Today was my last shift at WMUR for this summer.
I talked to the executive producer about a possible summer job next summer and he said that sometimes they have openings for a temporary part time assistant producer... they write the show pretty much. I think after gaining more experience this year I will try for that.
I wrote an important reader tonight which was aired about the flooding in NYC, that was a nice wrap up.
Other than that I said my goodbyes and thank yous.
9hrs
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
The Climax of my internship
I am just about dying inside: Andy, one of the reports at the station who I hold in high regard and respect greatly has said that he will write me a letter of recommendation for a future job as a writer or producer. He says I show great initiative.
Today I wrote a VOSOT which means the anchor reads then the reporter voices over and then then it wipes to video. I messed up a bit because I'm used to writing packages and havent completely mastered knowing the differences and applied them. I understand both much better today and I'm sure "Writing for Broadcast" with Sakowich will solidify those skills next semester. I meant to ask Kria, a reporter, for a letter of recommendation for a Bangor station which she used to work at but she left before I could talk to her so I left her a note on her desk instead.
Andy also said that next week I can use his video and that I can make a package. Me. On camera. Reading what I wrote. I think I'm leaving this internship at its climax.
I asked the 11pm producer if I could write a VO and she told me to write about a dead baby. Last week I wrote about contagious fat. I'm learning the skill of word choice. I wrote a few more stories today and voiced them all over onto my tape. I didn't know that part of my internship was putting a portfolio of my work together so I'm trying to do a bunch of stuff now since I didn't save my earlier writings.
I also talked to one of the anchors, Tom, he is an older guy who has one pretty much everything. He told me I am on the right track to doing what I want to do.
9hrs
Today I wrote a VOSOT which means the anchor reads then the reporter voices over and then then it wipes to video. I messed up a bit because I'm used to writing packages and havent completely mastered knowing the differences and applied them. I understand both much better today and I'm sure "Writing for Broadcast" with Sakowich will solidify those skills next semester. I meant to ask Kria, a reporter, for a letter of recommendation for a Bangor station which she used to work at but she left before I could talk to her so I left her a note on her desk instead.
Andy also said that next week I can use his video and that I can make a package. Me. On camera. Reading what I wrote. I think I'm leaving this internship at its climax.
I asked the 11pm producer if I could write a VO and she told me to write about a dead baby. Last week I wrote about contagious fat. I'm learning the skill of word choice. I wrote a few more stories today and voiced them all over onto my tape. I didn't know that part of my internship was putting a portfolio of my work together so I'm trying to do a bunch of stuff now since I didn't save my earlier writings.
I also talked to one of the anchors, Tom, he is an older guy who has one pretty much everything. He told me I am on the right track to doing what I want to do.
9hrs
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The Whirling World of News
Today I was a good intern. This means, in short that I both did the menial tasks that no one else wanted to do while also fulfilling my own agenda.
After writing a reader I collected the writings I could find and found a tape, I then brought them into the recording studio and recorded a voice over. I played it back and I sound like a real anchor, which I find SO SO SO exciting... makes me reconsider my future in broadcast.
I also shadowed a woman in sales. She explained to me her "exciting" job and others in the department.
Perhaps you haven't been in a station's building before; if not here is how ours is set up: As you enter there will be a beyond extravagant entryway with Cinderella stairs and marble floors (thank you political advertising), the first floor is all news- a busting shuffle of button-down shirts pushing past each other with a constant murmur of ringing phones. The room is full of television sets, they fight the incessant ringing with their horrifying pictures which flash simultaneously with their perky faux mid-western voices. The fluorescent lights highlight the bags under the eyes of each reporter and seem to extract the effects of the burnt coffee which cools on each desk. Hovering above this insanity is the second floor- sales. This floor is a different world from the ringing caffinated one below. Here everybody is quiet, the desks aren't scattered haphazardly but every person has their own sanitized glass cage with their organized desk and framed photographs hanging above them. Below reporters seem to be playing a game of musical chairs- switching desks, computers and resources like Wallstreet-natives. Here, in sales, each person knows their tasks; the ones incomplete from yesterday and the ones on the lists in their minds.
