PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Today is my last day at WAVY. Since I began three months ago, I’ve been able to see and do so many things I never thought I’d have the opportunity to do. I’ve been behind the scenes on the nightly news, and chatted with anchors. I’ve learned how to operate cameras, how to gauge what type of news will make the 6 p.m., and shadowed reporters and editors.
I’ve also learned a lot about the broadcast industry. Not only about the complexities of writing and producing news for an 11 hour news cycle, but also about filling all the space that isn’t news. The people in sales, who sell ad space, and those in promotions who fill 5-second spots to promote upcoming stories. I’ve worked the assignment desk and written over a 100 articles, and learned video editing software like Akta MCP, as well as mastered WordPress.
I’ve shadowed sports and edited and cut Friday Night Flights coverage for the majority of the semester, pushing me out of my comfort zone. I’ve covered local news of all types, ranging from events to crime coverage. I’ve seen breaking news go down in the newsroom, and I got to help cover Hurricane Ian (including getting absolutely soaked in the process!)
I’ve also learned a lot about copyright in newsrooms, and the process of verifying sources. I’ve seen how teams with drastically different jobs and positions come together to make nightly broadcasts consistent and correct. I’ve also watched the sports department record content and write copy, then immediately turn the copy as they go live for Friday Night Flights, during which the show is cut and published on the website. It takes so many people to cover this much news, both in the newsroom and also in the digital department. While reporters focus on stories for the daily news, the digital team produces the bulk amount of content going up on the website, writes breaking news, and sends out push alerts.
I’ve learned a lot about WAVY and broadcast news during this experience. I’ve also learned how broadcast is growing and evolving and exploring different methods of communicating information in the age of the internet. In addition to writing articles and streaming news, WAVY is also introducing “week in review” content on their social media. It’s exciting to see media outlets try out different ways of disseminating information in a time in which news is changing in response to the needs of the population.
Overall, I’ve had a lot of novel and unique experiences during this internship. I learned a lot about broadcast production and what I want to do in the future. The WAVY staff was incredibly welcoming and helpful, and I met so many friendly people and got the opportunity to build and develop skills in a friendly environment.
