The Power of Professionalism
If you’re dreaming of a career in broadcasting, shadowing a news station is one of the smartest moves you can make. Whether you see yourself as a news anchor, reporter, producer, or behind-the-scenes technician, there’s no better way to gain real-world insight into the fast-paced world of news than by watching the professionals do it live. It’s more than just observing—it’s about understanding the rhythm, the pressure, and the collaboration that makes a newsroom thrive.
Photo of Gemira and Clare at WBRC Station Via-Iphone
This blog speaks about my personal experience connecting with professionals in the news industry and shadowing at a news station. I believe you should apply for internships or shadowing opportunities because they offer real-life experience in the career of your choice. In school, you are taught important skills like how to skillfully use a camera, write scripts, and edit video and audio — all of which are essential in a newsroom. However, showing up and working in that environment forces you to learn and work under real pressure. Seeing how fast you need to meet deadlines, how reporters chase stories, and how producers manage chaos in real time gives you a true look into the career path you’re considering.
In the summer of 2024, I had the opportunity to shadow morning anchor Clare Huddleston at WBRC Fox 6 in Birmingham, AL. During my time there, I refined my speech rate and delivery, practiced writing news segments, and learned the operational details of being an anchor.
Gemira Working with Audacity software reading news stories
Via- Iphone
Clare was very patient with me when there were things I was uncertain about, but you should always ask questions. I had the opportunity to write one of her stories for her and it was used to air on the 3:30 live stream. That experience was very rewarding because It showed me that practice makes perfect.Working with professionals gives you a chance to learn skills that you can’t learn in a textbook. From a career perspective, shadowing shows initiative. It lets potential employers know you are serious and willing to make the necessary steps to learn about your career path. You should be proactive asking questions, paying attention, taking initiative to assist in manual labor, and show genuine enthusiasm. It lets future employers know you want to be there and leaves a good impression.