I felt the need to paint a picture, because that is exactly what it is. You would think they soundproofed each office. Having been in news all summer I feel a little bad for the sales hamsters. The woman assured me that they like their jobs stating she'd been there for 27 years.
I asked all the producers to write, as I always do, but this time I decided not to wait for them but to go ahead and write them anyway and if they delete them that is fine, I wrote about how fat is contagious. I don't make this stuff up.
I spoke with the "big guys" and they refused my request to leave the studio with a reporter to see the full process of how a package is made due to insurance reasons. I talked to a reporter who has taken a liking to me and told her that I would soon be seeking a part time job at a station in Bangor and she told me that she used to work at a station there and could refer me to someone there. I plan to take advantage of this. I told her I would probably end up behind a camera, she told me I was beyond that and should be a producer. I'm pretty sure my voice squeeked a "really?". I was shocked she thought that I could be a part-time producer with my lack of age and experience. I'll go for it.
Perhaps I should take to writing literature instead.
9hrs
After writing a reader I collected the writings I could find and found a tape, I then brought them into the recording studio and recorded a voice over. I played it back and I sound like a real anchor, which I find SO SO SO exciting... makes me reconsider my future in broadcast.
I also shadowed a woman in sales. She explained to me her "exciting" job and others in the department.
Perhaps you haven't been in a station's building before; if not here is how ours is set up: As you enter there will be a beyond extravagant entryway with Cinderella stairs and marble floors (thank you political advertising), the first floor is all news- a busting shuffle of button-down shirts pushing past each other with a constant murmur of ringing phones. The room is full of television sets, they fight the incessant ringing with their horrifying pictures which flash simultaneously with their perky faux mid-western voices. The fluorescent lights highlight the bags under the eyes of each reporter and seem to extract the effects of the burnt coffee which cools on each desk. Hovering above this insanity is the second floor- sales. This floor is a different world from the ringing caffinated one below. Here everybody is quiet, the desks aren't scattered haphazardly but every person has their own sanitized glass cage with their organized desk and framed photographs hanging above them. Below reporters seem to be playing a game of musical chairs- switching desks, computers and resources like Wallstreet-natives. Here, in sales, each person knows their tasks; the ones incomplete from yesterday and the ones on the lists in their minds.
I felt the need to paint a picture, because that is exactly what it is. You would think they soundproofed each office. Having been in news all summer I feel a little bad for the sales hamsters. The woman assured me that they like their jobs stating she'd been there for 27 years.
I asked all the producers to write, as I always do, but this time I decided not to wait for them but to go ahead and write them anyway and if they delete them that is fine, I wrote about how fat is contagious. I don't make this stuff up.
I spoke with the "big guys" and they refused my request to leave the studio with a reporter to see the full process of how a package is made due to insurance reasons. I talked to a reporter who has taken a liking to me and told her that I would soon be seeking a part time job at a station in Bangor and she told me that she used to work at a station there and could refer me to someone there. I plan to take advantage of this. I told her I would probably end up behind a camera, she told me I was beyond that and should be a producer. I'm pretty sure my voice squeeked a "really?". I was shocked she thought that I could be a part-time producer with my lack of age and experience. I'll go for it.
Perhaps I should take to writing literature instead.
9hrs
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Studious, again
Today I went back to my studious self. I started by asking my supervisor, who for the most part doesn't know what I do during my day, for a tour of the creative/sales/advertising departments. I told her that I'd been shadowing everyone around the station, she was impressed. I was relieved that she was impressed since she hasn't seemed happy with me since I cut down to only one day per week.
After getting the tour I shadowed Alex, he is the in-house advertising guy. He was really excited about what he does, statistics of who is watching, putting together in-house ads, comparing our station to others. After about 30 seconds of listening to that I was really bored. It's all numbers, complicated ones.
