The Aftermath

The station thrills me. I’m on cloud nine just being there and working with and talking to all the people. It’s the most incredible feeling; such a rush.

After a few week hiatus, I returned to the station to work on my resume tape. Concerning the project at hand, I’m further along than I thought—hooray!—and better then I remember. It’s so exciting milling about the studio, I feel like I’m doing something constructive and proactive, and I am, mostly for me. :) And oh the possibilities. There’s so much potential for everything or anything to erupt into something dynamite. You just never know.

I definitely missed seeing my favorite photographers and reporters. They’re always welcoming, even if they do give me a hard time and tease me and put me to work. I guess that means they like me. Isn’t that what you learn in first grade, if someone picks on you they like you? I can only hope that’s the case.

The Real World

Today was a day when you really learn about what it takes to be a journalist. Over the weekend a young man driving friends home struck a tree, killing his younger sister and his best friend. Talk about wake up call. This was difficult for me. I have tones of younger siblings, I’m a nanny, I care for someone else’s children. Every day I pray that I get them home safely. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to any one of these people, let alone if it was my “fault”. I really feel for this kid. It’s terrible. And you know he’s blaming himself ever so harshly. And you know his parents are ripped apart, but they don’t blame him. It just makes my heart ache. Talking to these people, I felt like we were imposing to a degree but really, for me, I knew that wasn’t the intention. It was a terrible accident and these kids…well they were young and that is a tragedy.

The interesting thing about today was the encounter with the competitor. No, I won’t say who, you never know where you’ll be working in the future. I felt like there was no journalistic integrity. We were doing an interview and the reporter just barges in the house. At least we called and arranged something. It appeared as if they were not so considerate to the grieving family. Anyway, the reporter starts talking to the other family members, quite loudly while we were interviewing. I just didn’t understand. I’m all for getting the story but have some consideration. Jeeze. This was eye-opening for me. I mean real journalism, racing to get the story, trying to get all the angles, beating out the competitors. This is journalism. Yes, the story is what matters, but I think the people do too.

The Weekends Are Fun

Sunday April 6, 2008:

On Sunday the sixth, I went in the station to work with Tim Williams. Normally a meteorologist, Tim also reports on the weekends. The photographer was Mark and I love Mark (I know him from my days at Starbucks).

I really had fun. The two of them are hysterical! The story we had to do was about the new survey from AAA about teenage drivers. Tim let me do the interview with Ragina Averella, manager of public and government affairs at AAA Mid-Atlantic. She was so sweet and understanding.

Tim and Mark gave me great pointers when presenting stories; about posture, diction, speed and content. Every bit of advice is invaluable. I’m still ignorant when it comes to certain things, like what to do in front of the camera, so this insight is very beneficial. Knowing what nuances are good and what nneds to be changed will help my camera persona. And each take got better until, finally, there was one we all thought was pretty good…for a rookie

Answer the Phone!

On the desk again this week which can be quite entertaining. The people who call in never cease to amaze me with ridiculous situations. Everyone wants you to do a story on them. And yes there are tons of great stories that do not air, but a news agency cannot handle scuffs with your neighbor.

There are times when I try to be helpful and look up information or stories for people. But most of the time I’m rolling my eyes and making faces at Pete or Tanya as they laugh at me. I think that’s why they like me on the desk, they don’t have to be the only ones filtering calls and listening to stories. They just get amused at my reactions and patience.

Move on Sickness

Week 7:

I'm so bad at posting on time! here goes....

So last week was spring break. I was sick…AGAIN! Very, very frustrating. I absolutely despise being sick. It is counter productive to my lifestyle.

I was determined not to miss another day at WJZ. Monday comes and I pull myself out of bed, voice barely audible and trudge into the station. Maybe not a trudge, more like speeding to get there, but definitely in a sickly fashion.

Anyway, I can barely speak and all day I’m answering phones and attempting to do interviews (about the potential strike of Giant and Safeway), squeaking all the while. It was quite amusing, even for me. There were some funny stares in my direction.

On Wednesday I was in the Web, posting stories and such. Actually, I was trying to post stories. Every computer I was on that day was soooooooooooooo sloooooooooooowwww. I like speed when it comes to the internet and there was definitely a lack flash. Bernadette, I have no idea how you work on that PC. I guess you know a secret or something. It wasn’t doing anything for me.

