My internship at WAVY TV-10 has been more than I could have ever expected. I am really enjoying the hands-on experiences that come with being the news intern. As I continue to get a chance to leave the newsroom and shadow reporters at stories, I am gaining more experience while seeing all that comes with being a reporter.

I got the chance to leave the building and shadow Michelle Wolf at an event honoring Chesapeake Deputy Scott Chambers who was injured in the line of duty. This was my first time seeing somebody being interviewed on the spot at a live event. I now have a clear understanding of the idea behind trying to make an interview seem like a real conversation after watching how Michelle performed the interview.

I also had the opportunity to shadow reporter Raven Payne while she went door-knocking in Suffolk to gather more information about a house fire. We were able to obtain some useful information from a nearby neighbor and conducted an off-camera interview in order to capture the moment of the fire. Raven had to put together the story on the spot in just a few moments because it had to be done before the show that night. This gave me firsthand experience with the fast-paced environment and punctuality expectations in the newsroom.

During this part of my internship, I was also able to improve my writing skills. My advisor challenged me to write various stories based on current events in the area. Receiving his feedback has undoubtedly helped me improve in a variety of areas.

This portion of the internship was full of firsts, and I look forward to seeing what else it has in store. As I become more comfortable in the fast pace environment of the news room, I am starting to be more prepared as new task come my way with news stories happening at a rapid rate. These new experiences have sparked many interest that I didn’t even know I had. I look forward to seeing what new experiences come my way as I strive to become the best that I can be in every aspect of the news industry.