Changing Perspectives at NBC

This summer at NBC, my perspective on the “power of the news” has changed.  Before this internship, I only thought of the power of the media in terms of how stories broadly impact people or society.  I have gained, however, an inside look at the capabilities news teams have off-camera.  For example, a retired woman called our hotline because the City of Chicago fined her about $2,200 for weeds in the yard of a house she does not own and froze her bank account that is an IRA she lives off of for not paying.  The house actually belonged to her deceased mother until 2011, when a company in Texas took it over due to terms of a reverse mortgage they provided.  The caller had unsuccessfully spent endless hours trying to clear her name with the city and company in Texas.  When I called the company in Texas as someone with NBC, I immediately spoke with the Executive Vice President who ensured they would assert their responsibility for the home and fines. As the result of my actions and NBC affiliation, I saved this woman from a financial disaster.  Many viewers like this woman contact NBC not necessarily because they want TV coverage, but because they want truly want help and the NBC name behind their cause.  In this way, I have realized that a news team’s purpose is about making change in individuals’ lives just as much as making stories that cause larger-scale change. 

My perspective on the glamour of the industry has also changed.  In reality, one of the smallest portions of a reporter’s time is spent in front of the camera.  The majority is spent hunting down contacts, conducting detailed research, writing, editing, and completing logistical work.  Many reporters work until 10 PM or later, or begin at 2 AM!  Additionally, before working with NBC in a major city like Chicago, it is the norm to spend years at smaller stations in less urban or well-known areas.  The potential for overnight or long hours and need to relocate wherever in the country there may be a job before having enough experience to work for a larger station in a major city are just two examples of how much sacrifice and hard work is involved in a reporter’s life.  I am appreciative that this internship has given me a realistic look at a reporter’s day-to-day life, as well as the opportunity to hear seasoned reporters' stories and advice, so I can make well-informed career decisions.