General News Assistant Intern
KCRA 3 | Sacramento, California, U.S.A. January 2016 ~ June 2016
As a General News Assistant Intern at KCRA 3, I had the opportunity to shadow nearly every newsroom role across various shifts, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the industry's inner workings.
General Assistant Experience
This was my first time in a newsroom, and I had an incredible experience. On my very first day, I arrived at 4:30 A.M. and witnessed breaking news unfold in real-time. I watched as a story went from the police scanner to the assignment editor, then straight to a reporter and photographer team, all going on air in under 30 minutes. Seeing how modern technology enables critical information to reach the public so quickly solidified my desire to be part of this fast-paced, impactful industry.
Reporting & Field Work
I spent most of my internship shadowing reporter and photographer crews in the field, gaining hands-on experience across all shifts— morning, dayside, nightside, and overnights. I shot, wrote, edited, and reported stories, learning to identify key characters and experts and conduct effective interviews. One lesson that stuck with me is that in this field, you often have to drop everything to cover breaking news. I responded to incidents like shootings, traffic accidents, and property crimes, all while honing my ability to quickly adapt. I also gained experience crafting stories on a variety of topics, including politics, education, and lighthearted feature pieces.
Anchoring & Producing
I used ENPS to stack two intern newscasts, and anchored them as well. I wrote bumps, teases, and tickers that went on air. For digital content, I converted my reporter scripts into web articles and shared them across the station’s website, X, and Facebook pages. I also coordinated feature segments by sourcing guests for daily three-to-four minute interviews hosted by anchors. To stay on top of breaking news, I constantly monitored police scanners, the California Highway Patrol website, and social media. Additionally, I assisted in the control room with audio operations and video checks to support seamless broadcasts.
And of course I couldn't turn down the opportunity to play with the green screen!
