WGAL Intern

WGAL-TV offers paid internships in the departments below. In order to apply for an internship at WGAL, please provide a cover letter with your application.

The cover letter should include:

• Semester (i.e. Spring, Summer or Fall)

• Department preference (ie. News, Sports, Meteorology, Technical, Creative Services or Sales)

• Available start and end dates

• Days and hours available to intern

• Briefly state your main objectives for participating in WGAL-TV internship (please be specific)

• What are your strongest areas of interest

Application Deadlines 

• Spring:  November 17, 2022
• Summer: February 16, 2023
• Fall:  June 29, 2023

 

NEWSROOM:

Newsroom interns will spend 10-12 weeks shadowing and gaining experience in the following departments:

Assignment Desk:

• Assist team members in gathering news and information. This includes taking and placing telephone calls from reporters, sources, governments agencies and general public.
• May also assist in research and other tasks.

TV News Production:

• Practice writing and formatting scripts for broadcast.
• Time in the field shadowing reporters or anchors at a live report is possible but not guaranteed.

Digital News Production:

• Help research and write content for WGAL digital platforms including the WGAL app, WGAL.com and various social media platforms.
• When appropriate, the opportunity to help with photo and video production for digital platforms may be available

Photographers and Logistics:

• Assist team members with field work and news gathering

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week

 

SPORTS:

Interns should be well versed in both the local and national sports scenes (college and professional). The ability to converse about the hot sports topics of the day is a MUST. Interns should have working knowledge of the local sports scene (i.e., aware of managers, head coaches and star players of the local professional teams) and be conversational on major national sports stories and events.

Interns will learn to:

• Write scripts for daily sportscast.
• Research team and player statistics.
• Pitch story ideas to sports department
• May accompany reporters on location shoots but not guaranteed

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week

 

WEATHER:

***Please note: All candidates for internships with WGAL's Weather department MUST be enrolled in a meteorology curriculum or closely related program of study.

In an internship at WGAL we stress analyzing and forecasting first, followed by storytelling and graphics production.

Interns will learn to:

• Analyze weather charts and models
• Prepare daily forecasts
• Produce weather graphics
• Assist meteorologists in gathering critical & breaking weather information and data
• Relay important information to/from News, Assignment Desk, and Web
• Research statistical data
• Practice forecast delivery in-studio
• Assist with social media efforts and email communication

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week

 

BROADCAST TECHNICAL OPERATIONS:

The Technical Operations internship resides within WGAL’s Engineering department. This internship includes actual “hands on” operation of equipment under the observation of permanent tech op staff members. The goal of this internship is to expose the student to real world daily technical operations in a television station. The training of the interns would be similar to what would be taught in a vocational/technical school.

Each intern will gain a general understanding of the following technical areas:

• Control Room/Studio Operations (Floor Direct, Audio, Directing)
• Air Operations (Master Control)
• ENG Receive
• IT

After completing time in each of the above areas, the remainder of the program will be designated for students to return to their area(s) of choice to gain additional training. The intern's scheduled days will remain the same from week to week however, hours will vary.

Equipment Use:  As the purpose of the internship is to gain training in the technical areas, students will be allowed to touch and train on the technical equipment. Use of the equipment will be limited and closely supervised and monitored.

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week

 

CREATIVE SERVICES:

WGAL’s Creative Services department is responsible for the branding and promotional development of the station. The intern will gain a general understanding of how a television Creative Services department runs. They will learn the fundamentals of writing and producing effective topical promotions.

• Learn the fundamentals of writing and producing effective news topical promotion.
• Explore broadcast and digital marketing and learn the responsibilities of the Creative Services Department.
• Gain production experience on promotional and commercial shoots, both in-house and on location.
• Observe unlimited newscasts and editing sessions.
• Gain an understanding of WGAL’s commitment to the community through PSA production.
• Apply writing and communication skills in a professional environment.

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week.  Shifts are normally 9:00am - 5:00pm.  We are not staffed on weekends.

 

SALES:

The Sales intern will develop a working knowledge of the business side of advertising. How the sales department can help come up with creative concepts for advertisers and sponsors.

Interns will learn to:

• Develop sales promotional pieces, client mailings, contest fulfillment and on-air production assistance.
• Gather research and ratings data for the development of sales marketing literature.
• Attend sales meetings and sales calls when appropriate.
• Assist in sales promotion video production.
• Generate client specific reports

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week.  Shifts are normally 9:00am - 5:00pm.  We are not staffed on weekends.

 

SALES RESEARCH:

The goal of the Research department's internship is to provide an understanding of audience television viewing information and its applications. The Research intern should have a business/math/numbers background.

Interns will learn to:

• Assist with the dissemination and interpretation of audience viewing data from the television research company, Nielsen.
• Track local and network specials on WGAL-TV and competitive stations.
• Generate viewership data for sales and news.
• Assist with projects that deal with audience viewership trends.

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week.  Shifts are normally 9:00am - 5:00pm.  We are not staffed on weekends.