John Clark Interview
JerseyIntern.com:From reading your profile on the NBC10 website, we found that you are a graduate from Temple University. What year did you graduate and with what Major/Minor?
John Clark:
I graduated in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast communications/minor in journalism.
JI.com:
Also from reading the profile, it stated that you interned at Channel 29 and WB17.
a. Do you think that you would have gotten your present job at NBC10 without these internships?
JC:
Maybe not. When I was at those stations I built relationships with the people there and stayed in contact with them as I worked in Atlantic City and West Palm Beach. I kept sending tapes to them and other stations in Philly, along with tips and things. I worked hard at it and those relationships that I built at the internships helped build some comfort and trust with the people in Philly.
JI.com:
b. Do you think that they prepared you for your current job in terms of your expectations of the job or deadlines associated with the job?
JC:
Yes. They let me do some of the things that I do now. Write, edit, interview, put together stories. You need to see it firsthand and how to do things on the fly and react quickly to changing situations.
JI.com:
Were your internships always sports related or did you have the availability to work in other facets of broadcasting?
JC:
They were all sports related. I did not want to do news. I could not ask people to talk after losing loved ones or experience hard news everyday. I like sports because you can have fun with it.
JI.com:
Do you currently work with any of the NBC10 interns? If so, what are some of their duties?
JC:
We've had a bunch of interns come through the sports department. They log games, research stats, sometimes interview athletes and coaches.
JI.com:
Students sometimes have misconceptions about careers, which is one of the reasons why internships are so important. What are some of the pro's and con's of being a Sports Anchorman?
JC:
Pros---lots of fun, get to cover games and be there for all the great moments. Get to meet a lot of great people and tell their stories.
Cons---- crazy hours, things pop up all the time, so your schedule is always changing.
JI.com:
Finally, do you think that internships are a valuable resource for students?
JC:
Absolutely! You need to be in the thick of it and walk in broadcaster's shoes to know how it all goes down.
