Landing a Spot: A Guide to News Station Internship Requirements

The media and entertainment industry is a competitive field, and internships are a vital stepping stone for aspiring professionals. News stations, in particular, offer diverse internship opportunities across various departments. These internships provide practical experience, industry knowledge, and the chance to expand your professional network. This article explores the requirements and opportunities available in news station internships, drawing on examples from various media organizations.

The Value of News Station Internships

News station internships enhance professional skill development for students interested in a career in television. In a hands-on environment, students have the opportunity to refine proficiency and gain in-depth knowledge in various television media or production areas. The objectives of internship programs are to provide students majoring in journalism, communications, media, and related disciplines the opportunity to receive on-site exposure to and training from experienced television broadcast professionals who are in job positions to which students aspire. These internships also provide students with the opportunity to garner practical application experiences and exposure to a work environment in their desired careers.

General Internship Requirements

Several common requirements apply across different news station internship programs.

Enrollment Status: Applicants must be enrolled in college and working toward a degree (associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate) or may have graduated within six months of the internship start date.
Minimum Hours: Interns are typically required to commit to a minimum of 16 hours per week. Some internships may require up to 40 hours per week. For example, Maryland Public Television requires students to commit to a minimum of 16 hours per week, with the exception of high school students.
Academic Credit: Some internships require that the intern be a college or trade school student receiving academic credits. If the internship is not for academic credit, it may be considered unpaid.
Application Materials: All applications must include a cover letter, résumé, and references reachable by phone. St. Louis Public Radio requires applicants to download and complete an application form.
Strong Interest: A strong interest in broadcast journalism and being an avid news consumer is essential.
Transportation: Students must have reliable transportation to get to and from the internship site.

Department-Specific Requirements and Opportunities

News stations offer internships in various departments, each with specific requirements and opportunities.

News Department

Interns in the News Department experience a television station through the lens of news gathering and production. All interested applicants should have a vast knowledge of current events and journalistic principles. The intern should be available for a rotating schedule that will allow them to experience in-house and field tasks, including the assignment desk, general assignment reporter shadow, and writer/producer shadow.

Example: At 16WAPT, the ABC affiliate in Jackson, MS, a News Intern should know how to create meaningful and memorable newscasts.

Sports Department

Under the supervision of the Sports Producers/Reporters, student interns gain hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations of the Sports Department. They are exposed to how the Sports Department covers stories and edits and airs sports for the evening newscasts and special shows. Student interns assist in all facets of production. Duties include checking wire reports, logging feeds and games, preparing initial scripts, working with editors to produce highlights, and retrieving and archiving videotapes. This internship may include some field experience to cover sports events with a camera crew and Sportscaster. Student interns must be self-starters, organized, and able to work evening and weekend hours.

Weather Department

Under the supervision of the Chief Meteorologist, weather interns learn to operate weather graphics systems and create ready-for-broadcast weather shows by the end of the internship. Interns learn the weather systems and assist the on-air Meteorologists in tracking and analyzing severe storms. They also learn the crawl system for weather alerts and assist the on-air Meteorologists with preparing crawls (with strict supervision) for broadcast. Interns study meteorological model data and create local forecasts for comparison with the on-air Meteorologists' forecast. As time permits, interns practice delivering a weathercast at the Chroma key Wall and in the Weather Center.

Promotions Department

Promotion Producers are responsible for attracting viewers to watch prime programs, including newscasts. Interns take part in the TV marketing process, which includes writing, producing, directing, videography, and non-linear editing, by watching producers create promos for newscasts and entertainment programs.

