Many interns have ample opportunity to work on so-called softer news.
I mingled backstage with rock stars, talked with all sorts of music industry bigwigs, and was invited back to Jackson Browne's house, where I interviewed him over lunch. While the Live Aid piece demonstrates the editors' receptivity to self-generated stories, the majority of stories are assigned by the editors. After writing a story, an intern submits it to an editor, who critiques it and often allows the intern to make revisions. Reworking their stories, interns hone their writing skills, learning journalism under the guidance of some of the best newswriters in the business. Interns also learn the inimitable style of the Journal , which, some say, is sharp, punchy, and more analytical than most newspapers.