WTTG/WDCA Internship Opportunities

NEWS DEPARTMENT: Under the supervision of the Assignment Editors, all News student interns will gain hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations of a fast-paced news environment.  Overall, an internship with the News Department will involve assisting the news staff with compiling packets of information, answering phones and other duties that will be useful in the news gathering process.  This internship may include some field experience with News Reporters to cover developing stories.  Student interns are expected to assist producer with researching, and preparing news packets for News Anchors and scanning wires. Also, student interns will assist Assignment Desk Editors and News Producers with phone calls to assist in the development of stories, as well as filing press releases, sorting scripts and writing practice scripts as needed.  Base knowledge of broadcast journalism, including terms, structure, various duties/positions required.  This internship requires learning the news computer system.

WEB NEWS: Under the supervision of the Web Producers, student interns will gain hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations of a fast-paced web news environment.  Overall, an internship with web news will involve assisting the web producers with compiling packets of information, researching, scanning wires and other duties that will be useful in the news gathering web posting process.  Student intern should possess an awareness that journalism has moved into multimedia platforms and understand that they may need to apply journalistic skills across many mediums.  Student intern should be well versed in computer skills and file organization.   Good editorial judgment is needed.  Strong writing and organizational skills required.  Interns should have an understanding of Web standards, design and usability with knowledge of common Web and application architectures.  Interns should have background knowledge of print and broadcast newsroom standards and styles.  Familiarity of audio/video digitizing, editing and encoding techniques, background knowledge of Internet publishing software and content management systems HTML, Dreamweaver, FLASH and Photoshop a plus. This internship requires learning the news computer system.

SPORTS DEPARTMENT: Under the supervision of the Sports Producers, the student intern(s) will gain hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations of the Sports Department.  Student intern(s) will be exposed to how the Sports Department covers stories; and edit and air sports for the Ten O’clock News. Student intern(s) will assist in all facets of production. Duties include but are not limited to: checking wire reports, logging feeds and games, preparing initial scripts, working with editors  to produce high-lights, and retrieving and achieving videotapes.  This internship may include some field experience to cover sports events with a camera crew and Sportscaster. Student intern(s) must be self-starters, organized, and able to work evening and weekends hours.  This internship requires learning the news computer system.

WEATHER:  Under the supervision of the Weather Producers, Meteorologists, and Weather Anchors, weather interns will learn to operate WSI weather graphics system and be capable of creating a ready-for-broadcast weather show by the end of the internship.  Interns will learn the Baron Fastrac and Viper Radar systems in addition to FOX 5’s live Doppler Radar and be capable of assisting the on-air Meteorologists in tracking and analyzing severe storms.  Interns will also learn the Skyalert crawl system for weather alerts and will assist the on-air Meteorologists with preparing crawls (with strict supervision) for broadcast.  Interns will study meteorological model data and create local forecast for comparison with the on-air Meteorologists forecast.  As time permits, interns will practice delivering a weathercast at the Chromakey Wall and in the WeatherCenter.

PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT: Student interns will be responsible for time coding tapes, monitoring and coding squeezebacks, screening promos for content and choosing video and music for specific promotions. Student interns will be required to perform basic administrative assistance duties, including logging tapes for producers. They will have the opportunity to write scripts, participate in daily editing sessions and go out into the field on various promo shoots, offering the student a birds-eye view of on-air promotions.

RESEARCH/PROGRAMMING DEPARTMENT: Under the supervision of the Research Director, the student intern(s) will assist with the daily operations of the Research Department. The student intern(s) will assist with the ratings analysis of television shows, distribute the ratings to various departments, and write some copy for sales presentations. The student intern(s) may be exposed to programming meetings, and provide administrative support as needed. Will learn the various research tools Nielsen, Scarborough, and BAR reports.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS: Note: For some semesters, this internship may be combined with either the Sales, Programming or Research Department Internship to create one full internship. Under the supervision of the Community Affairs Manager the student intern(s) will participate in every aspect of the Community Affairs office.  The student intern(s) will handle inquiries from the public, and will be involved in some production work. The student intern(s) will provide administrative support for community affairs campaigns, log incoming PSA tapes, write/change orders for Master Control, update mailing lists of community organizations and compile FCC Quarterly Issues Reports. This internship will also include pre-production work to develop WTTG’S Community Events Calendar, write scripts for the calendar, as well as conduct control room production sessions for Public Service Announcements. Student intern(s) will recommend music for graphics, screen, and critique and recommend incoming videotapes for airing. Student intern(s) will be exposed to the practices and procedures of public relations in broadcasting.  Will assist with gathering information from news talent for press releases. Student intern(s) should be a self-starter, detailed-oriented, and have good phone skills. 

SALES:  Note: For some Semesters, this internship may be combined with either the Community Affairs, Programming or Research Department Internship to create one full internship. The Sales Department is responsible for generating revenue via negotiations with commercial advertisers. Student intern(s)  will provide administrative support to account executives and sales coordinators and web sales staff.  Internship activities may include typing, faxing, filling, copying, etc.  There will also be telephone interaction with clients and advertising agencies.  There may be opportunities for the student intern(s) to spend time in the Traffic and Research departments as well.  Student intern(s) must have a desire to work in Sales and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment.

IT:  Under the supervision of the IT Manager, student interns will gain hands on IT experience helping provide basic level support to administrative and News staff on hardware/software, printers, client network connectivity problems and other interface peripherals; Student intern(s) will perform hardware/software testing and installation using Norton Ghost and assist with asset management. Student intern(s) should have good communication, client interface skills, and patient manner in dealing with user questions and problems required. Student intern should also possess good technical, multi-tasking and problem solving skills, along with superior oral and written communication skills and the ability to effectively use web applications and MS Office products.

HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT: Under the supervision of the Human Resources Manager, the student intern will receive practical application experience and exposure to fundamental human resources generalist functions including applicant tracking, applicant screening and interviewing, referencing, and employee in-processing and out-processing.  Administrative/clerical duties may include word-processing, assisting with the phone (e.g. answering, screening, referring, and making calls), handling incoming and outgoing mail, and maintaining jobline, job postings, mailing lists, and various administrative/clerical assignments.  Student intern must be customer service oriented, highly confidential, and possess good verbal, written, organizational, and multi-tasking skills, and high level of attention to details.

For consideration:
Applicants should forward resume, letter of interest (cover letter), an application (a copy may be obtained from the link listed above) and academic credit confirmation (signed letter verifying receipt of credit from applicant's school/internship program) to:  Human Resources Department, WTTG/WDCA – Fox Television Stations, Inc., 5151 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016.  Applicant submissions may also be submitted by fax (202-895-3286) or by email ( wttg-hr@foxtv.com) For additional information and an application you may contact the Human Resources Department at 202-895-3232.