Other Departments

Sales & Creative Services/Promotion: WGAL-TV offers paid internships in these departments.
Technical/Engineering: WGAL-TV also provides paid internships in the Technical/Engineering department.
Marketing & Digital Media: St. Louis Public Radio’s marketing & digital media department leads the expression of brand identity and implements promotional strategy across a wide variety of platforms to grow audience, engagement, and support. Qualified candidates will have knowledge of marketing principles and research and the ability to implement promotions and advance partnerships to grow reach. Skills in visual communications are also considered.
Institutional Advancement / Major & Planned Giving: Interns will learn the full donor cycle from prospect research and identification through stewardship and why major and planned gifts play a critical role in supporting the unique characteristics of a non-profit public media organization.
Development: The intern will learn how a not-for-profit station works by maintaining and updating the volunteer database, developing training programs for on-air pledge volunteers, recruiting, scheduling, and confirming telephone pledge volunteer groups and individuals, and handling incoming calls related to volunteer scheduling.
Advertising: Advertising interns will assist MSAA team members and their needs as well as general agency and business-related needs. Ideal interns should have experience with web design, graphic design, audio/video producing or editing. Experience with spreadsheets and/or databases is preferred as well.
Human Resources: HR interns will work collaboratively with the department on routine HR administrative functions. Duties include providing support to projects and key initiatives, preparing various reports, and performing other special projects as assigned. Interns should be comfortable working in a high-paced, teamwork-based environment. Ideal candidates must be proactive, self-motivated, well-organized, reliable, and detail-oriented.
Public Relations/Communications: PR/Communications interns assist with project-related research, writing, and editing of communication products for both internal and external audiences. Interns in this department also perform media monitoring, support fulfillment of media requests, create and/or maintain contact databases, and execute other related tasks as part of the network’s Communications Department.
Special Events & Community Engagement: Interns will assist with all aspects of event planning, including creative concept, logistics, vendor selection & management, staffing, execution, and more.
Creative Services: Interns will work with MPT’s Broadcast Designers and Producers to create compelling visual content. Tasks include graphic and broadcast design, helping to create show titles, motion graphics, and promotional materials. A practical knowledge of the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite: Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Premiere Pro is required.
General Membership Support: Under the guidance of the Data-Entry & Gifts Representative and Development staff, the intern will assist the office with the successful execution of ongoing membership recruitment and retention efforts.
Producing Television Shows (Content): Content interns will get an inside look at the editorial and creative side of television production. They will assist the station's producers on a wide variety of local programs in all stages of production. Typical tasks include conducting story research, acting as a production assistant during field and studio shoots, helping to generate social media content, and logging and transcribing footage. Most Content interns will also have the opportunity to write and edit a short-form video of their own for either digital or broadcast, under the guidance of a producer.
Corporate Support Sales/Marketing/Client Relations: Interns will learn to prospect for potential clients and create a marketing plan for an upcoming event. Interns will participate in sales meetings and training seminars and accompany Account Executives on sales calls and presentations at local businesses and advertising agencies.
Information Technology: IT interns will help to provide technical support and assist the MPT Help Desk Support. Interns will work collaboratively on projects with ITS to develop solutions for MPT’s network.
Production Services: The intern will learn the technical aspects of television and multi-media broadcast production by assisting in the following areas: studio/location camera operator, teleprompter operator, videotape editor, location sound recordist, lighting director, floor director, studio supervisor, and director.
Administrative: The intern will gain experience in maintaining "front office" activities with researching, interviewing, and drafting copies for MPT publications; drafting press releases; research to build target media lists for publicity campaigns; fact-checking/proofreading; events support; and special-purpose publications.
Finance and Accounting: The MPT Finance and Accounting intern will assist the division with tracking all financial activities, ensuring accurate record keeping, research, and reporting. F&A interns will gain practical knowledge of financial laws and regulations. Duties include reviewing, filing, and verifying the accuracy of information in financial documents such as journal entries or spreadsheets.
MotorWeek: Depending on interests, Motorweek interns will have a chance to help in various aspects of production. Interns will assist our segment producers in capturing content for the show and our digital productions. This means hands-on experience with various pieces of equipment, shadowing many different roles, and getting a chance to put out ideas of your own. There are also opportunities to edit different pieces of MotorWeek content. Interns more interested in journalism and writing will have opportunities to work with scriptwriters and daily reporters on crafting various pieces of content, televised and digital. These interns will get a sense of reporting on breaking news, as well as fact-checking, editing, and adhering to an editorial style.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation for news station internships varies. Some internships are paid, while others are unpaid but offer academic credit. For example, WGAL-TV offers paid internships in various departments. Hearst Television’s Paid Internship Program pays interns $18 an hour for a 40-hour workweek for 10 to 12 weeks. St. Louis Public Radio internships pay an hourly wage of $15, along with the opportunity for college credit. Maryland Public Television offers both paid and unpaid internships.

Some programs, like the Maryland Corps/Service Year Option, offer additional benefits such as professional development, on-the-job training, mentoring, and career coaching. Upon successful completion of the program, members may earn funds toward tuition costs or as a cash stipend.

How to Find and Apply for Internships

Network: Take advantage of workshops and mentoring provided by alumni advisory boards to assist in your job search.
Check for Established Organizations: Look for organizations that have been established for a minimum of 3 years, as they are more likely to be able to provide the necessary support and mentorship.
Ensure a Qualified Supervisor: Make sure you will have a formal, designated internship supervisor who can instruct and mentor you as you learn.
Seek New Learning Opportunities: Avoid doing the same internship twice with the same organization.
Apply Online: Applications must be submitted through the application link for each internship.
Prepare Application Materials: Ensure you have a cover letter, résumé, and references ready. St. Louis Public Radio requires applicants to download and complete a specific application form.
Meet Deadlines: Pay attention to application deadlines. For example, applications for some internships must be submitted by a specific date.

The Internship Experience

A high-quality internship is related to your professional goals and provides the opportunity to work with local, national, or international professionals who have both formal education and a proven professional track record. At a legitimate internship, interns work with an experienced supervisor who instructs, mentors, and supports them as they learn new skills and gain valuable experience.

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