I ended up having a conversation with Tim Williams, a meteorologist for the station. Come to find out, he also does some reporting on the weekends and offered to help me out! HOORAY! I love when that happens!

Do NOT Panic

I love going out with reporters. You can learn so much just observing them.

I always told myself if I was going to do this job, I would not stress when things are down to the wire. You can’t. If you panic and fluster yourself, you’re only going to make a tight situation tighter.

Gigi Barnett is an excellent role model for this. We went to the Baltimore City School System offices on North Ave. for an interview with Dr. Andres Alonso, CEO of BCPSS. This was at 11 a.m. and Gigi had a live shot at noon. There was not a trace of panic or stress when she left the interview at 11:45 a.m. She just went straight to the truck to edit the interview tape and write her story. So incredible and inspiring; this is exactly the demeanor I want to possess when I’m a reporter.

I also really love the photographers. They are the coolest people ever and very insightful about what I need to do as a future journalist. So far, I get along with all the ones I’ve worked with (Rolos help. Right, Joel?). They can make or break you too. I mean, they’re holding the camera; how good do you wana look?

SICK!

I was sick last week. No fun. I love going to the station; love, love, love it! But I also know Pete and Tanya, the assignment editors, are germaphobes; thus I opted to rest on Monday and Wednesday.

I went in Thursday, however, to meet with the news director, Christine. She did a seminar on broadcast copy and I didn’t think it would be a good idea to miss it! I mean she’s taking time out of her day for the interns; yea, better be there. So I go in hacking my lungs out. Sure enough Pete and Tanya are griping, in good humor, all day. It was pretty funny. When I answered Pete’s phone, he gasped—AH! You touched my phone!—and immediately stopped what he was doing to grab a disinfectant wipe. That made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Insert Foot Here...

Monday:

What a day! Mondays are just that day all around; so blah and drab. They take forever to get going and forever to end. I definitely had a foot in mouth moment today. I made a comment, totally innocent…I wasn’t trying to be rude or disrespectful, but I felt like a total jerk. And each time I opened my mouth it just became worse, I just kept digging a hole for myself. Ugh! So terrible! (It had to do with me elaborating on an ethnic stereotype, which I don’t want to repeat again here!) So I insulted a seasoned and well respected reporter and made myself a laughing stock to one of the photographers. Perfect! But when I spoke to the photographer I was with, he said I was fine; the reporter was just trying to get me flustered and it worked. I did get the sense I was being provoked. But, ah, that is not a situation I want to be in again!

Other than that, it was quite a day. We drove to Frederick County to do a story on an 11-year-old girl who developed her own Website dedicated to animal control. It just goes to show you what youths are capable of this day in age. Kids are brilliant and their ability to utilize technology is amazing.

Wednesday was another fabulous day in the Web department. There were soooo many stories to post when I got in. I think it was because there was breaking news that took precedence. I posted at least ten from the wires, reconfigured a press release to post, and cut video for the Website. I love busy days in the station; the hustle and bustle makes you feel like you're part of something greater, like you're doing something constructive. It always feels fulfilling and it's always a fantastic day at work!

Oh! What A Wonderful Week!

I think the best thing that could have happened this week did.

Let’s start with Monday. I went with Adam May, weekday reporter, weekend anchor, on location to the street racing accident in Prince George’s County. I can’t describe how strange it was to see the ground spray painted with markings denoting blood trails and bodies, and to see scattered pieces of cars strewn about the roadside. It was definitely a unique experience.

People kept appearing and leaving. Some wanted to pay their respects, others were curious or concerned neighbors and others, well, just wanted to talk to the media.

I definitely learned just observing Adam. He definitely has a way of easing people into conversation and ultimately onto camera. We were pretty lucky, too. Every type of interview you would want to complete a story we had in the first hour on scene.

Adam was also very honest and upfront with me. Basically, he told me what to expect after I graduate, what my first job would be like, etc. These things I already knew, but he had the experience. He told me flat out what I needed to do and what I should have been doing all along. And, he was willing to help me do my own stand-ups, giving me great advice and pointing out what I need to work on. These stand-ups will be part of my resume tape…as good or as bad as they are. It was my first time on camera, so I guess I can’t be too upset with the final product.


Wednesday was really cool as well. So cool, in fact. Karen, the producer of the 4 o’clock news, asked me to write some stories (Kirstie Alley and Indiana I-94 accident. These are expanded stories, probably from the AP wire. This is just to give you a synopsis of what I wrote). I figured they would be blueprints for some one else to build from. However, they were used! My first stories written for broadcast! Hooray! It’s very exciting.

