And her newscasts enjoy shares that often exceed 50-yes, 50. At Texas Cable News, executive news director Steven Ackermann believes in reaching out for the best and brightest college journalism prospects, even tracking them as they make their way through school. Ackermann proposes two internships for each student, suggesting that the first be structured to expose the student to a range of roles in the station and the second be focused on a specific job. He advises news directors to resist the temptation to take as many interns as they can get. We limit ourselves to three or four during a semester, but we make the interns an integral part of our workflow.
Long Island is another intern-friendly newsroom.
Drew Scott, executive producer in the 24-hour cable news shop, reports having had great success in growing interns from Hofstra University and the New York Institute of Technology. News 12 has former interns in the newsroom's writing and producing ranks, and even has a former intern on the anchor desk. Recruit 365 Days a Year Paul Lewis, news director at WTIC-TV in Hartford, CT, believes every day is recruiting day, even when he has no job openings. Lewis watches tape with his guest, and offers candid coaching. They come in here and soak it up like sponges.