I also watched on with the teleprompter-lady. That wasn't very exciting either. Finally one of the producers asked me to write two pieces for tomorrow's show. Usually when we write stories we just re-write whatever the Associated Press has given us but one of the stories was local and required me to make calls and do actual research. It took a lot longer but it was interesting, I felt like an actual reporter rather than the plagiarist I usually feel like.
I spoke with the executive producer about contracts. I didn't know that people hired by stations in the US are required to sign one or two year contracts, specifically anchors, producers and reporters. He explained that once you leave a station it is often written in the contract that you may not work for a competing station in the area; he said this was so you did not take viewers with you to another station. He gave me advice on getting a job saying that I should try to get a part time job at a station while in school. I think this is a great idea, he said the positions available are almost always production, running cameras, etc. but I think this would be great to explore even though I know it is not what I want to do for my entire life. Unfortunately this semester will be too full of writing classes, editing and being an RA to do this, but maybe in the Fall. He also said internships were good and to do Something during them, such as write. He said to have something to show for it. I think I do already. I am going to talk to some higher-ups next week about going on the road with a reporter, it is against Hearst-Argyll rules.
Today was a good day, I felt like a participant again and it was noticed.
During my down time I worked on my paper for this internship; I find it unfair that it has to be 10 pages whether you take it for three credits or for one.
9hrs
After getting the tour I shadowed Alex, he is the in-house advertising guy. He was really excited about what he does, statistics of who is watching, putting together in-house ads, comparing our station to others. After about 30 seconds of listening to that I was really bored. It's all numbers, complicated ones.
I also watched on with the teleprompter-lady. That wasn't very exciting either. Finally one of the producers asked me to write two pieces for tomorrow's show. Usually when we write stories we just re-write whatever the Associated Press has given us but one of the stories was local and required me to make calls and do actual research. It took a lot longer but it was interesting, I felt like an actual reporter rather than the plagiarist I usually feel like.
I spoke with the executive producer about contracts. I didn't know that people hired by stations in the US are required to sign one or two year contracts, specifically anchors, producers and reporters. He explained that once you leave a station it is often written in the contract that you may not work for a competing station in the area; he said this was so you did not take viewers with you to another station. He gave me advice on getting a job saying that I should try to get a part time job at a station while in school. I think this is a great idea, he said the positions available are almost always production, running cameras, etc. but I think this would be great to explore even though I know it is not what I want to do for my entire life. Unfortunately this semester will be too full of writing classes, editing and being an RA to do this, but maybe in the Fall. He also said internships were good and to do Something during them, such as write. He said to have something to show for it. I think I do already. I am going to talk to some higher-ups next week about going on the road with a reporter, it is against Hearst-Argyll rules.
Today was a good day, I felt like a participant again and it was noticed.
During my down time I worked on my paper for this internship; I find it unfair that it has to be 10 pages whether you take it for three credits or for one.
9hrs
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Pizza Guy Revelations
Last night I "worked" at the station. I was so bored I left to go get a slice of pizza. When I went in the guy at the counter asked me why I was wearing a sweater in mid-summer. I said that where I worked was air conditioned. He asked me where I worked, I told him and he asked if I liked it, without giving myself any time to censor what came out of my mouth I said "No.".
It took a pizza guy asking me to figure it out. I don't like broadcast. It is the same four stories over and over and over again. Some of the most fun I've had this summer was a few days ago when I stayed up until 1 a.m. with Kevin, a police officer for a story for my paper. Everyday in print is new and exciting, you get to talk to people and learn.
I don't think it is likely that I will drop the broadcast specialization from my major because I'm too stubborn and it is interesting to learn about and a good backup, but if given the choice I think I'd choose print. Maybe I wont go after the New York internship for ABC's network like I intended to.
Thanks, Pizza Guy.
9hrs
It took a pizza guy asking me to figure it out. I don't like broadcast. It is the same four stories over and over and over again. Some of the most fun I've had this summer was a few days ago when I stayed up until 1 a.m. with Kevin, a police officer for a story for my paper. Everyday in print is new and exciting, you get to talk to people and learn.
