering the same thing. But nevertheless, I set my alarm for 5am on that Wednesday morning, commuted to Capitol Hill and began to make a game plan on how I would go about my coverage.