The University of Rhode Island
Department of Journalism

Assignment-desk internship proved to be a good choice

November 10 , 2004 -- Meghan Palmieri, a senior from Cranston, interned at a Providence television station (where she continues to work) and found her journalistic calling.

"POSSIBLE HOSTAGE SITUATION HOLIDAY INN ON POST ROAD"

"MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES COULD BE FATAL . . . . 95 SOUTH BOUND IN THE VICINITY OF EXIT 27 . . . . THIRD RESCUE RESPONING A FORTH REQUESTED."

Ok; we only have one photographer on tonight, but he is with the only reporter on tonight. Do I take both of them off the story they are working on now to go cover one of these situations? Should they take a live truck with them? Should I call a free-lance photographer? Which situation is more important? Should I keep listening to the scanners; maybe one of the situations is not as serious as they are reporting them to be?

During my summer at WLNE (ABC 6) in Providence, I often was responsible for coming up with answers to questions such as these. Before beginning my internship/job on the assignment desk, I did not know all the advantages that such an opportunity could bring. After only a couple weeks, however, it was clear that I was learning more than I had imagined about the way a television news station is run.

My responsibilities at WLNE include making rounds to police stations across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, creating a day planner with all the faxes the station receives pertaining to the day along with AP wire stories and newspaper stories that may be important enough to cover for that day.

Along with the young woman I work with on the desk, I am responsible for sending photographers to stories and breaking-news scenes. I listen to the scanners -- three police and three fire -- that are located at the assignment desk to learn if serious accidents, major fires or other important news breaks. When it does, I need to send out a photographer, and if that photographer isn't familiar with the location of the incident I have to direct him/her there.

I also need to contact the police or fire department that is responding to the scene to get further information. The information that I am looking for includes the seriousness of the incident, who is involved, is anybody injured (and if yes, the extent of those injuries) or dead, the cause of the incident and where the injured were taken. Finally, I ask if a press release is being prepared and if so, I request it for the station?

I am also in charge of working the TelePrompTer for the anchors and reporters. At first I was extremely intimidated by the TelePrompTer; after all, if I mess up scrolling it then that messes up the anchor or reporter. Now that I have the hang of it, though, it is a breeze.

The responsibilities I have at the station are at times stressful and intimidating because if I miss something on the scanners and we do not respond to a serious accident or fire, the fault is all mine. These responsibilities, however, are also what I enjoy most about my internship/job.

The producers and reporters look to me for information and help. If they need background for a story, I find it. When I send a photographer to an accident I heard about over the scanners and the resulting story makes the news that night -- and WLNE is the only station reporting on it -- I feel a sense of pride; I was responsible for that story.

There are some downsides to working on the desk, though. It can really be difficult working with certain reporters. They are often pushy and moody and some treat the assignment desk workers as inferiors. It is correct that our job is not as glamorous as theirs, but our job is definitely as important. Without the assignment desk, reporters would not even know about most of the stories they work on, or would not have all of the background information or contact numbers they need.

On the weekends when not much is going on over the scanners and there is nothing good in the planner as far as story ideas, the job can be pretty boring. My hours are from 3 to 11:30 p.m., and when there is nothing to do that eight and a half hours feels like an eternity.

But the downsides to my internship/job at the station are nothing compared to the ultimate upside. It is not uncommon for an assignment desk worker, like myself, to begin associate producing after a couple years, and eventually producing or directing. Like any job today, I have to start at the bottom, but I’ll soon be working my way up, that I am sure of.

All in all, the experiences I have had at WLNE have been very positive. I have learned so much about the way a television news station works and all the people it takes to get a newscast on air. Before I began at the station I was not sure if I wanted to go into print journalism and write for a magazine, or become talent for a television station. After working in the television business I have decided that I do not want to be talent. I would rather be a producer, because what I really love to do is write. Sure, a producer’s job is not as glamorous as the talent’s but it is just as rewarding and exciting. I have WLNE to thank for helping me to set the right career goals for myself.

If you have questions for Meghan, you can e-mail her.