I don't think it is likely that I will drop the broadcast specialization from my major because I'm too stubborn and it is interesting to learn about and a good backup, but if given the choice I think I'd choose print. Maybe I wont go after the New York internship for ABC's network like I intended to.
Thanks, Pizza Guy.
9hrs
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Creative Leeway
Today I was again disappointed that the coffee machine was down. A man came into the break room and I asked him how to fix it. He introduced himself as the Art Director and gave me some insight to careers in broadcast. He told me that there was (almost) no creativity permitted in broadcast news writing, something which I've come to realize this summer. He and his workers often laugh about how the news dept. does the same story every year, he them demonstrated "A devastating car crash killed a (insert town name) man last night..."
He isn't wrong.
He also told me how the consolidation of the media... aka only using the AP, has led to more and more standardized news.
He is still not wrong.
It is a little depressing. Whenever I'm asked to write a reader I'm told to use the wires. There is only one wire, it is the AP. As he said: there really aren't broadcast writers, you re more like an editor.
I wrote another package for Andy today and logged his tapes for him. I'm getting better, he corrects me a lot less. I think next summer I'm going to work in radio.
O, and I finally met an intern who I can hang out with.
9hrs
He isn't wrong.
He also told me how the consolidation of the media... aka only using the AP, has led to more and more standardized news.
He is still not wrong.
It is a little depressing. Whenever I'm asked to write a reader I'm told to use the wires. There is only one wire, it is the AP. As he said: there really aren't broadcast writers, you re more like an editor.
I wrote another package for Andy today and logged his tapes for him. I'm getting better, he corrects me a lot less. I think next summer I'm going to work in radio.
O, and I finally met an intern who I can hang out with.
9hrs
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Powerless Crazies
Never in my life have I heard so many complaints against the goverment.
I have been a little torn in what I think about this. As a lowly intern having to listen to 20minute rants about how 9/11 was a plot and tax dollars stolen, children taken and unresponsive government officials and media outlets I feel like "o my gosh, they are all crazy.". As a journalist though it makes me a little proud that local citizens are willing... and believe me they are willing to challenge big government and big media.
I have been yelled at from the beginning of the shift by people saying that we should expose expose expose and that instead we use "fluff" for news and are blind to whats really going on. Although the people who have called me do not speak with elequouence, which makes me think theyre just New Hampshire crazies this makes me so sad that I know as an insider that no matter what they say my assignment editors and producers wont care. They can talk and write and yell at me all they want but when it comes down to it gatekeeping is not only real but overwhelming. What my station says people listen to. Last week they were listening to how a cow got caught in a pool, today how there was a racoon with rabies.
Maybe the crazies are right. It is the same 4 stories over and over again.
Did I tell you about the guy who called about playing basketball with Osama Bin Laden in highschool?
Also, I had to explain how broadcasts were not covered by the 1st amendment to one man who called... and believe me he made me use everything I learned in my CMJ classes
9hrs
I have been a little torn in what I think about this. As a lowly intern having to listen to 20minute rants about how 9/11 was a plot and tax dollars stolen, children taken and unresponsive government officials and media outlets I feel like "o my gosh, they are all crazy.". As a journalist though it makes me a little proud that local citizens are willing... and believe me they are willing to challenge big government and big media.
I have been yelled at from the beginning of the shift by people saying that we should expose expose expose and that instead we use "fluff" for news and are blind to whats really going on. Although the people who have called me do not speak with elequouence, which makes me think theyre just New Hampshire crazies this makes me so sad that I know as an insider that no matter what they say my assignment editors and producers wont care. They can talk and write and yell at me all they want but when it comes down to it gatekeeping is not only real but overwhelming. What my station says people listen to. Last week they were listening to how a cow got caught in a pool, today how there was a racoon with rabies.
