Academic Internship at WFLA News Channel 8 This internship is a real world experience for students and offers an opportunity to learn the day-to-day working of a news organization in Tampa, Florida. Students will be immersed in a competitive, handson, work environment. Interns will shadow journalists on their assignments and will be able to participate in reporting assignments. They will learn the television news process and eventually put together news packages. The internship coordinators will help them craft their stories and guide them through their initial assignments. Interns are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and follow the newsroom guidelines. Any ethical violation will be grounds for termination of their internship. At the end of the 8-week period, students will be able to have at least one news package or more.
Duration: The internship will run eight weeks. Location: All interns will be working from the Downtown Tampa office located at 200 S. Parker St. Tampa, FL 33606 Eligibility: This internship is available for students currently enrolled in a Journalism studies program. The applicants must have the approval of their College of Journalism/Mass Communication to enroll in the course. Students earn college credit for the semester/quarter. All applicants must be enrolled in college and have an interest in journalism. Application process, Deadlines: All eligible students are required to submit the application form, a resume, at least two samples of their work. The application package must be submitted to the internship director of a journalism course in their respective university and a copy sent to Ginger Thorpe or Rod Carter (see contact information below). Applications must be submitted to coordinators at WFLA by the deadline set forth on the initial page of this application.the internship faculty will recommend students for the 8-week unpaid internship by
the appropriate deadline. Once the internship is approved, please enroll and register for the specified course at the university. The deadlines are firm and late applications will not be considered.
Student information Form: (Please write legibly.) First Name Middle Last Name Name of University Email Phone Contact information during Internship Semester: (Interns will be responsible for their own housing arrangements) I hereby acknowledge that all information provide above is correct: Student's signature Date Name of Internship Director / Professor Phone
Application package should contain: 1 Student information form 2 Media General Application and Agreement form 3 Résumé 4 Internship proposal: (What gives you the edge over other applicants, and what do you hope to learn - 300 words) 5 Two samples of your work Mail complete application package to: Ginger Thorpe WFLA 200 S Parker St. Tampa FL 33606 Ph: 813-221-5769 email: gthorpe@wfla.com
Media General Educational Internship Guidelines The Media General Educational Internship program augments the educational development of those studying for careers in a number of fields in which Media General employees perform, such as broadcasting, journalism, operations, sales, marketing and production. This is accomplished by creating opportunities for students enrolled in institutions of higher learning to gain experience in the company s day-to-day operations as they relate to the student s field of study. Students participating in the internship program become knowledgeable in delivery of content across multimedia platform. For instance, news interns might interact with assignment editors researching stories, making police checks, and answering phones; observe the news edit area where stories are prepared for broadcast, video feeds are brought in from remote news coverage locations and news video archives are maintained; have the opportunity to shadow reporters and photographers in the field, giving them a first- hand experience at the news gathering process; and spend time with producers in the newsroom and the control room, learning how a newscast is assembled and broadcast. GENERAL PROVISIONS A. Participants will not accrue any benefits or salary and it is required that students receive college credit for internship participation (no exceptions). B. Ordinarily, the duration of participation by any one student shall not exceed one semester or other single segment of a school term or
related course. C. Interns should spend time working in all phases of the department that relates to their field of study, including, Producers, Reporters, Photographers, Editors, Assignment Desk Editors and Anchors. D. Interns shall not serve for more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours per week. E. The appointed coordinator in each department will provide such reasonable reports and evaluations on the intern s education as the intern may require for course credit. Copies of completed applications and all performance evaluations will be sent to the Human Resources Coordinator for approval and kept on file. F. The department coordinator will provide a specific description of the curriculum. REQUIREMENTS - PARTICIPANTS MUST: be at least 18 years of age; possess a valid driver s license and a car; arrange for a place to stay during internship. be enrolled in an accredited college, university or educational institution and eligible to earn course credits for the internship; be majoring in a field having a direct relationship to the activities of the department(s) that will host the internship submit prior to the start of the internship, an application signed by their advisor or appropriate representative of the education institution that states the number of applicable credit hours.
Media General Educational Internship APPLICATION AND AGREEMENT Please read this agreement and then sign at the bottom. You are entitled to a copy of this agreement. The completed and signed agreement must be submitted to your internship coordinator, Ginger Thorpe or Rod Carter, at TBO.com, 200 S Parker Street, Tampa, FL 33606 prior to the start of your internship. Please call 813-221-5769, 813-221-5762, or email gthorpe@wfla.com or rcarter@wfla.com with any questions or to follow-up. This is an agreement among (intern candidate), (school), and WFLA News Channel 8, a Media General Company. 1. Upon acceptance into its internship program, the status of the intern with Media General will be as outlined for trainees in the Fair Labor Standards Act and nothing in this agreement or subsequent relationship shall be in any way a violation of that act. 2. Media General may at any time in its sole discretion terminate this agreement without notice or cause. 3. The education received by the intern is for the benefit of the intern. 4. The intern will not replace or displace regular employees of Media General. 5. The training received, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of Media General, is similar to that which would be given in a vocational school. 6. Media General does not receive an immediate advantage from the
activities of the intern. 7. Media General in no way through direct statement or inference guarantees employment to the intern during, or at the conclusion of the internship program as a result of the training received or otherwise. 8. All parties involved understand that that intern is NOT ENTITLED TO WAGES or other payments for the time spent in the internship program. 9. Media General assumes none of the ex loco parentis responsibilities of any school, institute, or other educational organization with respect to the intern. 10. All rules and regulations governing Media General employees shall apply equally to all interns and all interns will be provided with these rules and regulations either orally or in writing. 11. It is agreed among the parties that the intern while on the premises, or in their involvement in connection with the company is not to be considered an employee or agent of Media General for any purposes, including but not limited to workers compensation. The intern is at all times to be considered a student of doing assigned work as part of their curriculum. 12. (intern candidate) acknowledges that his/her participation in the internship program may involve some risks, such as risks associated with traveling by automobile away from Media General premises to accompany a company employee in the performance of their job duties. Intern assumes all of the risks of participating in the internship program. In consideration of the opportunity afforded to the intern to participate in the internship program, intern hereby agrees that he/she, his/her assignees, heirs, guardians, and legal representatives, will not make a claim against Media General, or any of its affiliated organizations, or either of their officers or directors collectively or individually, or any
of its employees, for the injury or death to intern or damage to his/her property, however caused, arising from his/her participation in the internship program; without limiting the generality of the foregoing. (intern candidate) hereby waives and releases any rights, actions, or causes or action resulting from personal injury or death to him/her, or damage to his/her property, sustained in connection with his/her participation in the internship program. The term of this internship is determined by the school and, which begins on or about., Intern / / (Signed) (Date), For (Signed) (School) / / (Title) (Date), For Media General, Inc. (Signed) / / (Title) (Date)