Performance Problems -Production : Oh! Suffer Ye Interns! by Mike K2 |
Interns are more or less, those people spending a college semester at a company to gain work experience. Many do the errand and food runs, chump chores and otherwise become the razzed upon. There are also supposed to pay attention and if lucky have a hand in something work-wise that the field has to offer. Most often you don’t hear much about the programs, though there are internship fairs and college students that seek them. They can be a fascinating aspect to one’s life.
In meeting and talking to people, I find out where they work; but in discussing fun, many have brought up their internship stories and though I didn’t go to college, we can match stories. With me it was volunteer work at the Aquarium, helping my friend out with an Eagle project, being a trail crew member at camp, or spending a day on a ride along with a Baltimore Sunpaper photojournalist.
Though the White House, first brought interns into the public eye, leave it to 98ROCK’s, Morning Show with Mickey, Amelia and Spiegel to include them on the air and give them a more positive representation. The first that I remember was an intern named Marie. She was shy and hesitant at first, but became more outspoken. She wanted to date one of the other assistant producers and the Morning Show tried to help.
At one St. Patrick’s Day Beer and Bacon, Marie with her parents and the Assistant Producer had his parents and there was one last try. Being there, this round robin discussion made for a great segment.
The Mike the intern came along and in a sense reversed the roles. Mike Anderson graduated from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in D.C. He took some mass communication courses at HCC, which allowed him to apply the internship as course credit. His first on air assignment was to draw Josh Spiegel and they even held a contest to see if listeners could beat him.
Intern Mike had an untamed enthusiasm that the show could use and Mike was not bashful for radio bits. To me as an intern Mike was a win-win situation. The station was benefiting him and he lent his talents, even the eclectic ones for the station to use. In several cases they took advantage of his discerning nose to sniff and then Mike would go on air and describe the scent like a fine wine, whether it was to people’s disgust or amusement.
After Mike’s internship was over, 98ROCK decided to hire him as an Associate Producer, Assistant Producer or as Mickey puts it ass producer; for the Morning Show. He not only does the job that is expected as an assistant producer, but also still maintains that intern’s spirit of striving and making the most of things.
In one case, he complained about the money and the show planned to help him out. For an extra $500.00, he had to grow a beard and not touch it for six months; in addition, the Morning Show could do anything to it that they wanted, including putting gum in it. There were frequent updates for the listeners about the beards progress. He was pretty much skating along, until he made a fairly big mistake. He admitted to it and apologized, but for punishment, they made him shave half of it off. He had to maintain it that way until the deadline was up.
News of Michael Phelps, the Olympic Gold Medalist came out about the bong photograph. This brought both pleasure and ridicule, as the producer for the Morning Show was snubbed by Phelps, as was his request that he go on air with the Morning Show. What added insult to Scott’s injury was that it happened in the station’s hallway as Phelps had an appearance with the TV channel.
Because of the bong photograph, the Morning Show decided that an intervention was needed and sent Mike down to his residence with a bull horn. He took up position and bombard the condo with what the Morning Show was relaying to him. To paraphrase the gist of this; “Michael Phelps… Michael Phelps… This is 98ROCK . We are here to help you… We are doing an intervention…Come out and talk to us… Hand over your weed! We are much better at handling it then you! You don’t need it. Weed slows people down… ”
This went on through several segments and though I was put off by the notion of this bit; in the end it was hilarious and entertaining. Eventually the buildings manager told him that he has to leave or he will call the police. He was told to stay.
When they called him back and Mike mentioned that the police came so he left before there was a problem. The Morning show made him go back and turn himself in to the police. The Baltimore Police were good natured and just said that he had to leave and just to make sure the morning show had him say that he was willing to be arrested. This prompted an interview with the police officers. They couldn’t comment on the air, but it was conveyed though head gestures that they thought this was funny.
All left on good terms and in the paper the Sunpapers interviewed Phelps and he did comment that it was embarrassing as they had a Radio Show waking him up with a bull horn. In most cases 98ROCK is referred to as a, “local rock station.”
Mike Anderson also had other moments with both the show and its listeners. There was a bet that he couldn’t walk from his house to the station and make it to work. He begged to differ, this was a bet on a matter of pride. They planned it out, he would have to leave his house by 12 midnight in order to make it to the station before the Morning Show finished.
