Last week, you read what some of the interns from the current batch at CNN had to say about their exciting hands-on experience. This week, we ask the trainers what it takes to chisel and hone the freshers.
Phil O’ Sullivan, CNN Abu Dhabi Bureau Chief on how to be an ace intern:
How challenging is it to train complete amateurs in the process of news gathering?
We don’t necessarily see an internship as a training programme. It’s more about providing those people interested in journalism an opportunity to get a taste of what working in a newsroom is really like.
We try to have the students (they are generally under-grad journalism students) do a variety of things during their internship so they can work out what they might be interested in the most. It could be writing, producing shoots in the field or directing a show.
We are lucky in Abu Dhabi in that we have a smart group of young journalists who still remember when they were new to the profession. This means they’re very willing to help out and teach our interns about what they are doing and why.
How does CNN benefit from a programme like this?
We get to tap into the thoughts and opinions of local young people and get their perspective on the stories we are covering. We also get to keep an eye on what upcoming journalistic talent is out there. We’re always looking for smart, hard-working future prospects who have a real aptitude for the news business.
Any anecdotes that you could share with us while training students on the job?
For me it’s always really gratifying when an intern sees a piece of their work go to air for the first time or sees their by-line sitting beneath a story on cnn.com. It’s always a big thrill for the intern and for all of us in the newsroom too.
Caroline Faraj, Director of the CNN Arabic Digital Media Services on the internship programme:
Is there a different approach to regional news gathering students need to learn?
The main aspect of covering the Middle East or any story in general is credibility and fact-checking. We insist that every story has to be verified by two sources at least. However, the uniqueness in this region is the need to understand the cultures, religions and the diversity of the society.
Do you ever send interns along with the pros in a sensitive situation or do these interns get limited to production and editing jobs.
We do not send them to hostile areas but we do encourage them to be a part of regular stories. The interns attend press conferences as well as cover stories with the crew. Together, we discuss the story angles and how it should be written. The interns will also be required to submit a project before the end of the internship.