Maybe the crazies are right. It is the same 4 stories over and over again.
Did I tell you about the guy who called about playing basketball with Osama Bin Laden in highschool?
Also, I had to explain how broadcasts were not covered by the 1st amendment to one man who called... and believe me he made me use everything I learned in my CMJ classes
9hrs
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Boring
Today I won 12 consecutive games of spider solitaire.
That was my biggest accomplishment.
Other than that, Andy had asked me to write a VO. Once I wrote it he corrected a few things, I asked to rewrite it and he loved it. I am beginning to realize how tough it is to switch from writing print to writing broadcast. They are two entirely separate sets of skills and I should probably practice that rather than set solitaire records on every PC in the station.
9hrs
That was my biggest accomplishment.
Other than that, Andy had asked me to write a VO. Once I wrote it he corrected a few things, I asked to rewrite it and he loved it. I am beginning to realize how tough it is to switch from writing print to writing broadcast. They are two entirely separate sets of skills and I should probably practice that rather than set solitaire records on every PC in the station.
9hrs
Friday, June 8, 2007
Today Andy, the crime reporter, asked me to log his tapes. I thought he was being nice like Kria had the other day by giving me something to do. When I finished he actually read through them, asked me to cut some things and add others. I was surprised that he used the camera cuts I chose.
He had known mostly what he had wanted to use before asking me to log them, he wrote the stories while I was working.
I also talked to the people in charge of my internship about cutting my hours. Unfortunately this is costing me a lot of money due to both high gas prices and lack of time to devote to paying jobs. I already have all of my required internship hours and the rest would be to gain a reputation and more knowledge.
There was something that upset me a little though, which almost brings me back to my original displeasure with broadcast. In a NH town today there were military tanks and SWAT members hiding around these peoples' house because they were protesting paying taxes and demanded that an authority figure show them the law. Shots were fired while one of the people were walking their dog. When I asked why we werent covering the story (at all) I was told that it was yesterday's news... although shots had not been fired yesterday. Talk about gatekeeping.
8.5hrs
He had known mostly what he had wanted to use before asking me to log them, he wrote the stories while I was working.
I also talked to the people in charge of my internship about cutting my hours. Unfortunately this is costing me a lot of money due to both high gas prices and lack of time to devote to paying jobs. I already have all of my required internship hours and the rest would be to gain a reputation and more knowledge.
There was something that upset me a little though, which almost brings me back to my original displeasure with broadcast. In a NH town today there were military tanks and SWAT members hiding around these peoples' house because they were protesting paying taxes and demanded that an authority figure show them the law. Shots were fired while one of the people were walking their dog. When I asked why we werent covering the story (at all) I was told that it was yesterday's news... although shots had not been fired yesterday. Talk about gatekeeping.
8.5hrs
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Not Much
Due to family issues I left early today. The only think I really learned was that broadcast can be slow too. I know at the paper there are a lot of slow news days but this is the first I'd seen at ABC.
4hrs
4hrs
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Packages
I fell asleep and forgot to post about Friday (yesterday) I guess.
I was bored without much work to do except label tapes. Kria- one of my favorite reporters at the station asked me to log her tapes for her. That means you watch the tapes and write down the dialogue- this helps time out the package and gives the producers and anchors a better idea for the story. She told me to log her two tapes with what I thought to be the most important.
Thinking I was under deadline and helping a reporter I did my best as fast as I could and took a variety of quotes so she could choose what fit her style best. As I found out she already logged her tapes- she was doing me a favor to give me experience. She had neglected to tell me that. She then asked me to write the story and then compare hers to mine. I wrote it out and handed it to her within no more than 10 minutes. She and an AP (assistant producer) were extremely impressed. Kria asked if she could pass it on to the exec. producer and the rest of the producers, I thanked her and am excited to see what the higher ups say.
