Recap: Interning with Global Edmonton – First Week!

I spent my first week working closely with Global’s web producer Karyn Mulcahy, helping update Global Edmonton’s website!

I find writing stories for the website a really interesting process because in a way, it’s like I’m being a reporter without actually having to leave the newsroom and getting the sources firsthand. Which sounds kind of weird but I mean my sources for writing/rewriting copy for the site are things like press releases, reporter notes, and interview clips that I can sift through once the cameramen get back with the tapes. I actually really loved doing it. And Karyn told me that I was picking up the system really quickly and that I was a solid writer. We even had a great chat about how we’re both pretty geeky and into online and technology! I really want to do a lot more web producer training in this practicum! I think the online aspect of the newsroom/media is becoming more and more important. It’s fast-paced, it’s immediate, it’s really exciting to be a part of the news process from the web point of view and it’s always changing so it’s something you really have to stay on top of. I haven’t even really dipped into the Global side of Facebook/Twitter either!

So that’s something I’m definitely more interested in getting a chance to do in the coming weeks.

Here’s some of the articles I wrote for the website this week:

My schedule has also been sorted out! It was up in the air before because of my alternate weekend editing job. Technically to fill my practicum hours I would need to work at least 5 days a week. My bosses are being great and letting me use my weekend (paid!) editing shift to count as one of my 5 days a week so it stands..

Haha. I’ll be working Mondays to Thursdays, OFF on Fridays (how did I end up being that lucky? :D), and then working either Saturday or Sunday depending on the week.

Everyone has also been super nice! I try and say hi to everyone I come across in the newsroom and a lot of people have actually even beaten me to the greetings! :)

So technically my first week officially won’t be completed until after my editing shift tomorrow but I can tell you I will get to practice cutting full packages tomorrow! Prior to that my part-time editing had been kept to cutting VOs/VOSOTs/news updates/promos and Headlines. Now I’ll have more time to play around with putting together packs! Woo hoo! :)

To sum up what I got to do on my first week as a Global Edmonton intern:

  • Live blogged
  • Learned how to cut segments/commercials out of newscasts for the website
  • Learned how to write news stories/updates for the website based on press releases
  • Reporter notes and clips brought in from the cameramen
  • Learned how to add links to the website and briefly learned how to add new contests to the website
  • All of the above meaning I got to learn how to use Global’s content management system for updating their website
  • Sat in on 10 a.m. and noon news meetings to see how stories develop and are assigned throughout the day
  • Sifted through Global entries for the RTNDA awards
  • Cut a few items for the early news on Wednesday
  • and practice cutting packages on Saturday!!

I am also getting into a nice food/snack/tea routine. I’ve been packing my own lunches and there’s free tea in the Global kitchen area so I get to have a lot of tea (instead of coffee because I don’t like coffee!). Mike and I also went grocery shopping the other day and stocked up on snacks! :) Once the weather gets better though I do want to make use of going to grab Quiznos every once in awhile though because a) I just got new Quiznos coupons!! and b) there’s a Quiznos like 5 minutes away from the newsroom, hehe. But as it seems is the pattern when I’m at any newsroom, everyone eats at their desk! Which I’m fine with :)

I’m not sure what I’ll be doing next week. I am hoping that I can still stick with Karyn and learn more about web producing / get more access into the systems and be able to do even more but I’m not sure whether my bosses want me to dabble a bit in other fields (like the other intern at Global/one of my classmates Julie did a lot of dabbling this week ie. went with reporters on stories, etc., instead of strictly working in one area like I did). There are definitely benefits in dabbling and I would like experience in a number of different areas of the industry as I’ve always been interested in ALL aspects of the industry, but it is VERY appealing to stay in the web producing area and really become great with that. I mean, I’m here for four months! There’s lots of time to do lots of things but I’d like to do more web producing next week for sure :D We’ll see what happens Monday!

I’m still deciding if I’ll be doing weekly recaps or monthly recaps or what but I definitely felt at least this first week deserved a first week wrap up post :)

OH and this is important to note: My car didn’t get stuck in snow this week!! Yay!!

Linda :)

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