News Planning Internship ABC7 (WLS-TV) Chicago Spring 2020

Job Description

ABC7 (WLS-TV) Chicago is the Midwest flagship of the ABC television network. ABC7 leads the market in local news coverage with daily newscasts, and has been in a number one position in local news since March 1986. The station’s offices and studios are located in The Loop in downtown Chicago.
The News Planning Department handles all future events as well as developing story ideas for the newsroom. We take calls and emails that come into the newsroom and make the extra follow-up calls that are needed to flesh out whether it’s a story we would want to further pursue. We set up times and places for interviews and video opportunities. We enter information on upcoming press conferences and other planned events into the daybook days and weeks ahead of time.
Responsibilities :
We prefer that you are able to attend our daily weekday morning editorial meetings at 9am. From there you are able to see what stories get discussed and assigned to reporters. It also gives you the ability to go out with a reporter on occasion. Other responsibilities include:

• Going through the daily 15 or so newspapers that we read every morning to see what other angles are out there for stories we might not have covered.
• Assisting in filing the stories and events along with entering and writing descriptions of various stories into the planner for the next day.
• Getting exposure to other departments around the newsroom which include our show producers, website staff, and graphics department so you can see all facets of what goes into putting together a newscast.

Basic Qualifications :

• Strong communicator and not afraid to ask questions, whether it be to fellow employees or when calling on stories.
• Respectful and hardworking, someone who’s priority is gaining experience
• Previous experience (academic or internship) in journalism (print, digital, and/or broadcast)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism and interested in a career in the industry
• Previous internship in a professional newsroom/local news affiliate
• Strong research, writing and editing skills
• Prior experience generating story ideas and pitches
• Prior experience with social media management

Additional Information :
Internship Eligibility:
•All students must possess unrestricted work authorization
•All students must be at least 18 years old
•You must currently be enrolled in an accredited college or university and taking at least one class – OR – be a recent graduate of an accredited college or university within the last six (6) months - OR - be currently participating in the Disney College Program, Disney Culinary Program or Disney Professional Internship Program in order to qualify for this internship.
•All candidates must be available from January through May
•All candidates must be willing to work 18 – 20 hours/week
•All students must provide their own housing and transportation for the duration of the internship
•All students must provide a consistent, reliable work schedule during the session