I already write at the station but it would be great to give them more confidence in myself- maybe secure a future job in a tough industry. I asked Kria if I could make a real package with it for my own use. She said that she would teach me how to use the VO (voice over) equipment but that I would have to observe and learn from the cameramen how to do the video aspects of packaging because they wouldn't have time to do it for me. I plan to have at least one package by the end of the summer... hopefully by the end of next week.
I think I found my niche.
8.5
I was bored without much work to do except label tapes. Kria- one of my favorite reporters at the station asked me to log her tapes for her. That means you watch the tapes and write down the dialogue- this helps time out the package and gives the producers and anchors a better idea for the story. She told me to log her two tapes with what I thought to be the most important.
Thinking I was under deadline and helping a reporter I did my best as fast as I could and took a variety of quotes so she could choose what fit her style best. As I found out she already logged her tapes- she was doing me a favor to give me experience. She had neglected to tell me that. She then asked me to write the story and then compare hers to mine. I wrote it out and handed it to her within no more than 10 minutes. She and an AP (assistant producer) were extremely impressed. Kria asked if she could pass it on to the exec. producer and the rest of the producers, I thanked her and am excited to see what the higher ups say.
I already write at the station but it would be great to give them more confidence in myself- maybe secure a future job in a tough industry. I asked Kria if I could make a real package with it for my own use. She said that she would teach me how to use the VO (voice over) equipment but that I would have to observe and learn from the cameramen how to do the video aspects of packaging because they wouldn't have time to do it for me. I plan to have at least one package by the end of the summer... hopefully by the end of next week.
I think I found my niche.
8.5
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Weather and Readers
Today was so slow. I started my day by shadowing the main meteorologist/weather guy Mike. Weather is complicated is what I learned. I did the weather for the Maine Channel and believe me, it was nothing like this. He never uses a script either.
Afterward I was asked to write three readers and a kicker. I had no idea what a kicker was but it is just a 'fun' story. Mine was about a national spelling bee. My three readers were heavily edited but the kicker was all my own words, 25 seconds worth. That is a lot of seconds for our station, most readers are 15-20 seconds.
I met with one of our affiliates: CNN. A reporter and a few crew members were at the station. I got to talk to the woman, Dana, she encouraged me to apply for an internship in Atlanta where CNN is based, she even gave me her email. I'm sure after this internship I will be able to get almost any internship I want, especially ABC or CNN since I've now worked for them.
I was really bored come 11pm so I left early. My 'boss' wasn't happy about it but she had nothing for me to do and neither did the producer.
Other than that: answering phones and filing papers... o and my favorite... making labels for the tapes and their shows.
The presidential debates that we and the paper I write for are hosting the primary presidential debates next week so hopefully things get insanely hectic and fun.
Robby the freshman intern is still sitting at his desk answering phones all day. Props to him, I couldn't sit still that long.
As for how this relates to school... I don't think any class could teach me the tricks of writing for TV. It is tough. You have to take thousand word stories and chop them into 15 seconds while still getting all the info in. I hope to get better at it but it is hard to discuss what I've done incorrectly with the producers because they are so busy. Hopefully they will give me more chances so I can improve.
8.5
Afterward I was asked to write three readers and a kicker. I had no idea what a kicker was but it is just a 'fun' story. Mine was about a national spelling bee. My three readers were heavily edited but the kicker was all my own words, 25 seconds worth. That is a lot of seconds for our station, most readers are 15-20 seconds.
I met with one of our affiliates: CNN. A reporter and a few crew members were at the station. I got to talk to the woman, Dana, she encouraged me to apply for an internship in Atlanta where CNN is based, she even gave me her email. I'm sure after this internship I will be able to get almost any internship I want, especially ABC or CNN since I've now worked for them.
I was really bored come 11pm so I left early. My 'boss' wasn't happy about it but she had nothing for me to do and neither did the producer.
Other than that: answering phones and filing papers... o and my favorite... making labels for the tapes and their shows.
The presidential debates that we and the paper I write for are hosting the primary presidential debates next week so hopefully things get insanely hectic and fun.
Robby the freshman intern is still sitting at his desk answering phones all day. Props to him, I couldn't sit still that long.
