By Stevie Skvarek
Summer experience: Internship at News 8 in Rochester, NY
Major: Communication and Media
My role: Most of my time is spent working with producers and script writing for the teleprompters that the anchors read from during the various shows. I use press releases, articles, emails, etc. to format information in a way that is accessible, yet informative, for the community. I choose appropriate succinct interviews, called sound bites, and create graphics displayed on screen. Additionally, I get the opportunity to go out on the field with reporters who are doing interviews and recording footage that they will use for their news story that airs during a newscast and also online.
What’s cool about this experience?
It's been really cool to be out "in the field" meeting new people and getting the full reporter experience — from hard news (interviewing the chief of police at a crime scene) to more human interest stories (going to a hotel in Rochester that's being used as a Jazz Fest venue and getting to talk with the staff —and go on the roof!). The biggest way this internship has helped me is simply giving me a comprehensive idea of what working in a news station is like. I'm not exactly sure what I want to do for a career/grad school, so learning about a potential job in news and what it would entail is important to me. That wish has been fulfilled, and I've also been able to hone certain skills such as writing and interpersonal communication. Getting to interact with the news team has been great — everyone has been super helpful and I'm making some great connections.
This experience has definitely made me more confident in the work that I can do — I've received a lot of great feedback and really feel as though I'm contributing to the team. I have also realized how much of an impact I can have on the community though a career in the news, as News 8 brings important exposure to many events and groups in the Rochester community that would otherwise go unseen.
How has Naz prepared or helped you to get the most out of this experience?
The biggest thing was sparking an interest in journalism in the first place. I took two journalism classes with Ben Densieski (who is a photojournalist and used to work at News 8) and they really opened my eyes to a field I hadn't thought much about. Otherwise, I would say the biggest thing I gained from Naz that prepared me for this internship was my communication skills — learning to feel comfortable speaking with others, sending prompt and proper emails, and working in groups.
