Our NewsVision class had the unique opportunity to visit the NBC 4 Studio in Washington, DC. We began by touring the station. Although I have interned at a news station before, each station operates differently, so I appreciated being able to visit the sets of different shows including Meet the Press, along with walking through the newsroom, sitting at the anchor desk, and visiting the weather center.
The most impactful part of our visit was having the opportunity to talk with people in all positions at the station. I particularly enjoyed the conversations we had with anchor Leon Harris, and sports reporter Sherree Burruss. Because I aspire to be on air, their insights regarding being successful reporters were especially helpful to me. I appreciated Sherree sharing her career journey with us and giving us tips on how to move to a large market quickly, like she did. She emphasized, as many others have, that starting in a small market pushes you to learn all parts of the job and gives you a leg up on other reporters who may start in larger markets. She also mentioned the importance of negotiation, which is something I have recently been learning about as I start to apply for jobs. It was also exciting to hear Leon Harris' story about how he moved from working on the technical side of the news station to being at the anchor desk.
We also spoke to Jackie Bradford, the General Manager of WRC. Jackie was tough, but helpful as she challenged each of us to develop and practice our elevator speeches. This activity took me back to the first day in NewsVision when Professor Thomas conducted a similar activity. Jackie emphasized the importance of being able to sell yourself in a concise and confident manner. I also enjoyed hearing her story about her career journey. Her story was nontraditional in that she never dreamed of being in News. She talked about how she began in finance and her positions in finance led her to be offered a job as the General Manager. Her journey resonated with me, particularly because I also have a passion for finance. It was interesting to see how she was able to marry the two in her current position.
A reoccurring theme that emerged from all of the people we spoke to was an emphasis on learning the most you possibly can from each position you hold. This holds true for interns all the way up to people in leadership. Hearing each person say this made me reflect on the internships I have held in the past and making a conscious effort form here forward to make sure I take control of my experiences and get the most out of each one.
I look forward to applying to the NBC4 Desk Assistant Program that I learned about on the tour. I have been looking into rotational programs such as this one lately, so learning about this program came at the perfect time.
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