As for how this relates to school... I don't think any class could teach me the tricks of writing for TV. It is tough. You have to take thousand word stories and chop them into 15 seconds while still getting all the info in. I hope to get better at it but it is hard to discuss what I've done incorrectly with the producers because they are so busy. Hopefully they will give me more chances so I can improve.
8.5
Friday, May 25, 2007
Shadowing and Tom Tom
I tried to make the most of my 'make it yourself internship' today. I followed around Scott, an anchor who usually does the 5 and 6 p.m. news but today had to do the noon broadcast too. He said he usually is out in the field reporting and making packages all day and then comes into the office to be an anchor. This made me really happy, I thought anchors were just figureheads and that is why I no longer aspired to be one, but to find out he does more journalism 'get your hands dirty' work than most, I got inspired.
Also, when I was hanging out with the producer I told her I wanted to write, she gave me this thing on pre-owned home sales and I wrote it thinking it was just practice for her to see if I could actually write. It was 24 seconds, she loved it and aired it unedited.
I also thought about what my internship paper will be about and after shadowing a producer for a while today it showed me how much of a platform a degree is. It's like anything, you learn the basics and then you do what you will with them. AP style and proper grammar only go so far in the real world. Not to say that UMaine won't bring me leaps and bounds but the feeling I got was that once you know the basics you take on your own style and there are NO hard and fast rules, everything is fluid, especially in such fast moving careers.
On a separate opinion only note:
Tommy Thompson, republican presidential candidate for 08 came to the studio today for a program filming.
It was interesting to see a candidate but he was scary. He was literally yelling at the audience at points, not only that but he also guaranteed that there would be a bird flu epidemic. Bush has scared us enough, in my opinion.
He also pulled more statistics out of thin air than I have ever seen before in my life, and whenever asked about a subject he would say "I'm an expert." with more arrogance I've witnessed in a long time.
I know New Hampshire and I can confidently say NH wont like him and therefore the rest of the country probably wont either.
I know, this isn't really about my internship but seriously, you should watch the broadcast of this when it goes to YouTube in mid-June.
8.5
Also, when I was hanging out with the producer I told her I wanted to write, she gave me this thing on pre-owned home sales and I wrote it thinking it was just practice for her to see if I could actually write. It was 24 seconds, she loved it and aired it unedited.
I also thought about what my internship paper will be about and after shadowing a producer for a while today it showed me how much of a platform a degree is. It's like anything, you learn the basics and then you do what you will with them. AP style and proper grammar only go so far in the real world. Not to say that UMaine won't bring me leaps and bounds but the feeling I got was that once you know the basics you take on your own style and there are NO hard and fast rules, everything is fluid, especially in such fast moving careers.
On a separate opinion only note:
Tommy Thompson, republican presidential candidate for 08 came to the studio today for a program filming.
It was interesting to see a candidate but he was scary. He was literally yelling at the audience at points, not only that but he also guaranteed that there would be a bird flu epidemic. Bush has scared us enough, in my opinion.
He also pulled more statistics out of thin air than I have ever seen before in my life, and whenever asked about a subject he would say "I'm an expert." with more arrogance I've witnessed in a long time.
I know New Hampshire and I can confidently say NH wont like him and therefore the rest of the country probably wont either.
I know, this isn't really about my internship but seriously, you should watch the broadcast of this when it goes to YouTube in mid-June.
8.5
Thursday, May 24, 2007
A Lesson in Ethics
In the 9(ish) broadcasts I have watched at the station all of them had at least one error per broadcast. When I ask about running a correction the producers never seem interested. Today, for instance, the producer of the 11 p.m. news show presented New Hampshire's average gas prices throughout the state which I told him at the time of broadcast looked incorrect. Another employee told him that his facts were incorrect and showed him how to get the correct facts. The producer said it was not a large enough mistake to correct (the gas price difference from what was reported to truth was more than 10 cents).
