Station

Internship opportunities at CMG-Charlotte

Are you hardworking, motivated and energetic?

Do you want to learn to be one of the best of the best?

If so, WSOC-TV Channel 9 has the internship for you!

NEWS INTERNSHIP:

Students will have many opportunities during this 10-week internship to observe and participate in the operation of a major market television station.  Along with tasks to complete in the course of the summer, news interns will rotate through different newsroom positions:  shadowing reporters, shadowing photographers, associate producing, producing for digital and assisting on the assignment desk.

Shadowing Reporters:

Interns will attend our editorial meetings and see where story ideas originate.  They will observe the editorial discussion.  Students will also learn the process of news-gathering from a reporter's point-of-view. Interns will accompany reporters and will learn about asking the right questions when interviewing, and what it takes to complete a story for broadcast.

Shadowing Photographers:

Interns will spend time with our “floater” photographers.  They will be able to ask interview subjects the questions for stories.  They will also have the opportunity to shoot their own standups for their resume tape.

Shadowing Producers:

Interns will learn the art of producing. This will include research and learning about the decision-making process for stories to see how they end up in the newscast.  They will focus on writing for newscasts.

Shadowing Web Producers:

Learn how local television news is produced on digital platforms.  You will learn how to use a content management system to update wired and mobile websites, find how social media plays into current digital strategies and have the opportunity to put your skills to work for the entire wsoctv.com product suite.

Shadowing Assignment Editors:

Students will learn how to work on the assignment desk which is the heart of the newsroom. This will include researching, dispatching and monitoring news crews, communication with law enforcement agencies, learning about the decision-making process for stories.


Please send direct inquiries and applications to Dana Ellison.

METEOROLOGY INTERNSHIP:

The interns won't just be learning how to present the weather on TV but will also get a more firm grasp on how to forecast.  They will learn the tools we use daily to forecast and how to put together their own weather show on our WSI graphics program.  They will also get time in front of the green screen to practice presenting the forecast.  They may also get the opportunity to help cover breaking severe weather.  There are no college courses that can prepare you for wall-to-wall coverage.

Internship candidates should have excellent communication skills and an ambitious attitude.  They must learn quickly and follow directions with minimal supervision. 

Please send direct inquiries and applications to Dana Ellison.

NEWS PRODUCTION INTERNSHIP:

Students will have the opportunity to receive hands-on experience in news production in both the control room and the news studio. Interns will learn robotic studio camera operation, floor directing, and teleprompter operation. They will also be introduced to and learn the basic operation of the Grass Valley Ignite automated production control system. Interns will be taught the basic skills of directing live and taped programs. There will be opportunities to operate equipment in practice sessions, promotional taping sessions, and even live newscasts. Students must be very focused, punctual, and take direction well. Some experience with broadcast technology is preferred. They can expect to learn the behind-the-scenes production process and experience the excitement of live television. 

Please send direct inquiries and applications to Jed Dorton.

News, Production and Meteorology Internship Application Deadline:
Summer Internship – Application deadline is March 25

Requirements:
This is a highly competitive paid internship program.  Broadcast journalism is a highly-demanding, immersive career.  You must be available to work on all scheduled days.  You will be exposed to all shifts in the broadcast day.  You are not guaranteed an internship just because you've submitted an application. We receive many more applications than positions available.

In order to be eligible for a WSOC-TV/Channel 9 Eyewitness News internship, each student must:

  • Be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program leading to a degree in journalism/broadcasting or a related field.
  • Be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program leading to a degree in Meteorology with an interest in pursuing an on-air career -- for the Meteorologist Internship
  • Have attained at least Junior year standing.
  • Have at least a grade point average of "B".
  • Be willing and able to work all scheduled days during the 10 week internship.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
Students must take the following steps to apply for an internship:

I. Consult with your career counselor or student advisor.

II. Submit the following information:

  • A cover letter introducing yourself and providing your personal contact information.
  • A completed resume.
  • A one-page essay outlining personal interests and professional goals, and a statement of why you would like to be chosen for this internship.
  • A letter from your college/university stating that you will receive credit for the internship.

Email the above information, plus verification that you will receive credit for this internship, to the corresponding contact.

Who we are:
Since its founding in April 1957, WSOC-TV's Channel 9 prides itself on commitment to news and information throughout the 22 counties it serves in North and South Carolina. True to its slogan, Covering the Carolinas, WSOC-TV is the proven market leader in news coverage. Live mobile newsrooms based out of Hickory, Gastonia, Salisbury, and Rock Hill, South Carolina, position Channel 9 to cover local stories and breaking news as it happens. WSOC-TV's helicopter, Chopper Nine, is equipped with the latest news gathering technology to cover the market, bringing viewers instant access to breaking news and information.

History:
When WSOC-TV first signed on, Channel 9 operated from temporary studios on Plaza Road Extension before moving to its current site in July 1959. In January of that year, the station was purchased by Cox Broadcasting of Atlanta, which grew from one newspaper in 1898 to a giant conglomerate of radio and television stations, cable companies, newspapers, and other entertainment enterprises in markets nationwide.

General Guidelines
I. No intern or candidate for internship shall be discriminated against because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status or any other basis which is prohibited by applicable Federal, State or City Law.

II. An intern is not a full time employee and therefore is not covered by the station's employee benefit plan or worker's compensation insurance.

III. The internship is intended as a learning experience. The duties of the intern should be clearly spelled out by the station department head.

IV. Starting and ending dates shall be specified in advance for each internship. Internships are to last no longer than one quarter or one semester unless an extension is granted by the internship coordinator.

V. WSOC-TV reserves the right to terminate any intern at any time for any cause.

VI. Students will only be offered an internship after WSOC-TV receives satisfactory results from a background check of your driving record, criminal record and credit history.

VII. Each intern shall sign and submit to WSOC-TV at the start of the internship a letter of understanding of these guidelines.

VIII.RELEASE OF LIABILITY
Prior to serving an internship, students must sign a release absolving Cox Enterprises, WSOC-TV/Channel 9, its divisions, subsidiaries and all personnel from liabilities relating to any loss, damage, or injury sustained during the course of his/her activities as an intern at WSOC-TV/Channel 9.

COMMITMENT TO INTERNS
In an effort to maximize the effectiveness of the internship program, the station will offer internships that provide consistent, step-by-step exposure to some of the most important aspects of the television industry. Experience in these vital areas will help the intern to broaden his/her horizons and crystallize career goals while gaining a basic understanding of the station's operations.