I think I’m a pretty good writer but it’s much more rewarding when others acknowledge your abilities. I like surprising people.

If it wasn’t for my broadcast journalism class, I would have been lost. I’m always amazed when I pull knowledge from the classroom. That whole education thing is worth it after all.

I still have tons of work to do, but at least I know I have start.

Not Such A Tangled Web

The week of February 11.

I’m not a computer person. I am terrible with technology, but on Wednesday I actually had a lot of fun working in the Web department at WJZ. Shannon and Rebekah were both very helpful and patient with me. And I discovered not all technology is difficult.

Every program they use to post and find stories and videos—Newspath, Iris, newswires—is very user-friendly; I mean very. If I can do it, anyone can. I may be a memebr of the "Millenial generation," but I was never interested in technology or the Internet until much later. I remember my brother being on AIM (before it was called AIM, when it was just instant messanger) and AOL all the time when I was eight, but I was never interested. No wonder he can navigate the Web so well.

Anyway, I was quite excited about this; the ability to post stories and edit video with a few clicks of the mouse. Makes me feel tech savvy. It’s the little things.

I will say, however, staring at a screen all day long definitely hurts my eyes! I don’t know how you do it, Shannon and Rebekah!

Week One!!!

As far as internships go, the first week was fairly typical. The tour of the station, all the ins and outs and alleyways, the people you’ll see on a regular basis, what to touch and what is legally off limits, who you want to talk to…and who you don’t.

The thing about news is, you have to jump in. If the phone rings, answer it; it’s all trial and error at this point. Here’s what I tell myself, “you will screw up, so do it now while it’s still ‘ok’.” But you have to be willing to try. No one wants a lazy intern and I’m here to impress these people so they’ll say nice things about me. Really. I’m being honest here. This is my dream profession. If I develop a bad reputation, I can kiss that dream goodbye.

My coordinator, Pete, is really cool; very helpful and very friendly. He seems invested in giving me a strong learning opportunity, encompassing all the aspects of the trade. This is great. This is exactly what I want to do. I want to learn EVERYTHING. I’ve already dubbed tapes, arranged interviews and answered phones, among other things. Even the directors and producers have been helpful and educating. They don’t have to explain things to me, let me watch what they do behind the scenes, or fill me in on details, but they do.

So far, so good. But, it’s only been one week.

I’m very excited to wake up with a known destination those internship mornings. It may be silly, but I sit in the nucleus of news; where tips are given, stories are born, and history is made. There are only cameras and screens between me and the populace. It really doesn’t get more exciting than that. For a few fleeting moments each week, I’m living my dream.

First Thing First

School starts this week. Hip-hip hooray?

As a senior, it’s fairly exciting, kind of nerve racking, but also exhilarating. After 17 years of school, who wouldn’t be thrilled? But that’s a 17-year routine that’s about to be broken and reshaped and there is a mystery behind it; you don’t yet know what that routine is going to be changed to. No wonder college grads freak out.

Before I get overly analytical, let me introduced myself. I’m Brianna Carter, senior journalism and theater major at Towson University. I start a super-sweet internship at WJZ Channel 13 News next week, which is the purpose of this blog, to keep track of my experience. I figured a blog would be more interesting than sending emails and journal excerpts to my professor. (Besides, this is a better resume builder!) Most importantly, I graduate in May: so close yet so far away.

So, there’s a bit about me. I also try to maintain a theater blog. You can find it at briannanicoleoriginal.blogspot.com. But the purpose of this is to focus on WJZ. The station is owned and operated by CBS. I’ll be working with all the reporters and producers to really get a feel for the newsroom. Oh! It’s just so cool!

Let me mention how excited I was to discover they have a general assignment reporter position available! Probably won’t be there when I graduate, but I can hope, right?

I would love to know what will happen over the next five months. Since I'm not a psychic, I’m just going to have to work hard. You just never know what the future will hold.

I never thought I would be nervous about graduating, but I think I’m getting there. This surprises me. You see, I’ve always been a “roll with the punches” kind-of girl. I do what I can to make things happen but never fidget when things don’t go my way. I just want to end up in my field, not on another spectrum. Why would I spend four years cramming my head with journalistic philosophy to work retail? No bueno.

I guess I can only wait and see…