A woman called me today. Her son had been in one of our stories, he had dies in a car accident and she cried to me on the phone. We had aired footage of the car burning on the highway. She had told the producer that it was unethical to show footage of her son dying but my editor said it was fine because the person had been ejected from the car and died instantly, which was not shown in the footage.
I was impressed by the one correction I've seen at the station. I had told my boss that there was a huge error about a new airline which they had said would run 2 flights per week but the correct information was that it would have two flights per day. I got the correction in immediately and they ran it.
People rely on their news and trust the facts that they get from us, especially as an ABC and CNN affiliate and I am more and more disappointed in broadcast journalism as I am around it more. I knew that this internship would be the point where I decide if I want to continue to pursue this aspect of my education or stick strictly to print journalism, and I must say, it is what I thought it would be. I am disappointed that my expectations of misreporting were true. This industry seems too proud to admit that they do not always report perfectly, which is a shame.
One of the workers in the producer's booth had told me on my first day "You know why we have broadcast news?" when I answered to spread truth he laughed and told me "No, to sell commercials." I'm beginning to believe it.
9hrs
A woman called me today. Her son had been in one of our stories, he had dies in a car accident and she cried to me on the phone. We had aired footage of the car burning on the highway. She had told the producer that it was unethical to show footage of her son dying but my editor said it was fine because the person had been ejected from the car and died instantly, which was not shown in the footage.
I was impressed by the one correction I've seen at the station. I had told my boss that there was a huge error about a new airline which they had said would run 2 flights per week but the correct information was that it would have two flights per day. I got the correction in immediately and they ran it.
People rely on their news and trust the facts that they get from us, especially as an ABC and CNN affiliate and I am more and more disappointed in broadcast journalism as I am around it more. I knew that this internship would be the point where I decide if I want to continue to pursue this aspect of my education or stick strictly to print journalism, and I must say, it is what I thought it would be. I am disappointed that my expectations of misreporting were true. This industry seems too proud to admit that they do not always report perfectly, which is a shame.
One of the workers in the producer's booth had told me on my first day "You know why we have broadcast news?" when I answered to spread truth he laughed and told me "No, to sell commercials." I'm beginning to believe it.
9hrs
Friday, May 18, 2007
Observation day
After calling in every police station and fire station in the state to make sure nothing was happening I saw Andy viewing his tapes. I asked him if I cold watch and he led me through the whole process of making a package.
It was pretty neat, after he got back from getting the footage he made a script, found the sound clips he wanted, gave it to his editor who approved it, then he recorded the voice over and gave the footage to the cameraman who put the whole thing together. It took a whole day's work to put together a 1minute 40second piece.
The cameraman had been an intern at the station before hired... that makes me feel a little better about devoting 9hr days unpaid.
8.5hr
It was pretty neat, after he got back from getting the footage he made a script, found the sound clips he wanted, gave it to his editor who approved it, then he recorded the voice over and gave the footage to the cameraman who put the whole thing together. It took a whole day's work to put together a 1minute 40second piece.
The cameraman had been an intern at the station before hired... that makes me feel a little better about devoting 9hr days unpaid.
8.5hr
Thursday, May 17, 2007
First day
Today was day one at my internship. I quickly discovered that this is going to be a 'what you make it' experience. The people in charge do not ask you to do anything, do not expect you to do anything. It is pretty much: if you want the experience, here it is. If you want to waste your time playing spider solitaire for hours on end, here it is.
I was quick to mention my ambitions of becoming a journalist and writing news for them. I wrote a 15second reader which, after being heavily edited, was aired on the nightly newscast.
The other intern was an interesting find. He is a mass communication major who seems ecstatic to sit and answer phones. Good for him.
9hrs
I was quick to mention my ambitions of becoming a journalist and writing news for them. I wrote a 15second reader which, after being heavily edited, was aired on the nightly newscast.
The other intern was an interesting find. He is a mass communication major who seems ecstatic to sit and answer phones. Good for him.
9hrs
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