InternshipRatings.com Internship of the Week: New England Cable News

Internships in broadcast journalism can be very intense. They often require odd hours in a fast paced environment that can be hard to adjust to. But, if you are aching for your television or radio debut, you must begin as an intern. I’m sure back in the day you could have found Barbra Walters fetching someone a cup of coffee.

The internship I chose to review this week is an internship at New England Cable News. It seems like an all around good internship. The user who posted felt comfortable in his/her environment. There was not a lot of grunt work involved and it met the description that he/she signed up. This user did not receive a letter of recommendation, but did receive college credit. Although this user did not get a letter of recommendation, it doesn’t mean your chance at a recommendation is over. After the internship ends, it is appropriate to contact your boss or supervisor. You can let him/her know how much you learned throughout your internship and how important his/her involvement was in your experience at the company. Then simply state that you would appreciate a letter of recommendation for your files. No matter what the answer, it never hurts to ask.

One of the most important aspects of an internship is networking. This internship seems like a great networking environment. The user specifically states that “there's an hour break and lots of time to network - if you're interested in a particular field of broadcast journalism, like sports or investigative reporting, the people are incredibly helpful in getting you into whatever you like to do in your spare time here.” Working at a new station provides people with a lot of opportunity for socializing. Talking to anyone and everyone can only help you!The bad thing about this internship is that it is located in Newton, MA, which is about 8 miles (but 25 minutes) outside of Boston. If you are a college student living in Boston it may be wise to have a car for the duration of the internship. For more information on this internship check out InternshipRatings.com or the New England Cable News job section: www.necn.com/NECN-JOBS

--Lauren

Internship Ratings of the Week: Focus on ESPN Radio Boston

Boston is a haven for sport's fanatics! This  bustling city of college students and professionals is passionate about its baseball, football and basketball teams. The Red Sox are this year's MLB champions and the Celtics are heading in the same victorious direction. Therefore, Boston is the perfect city for a sport's enthusiast to find an internship.

This week, I chose to review 890 AM ESPN radio because it upholds the aspects that InternshipRatings.com find most important for an internship: networking, fair/flexible hours and a letter of recommendation. The production intern who posted this position worked for a period of five months, during which he/she got practical experience preparing commercials and audio clips for the station. In addition, this intern was exposed to the world of sports public relations. This did not fall under the immediate job description; however, the intern left with a broader understanding of sports communications. In this case, the intern helped promote a whiffle ball tournament.

I was surprised to read that there was not an established internship program at 890 AM ESPN radio because of the structure and organization of this intern's experience. While I have previously mentioned that companies with standard internship programs tend to be more regulated and overseen, that is by no means an official indication of how the experience will turn out. Just because a company does not have a program and/or has not had interns before, do not be discouraged! To gain a better understanding of your summer at Company X, all you need to do is ask the right questions. During your interview, consider asking some of these questions:

1. What are the most important aspects of this internship?
2. What are some of the skills I will acquire from this position?
3. What are the responsibilities of this position?
4. Can you describe a typical day or week in this position?
5. What do you like about working at this company?
   

Do not be afraid to ask questions! Rather, by asking questions you can differentiate yourself from other possible candidates by proving that you want to make an intelligent decision and determine whether the company will be a good fit. The questions above will enhance your understanding of the company's culture and expectations of its employees. 

--Stephanie