How to Land Your First Broadcasting Internship

So…you want to be a journalist? Hopefully, by the time you've graduated from college you have had the opportunity to spend some time in a newsroom �" and observed a few the tricks of the trade. If not, you've got a lot of catching up to do.

Internship opportunities are extremely important and should be leveraged to the fullest.

In this business it is important to get your foot in the door EARLY. I began inquiring about internships in my sophomore year of college and it really paid off. Due to my internship experience, by the time I had graduated, I was an associate producer/writer at the #1 TV station in Baltimore. Your Dean, professors or career development office should have built-in relationships with TV stations and News Directors in whatever city you attend college. So make these inquiries early and take advantage of any career support systems that your schools provide. If there isn't a system in place, that's the perfect opportunity for you to reach out to those individuals yourself to establish a rapport. There's nothing wrong with placing a phone call to the TV station and asking if its okay for you to take a tour.  Be proactive, eager and willing to do what it takes to get in the door and prove yourself.

Once you get the invitation, kick the door wide open, sell yourself and use these tips to land a great internship.

 

1) Dress to Impress:

If you want to be taken seriously, leave the blue jeans and polo shirts at home. Remember that you are walking into a professional environment - so dress like it. After all, it's a newsroom and you never know who you will encounter while you are in the building.  Be prepared to make an impression �" always. You could be sitting in an editorial meeting when the General Manager pops his head in to hear what content is being worked on for the day. You don't want to be the one sitting there in a Wildcat t-shirt sticking out like a sore thumb. Get serious and look prepared for a professional experience.

 

2) Know the Players:

Depending on the time of day that you are visiting a newsroom, you'll likely run into some of the news talent whom you've seen on TV. These type of encounters can offer a great opportunity  to make a first impression.  Before you go to the station, do your homework and come prepared with some knowledge about what they've accomplished in their professional careers. News talents are by nature receptive to flattery. Talk to them about a recent notable news clip or a perhaps favorite hobby that you have in common. Get to know their work intimately. Follow them in the social space. You never know where that first recommendation will come from. It might be a news anchor or it might just be the teleprompter operator who lands you an internship.

 

3) Meet Deadlines:

Most TV stations have an application deadline that you must meet in order to be considered for an internship. If you plan on interning in the fall, don't wait until the summer to inquire. It will be too late. I always tell my employees that proper planning prevents poor performance.  

 

4) Take what they offer, don't' leave:

Most newsrooms have an allotted number of interns that they can hire each year. That's why it's so important to be ahead of the game. If it turns out that you don't get selected for the department you initially want to shadow, don't be dismayed. Take the offer. You can still work the internship to your advantage. For example, my first internship was in the community relations department. I wanted to be a TV producer so I used the time to learn how to write PSA's.  In my down time I made sure to venture into the newsroom whenever I had the opportunity. It didn't take long for me to build relationships. By the time my internship was over, I had already secured my second internship in the newsroom. So, I had to wait a few more months… big deal. And I didn't have to go through the song and dance all over again because the key people in the newsroom knew me already. So remember: take the internship, don't leave it.

If you follow these simple tips, you will eliminate some of the stress and hopefully open the first door to your successful career as a journalist. Good luck!