By Maria Morris Lundberg

 

My entry into the field of mass communication came about in an unusual way. I was a public school teacher (French) for a short time before my two children were born. When they were young, I made the choice to be a stay-at-home mom. At that time, my husband worked in marketing for a large company and was responsible for the production of commercials and buying airtime for them. At an event sponsored by one of the local television stations, we got to tour a TV remote production van. And I was hooked. The technology of television fascinated me, so I checked out library books to learn as much as I could about the field of broadcasting.   

 

Luckily for me, my husband’s company transferred him to Norman, Oklahoma, home of the University of Oklahoma. When I learned that the university offered a degree in broadcasting, I applied to graduate school. Over the next two and a half years, I took a wide variety of classes covering all aspects of broadcasting. I used every opportunity to check out a video camera and videotape whatever I could to get as much hands-on experience as possible.   

 

Probably the best thing I ever did to prepare for my career was doing an internship with the NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City. Two days a week for an entire semester, I hung out with some of the best broadcast journalists in the business. The station gave me the freedom to choose what I wanted to do on each visit. So I spent time in every department, learning what they did, and seeing how it all fit together to make a television station run. Most of my time was in the newsroom where I would accompany reporters when they went to cover a story, or sat with editors as they put footage together for a newscast. The news photographers at that station had won numerous awards and I learned about shooting video from people who later worked on programs like 60 Minutes, 20/20 and Dateline NBC. 

 

The internship experience truly gave me a chance to be like a sponge, to ask tons of questions, and to watch and learn from people who were great at their jobs. And it helped me to decide that this was a career that I would love.  When I completed my master’s degree, there were no job openings at any of the television stations in Oklahoma City. But I did receive an offer to be the Communications Coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Education, a job where I polished my public relations and print writing skills. 

 

After a year in this position, I received a phone call from a producer at the NBC station where I had done my internship. They finally had an opening and they remembered me. The job offer was to be a Special Projects Producer in the news department. Even though it meant a pay cut, I jumped at the chance to work in broadcasting. If I had never done an internship there, this opportunity wouldn’t have come my way. 

 

I got daily experience researching and writing news stories, producing special reports and series, and editing stories on videotape. Luckily for me, the news director even gave me the chance to get some on-air experience. Every Friday, I put together a two minute segment on weekend entertainment events. It wasn’t much, but it allowed me to polish my diction and on-camera style. The job gave me the experience that led to my next position as a news anchor and program host in a smaller television market.

 

Broadcasting is a tough business. You work LONG hours, are often on call to cover a story at a moment’s notice, and there is a lot of pressure. You’re always fighting the clock, trying to get a story written and edited before deadline. And you often face deadlines two or three times a day. It’s hard work. But it’s also one of the most exciting, rewarding careers in the world. I have interviewed sports icons like baseball great Mickey Mantle, numerous political figures, astronauts, celebrities…you name it. I’ve traveled a lot and have seen some incredible places. Every day is different and that keeps the job exciting and fresh.

 

If you’re interested in working in broadcasting, it is essential to be well-prepared when you graduate from college. If you want to be an anchor, reporter, producer or news writer, it’s absolutely essential to have strong writing skills. After all, you have to tell a story in a short period of time, and you must do it in a clear, concise manner so that everyone understands what you’re talking about. Learn as much as you can while you’re in college and try everything, from writing and shooting and editing, to developing excellent speaking skills and getting experience on-camera. 

 

By all means, do an internship, or two, or three. Work during the summer, even if you don’t get paid for it. The experience gives you an edge over your competition. And it provides you with valuable networking contacts that can lead to your first job. Be persistent. This is a very competitive field. Keep contacting broadcasting professionals, even if they don’t have a job opening.  They like to hire people who are determined and who have a passion for the business.  Be willing to work hard. If you stick with it, you could end up having a wonderful career. And you’ll meet a lot of fascinating people along the way.