Originally, it was planned for this to be done with a slow moving vehicle such as a gold cart and there was a listener willing to supply him with one; but it was determined that would not only be illegal, but dangerous as well.
Mike started running on Route 1 about four miles below Conowingo Damn towards 98ROCK located at least 44 miles away. By the time I went to sleep from my evening shift Mike was well on his way and running strong. I figured there were two roads that he could take and if he took; Harford Road, I planned to be out to greet him.
My alarm turned on to the station, Mike had just passed the street where I lived on and when I left my house to walk to work, he was making the turn on to Northern Parkway. Throughout the morning there were updates and as Mike approached work, The Morning Show they became concerned about his health.
Throughout his trek, it went from running, to running and walking, to walking and it was progressing towards hobbling. They were worried about his water consumption and sent out the 98ROCK Hummer.
The closer he approached, the more like a Forrest Gump scenario it evolved. Some Mike had so much water available, he could have jet propelled himself the rest of the way. Listeners where driving by and beeping, some joined his walk and an ambulance company donated the services of one of their ambulances that also followed and did a quick check-up in the end.
Around 9:30am, he made it to the studios and was given a quick check and made it to the 98ROCK studio and had about fifteen minutes of air time. A lot of talk is how much he is going to be hurting the next day. Mike gave a report and achieved his walk without too much lingering suffering.
In addition to his usual duties as an assistant producer, Mike lets his creativity come through, even spending his own time after his job ends to create bits and DJ style mash-ups using patches and loops of the Morning Show personalities synced to music.
The next 98ROCK intern was Melissa, Mary, Malinda, Miranda or whatever Mickey decided to call her. Her real name was Melanie, though I called her Melamine. She went on air to chime in, but was more for handling the Morning Show Tasks, such as handing out T-Shirts. She would drive out to a given location in the 98ROCK vehicle and drivers would drive up and yell, “Hey Melanie! Stimulate my package!” That was the way 98ROCK contributed to Obama’s stimulus package.
Mickey was always up to a challenge, and Melanie mentioned that she felt that he couldn’t beat a woman in tennis. The bet was on, Melanie had experience and Mickey had never played it. A listener was an owner for a racquet club and donated the court and the wager was made; the looser had to go naked in the studio. This was unacceptable to Melanie so the agreement was to that if she lost she would have to wear a bikini.
The match was held after the show and the next day, it was revealed that Mickey won and Melanie lost. Now she had to pay the price, the problem was she showed up with a one piece bathing suit. It was simple, she had to get a bikini or pay with the internship. Melanie’s mom immediately came to the rescue and showed up in her bikini. Mom was not only outgoing, she made for good conversation and programming. That wasn’t the first time that Melanie asked for Mom’s help.
Off the air, is where the Internship is serious and an astute intern not only learns about the job, but participates as well. Interns not only enjoy their positive experience, but members of the staff do as well; even commenting on the interns themselves or the program in their blogs.
Rob Lang and Scott Wykoff are both long standing and award winner reporters for WBAL-Radio. In their blogs, they not only mention their enthusiasm for the Intern Program, but the interns themselves. Rob blogs about Intern Ashley and Scott about Intern Kaitlyn. Included is there attending college, how the participate in the program, but also about actual news stories that the ladies have assisted with.
98ROCK, WBAL Radio and TV have all had long standing internship programs. Not only do they all have their programs, but WBAL contains a list for college students about internship programs that other companies have. I consider this not only a community service, but a great vehicle for developing the future.
Interns also are not paid, they work for free, say for getting college credit. Hey, it still is cheaper than buying the course books. To qualify, you have to place an application; be enrolled in college being in a junior or senior year in attendance and also be majoring in a field that the internship would cover. For 98ROCK that would be mass communication, electronic media or marketing. You can sign up for one of the shows; or participate with programming, or marketing and promotions. For WBAL Radio and TV, the field of majors, are expanded to journalism.
Locally just as they have job fairs, there they also internship fairs where both colleges and employers get together and recruit college students. They don’t accept well meaning walk-ins such as, myself.
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Mike K2
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