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
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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
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