Internship Report, Week 6

Intern Name: Mark Hamilton
Internship Site: KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM
Emphasis: Broadcast Journalism
Semester and Section: Fall 2008, Section 001
Week Number: 6
Number of Hours This Week: 20

Week 6 Report:
BYU played New Mexico this week in what everyone expected would be one of their most difficult matchups thus far. That proved to be accurate, as New Mexico’s prolific defense held BYU’s prolific offense to just 21 points—an offense that had previously averaged more than 40 per game.

The preparation for this week’s game was interesting, because BYU’s Coach Mendenhall has some New Mexico history. Bronco used to be the Defensive Coordinator for New Mexico, and he brought to BYU many of the lessons learned under Coach Long’s administration. And that, I think, is one of the major reasons that this matchup seemed to go nowhere in a hurry. It was one of the most unproductive games I have seen, offensively. But a win is a win, I guess.

Something happened this week that helped me better understand the intricacies of the broadcast industry…

I received a phone call from *someone I work with on game days, and he asked me to get specific audio from certain games for him as soon as I got there, because he was going to be late. When I got to work, I started working on that immediately. Then when **someone else I worked with asked me where he was, I told him he was going to be late. Apparently, I was the only one he had called. That inspired some frustration on their part. It made me think about the highly competitive nature of this industry, and how easy it is to get on someone’s blacklist. It also made me think about the nature of hiring and firing in the industry, and how tenuous the situation can become. In a stable newsroom like KSL’s, either someone has to quit, move on, or be fired to open up a spot for someone like me that wants to be hired. And I was sad to realize that I was almost hoping that that spot would open up in time for me to take it. Just as a disclaimer, the people I work with are great, and are a large part of the reason I would love to work there. I wish them no ill-will.

We heard from our car broker this week, and almost ended up with a Jetta Wagon – something I’m not sure I’m comfortable with…I’ve never wanted to drive a station wagon. Turned out that it didn’t end up being a good deal, so Mr. Mourik didn’t get it for us. And it snowed this week after the game, making it hard for me to get home from Salt Lake. Good thing I had borrowed my parents’ car, anticipating that very thing. We need a solution soon.

That’s all for this week!

Thanks,
Mark

*name withheld
**name ALSO withheld

Internship Report, Week 4

Intern Name: Mark Hamilton
Internship Site: KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM
Emphasis: Broadcast Journalism
Semester and Section: Fall 2008, Section 001
Week Number: 4
Number of Hours This Week: 8


Week 4 Report:
You may have noticed that I only got 8 hours for my internship this week...and you may have also noticed that BYU Football had a bye week, meaning they didn't play...so that's why.


Initially, I thought that I wouldn't be coming in at all this week, because of the bye, but in the post-game show on Saturday, Bronco said there would in fact be a press conference on Monday.


So, I went to the press conference on Monday. Things there were fairly normal, as you would expect. The only problem was that Travis Bright only spoke to reporters for about 2 minutes, and since I had gone to interview David Nixon first, I didn't get any audio from Travis Bright. That was lame. And Greg asked me if I had asked any questions, which I haven't yet--it's easy to just let everyone else ask questions and record their responses--when I told him, he challenged me to try asking questions of my own. I'll try next week.


Tuesday was spent cutting that audio into soundbytes. Wednesday, we gathered audio from the Mountain West Conference's Coaches' Teleconference, and I started compiling a calendar of all of the Men's Basketball games for all of the major Universities and Colleges in Utah. (I already did this for football, back before my hours were even counting.) We're already starting preparation for the beginning of the Basketball Season (still more than a month off.)


I heard back from our car broker this week...he was going to bid on a car that was our second choice of model, but nowhere near what we wanted color-wise (and my wife is pretty particular about this) so we didn't get it. Hopefully something will come up this week.


That's about it!


Thanks,
Mark

Internship Report, Week 3

Intern Name: Mark Hamilton
Internship Site: KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM
Emphasis: Broadcast Journalism
Semester and Section: Fall 2008, Section 001
Week Number: 3
Number of Hours This Week: 20

Week 3 Report:
As will probably continue to be the case, this week was much like the others, so I will do my best to highlight things that were different, and spare you a re-hashing of things that I do every week…

This week was notable because after last week’s stomping of UCLA 59-0, BYU has attracted quite a bit of attention on a national scale, and actually, as of this writing, they are ranked 11th in the polls nationally. All this attention is both good and bad for BYU, because both BYU and the Mountain West Conference need more national recognition and respect, but at the same time, it proved to be a distraction from the team’s focus.

In the opening quarter of Saturday’s game against Wyoming, BYU’s offense didn’t score. Both Max Hall and Bronco Mendenhall were flooded with interview requests and appeared on ESPN during the week, putting a strain on them that they haven’t known before. As a result, they have changed their policies dealing with the media in order to refocus. That made me think more about the fine line the media walks in their lust for information and interviews…sometimes it is hard to remember that these are real people, with real lives, that are going out of their way to accommodate you. We ought to respect that.

This week went well, as far as the day-to-day things go. On Saturday, up at KSL Headquarters, the game was a bit slower than normal, since BYU easily handled Wyoming. But that didn’t stop it from being one of the craziest days for me at work. I was following the Utah-Air Force game and cutting highlights from that at the same time I was cutting highlights from the East Carolina-Carolina game, and other top-25 games. I was answering phone calls, E-mailing audio highlights to ESPN and The Mtn., etc. I was literally running around doing 5 things at once. And it was great…time flies on Saturdays, even though it’s more than 8 hours. My job satisfaction there is great…I love working there, and the people I am working with.

Still waiting to hear word on the new car we’ve ordered through a car broker. I’m not sure my current car can keep up this rigorous schedule of commuting.

That’s it for this week.

Thanks!
~ Mark Hamilton

Internship Report, Week 2

Since I am already writing these reports to turn in to my internship advisors, I thought I would include them in my blog as a sort of running journal of my experiences with KSL Newsradio. Let me know what you think!
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Intern Name: Mark Hamilton
Internship Site: KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM
Emphasis: Broadcast Journalism
Semester and Section: Fall 2008, Section 001
Week Number: 2
Number of Hours This Week: 19.5

Week 2 Report:
This is actually the first such report I have written for my internship, because I started a few weeks ago (before the semester even started) but it wasn’t counting as official University Credit until it was officially approved about a week and a half ago.

I can’t tell you how fortunate I consider myself to be completing my internship requirement with KSL Newsradio. Specifically, my internship is the Sports Radio Internship, and my responsibilities lie with Greg Wrubell, “The Voice of the Cougars.” It is wonderful to work with him, and I already feel like I am making huge contributions to the production team at KSL Broadcast House. I have heard horror stories of internships where you are basically a glorified slave, being sent to make coffee or to make copies and run errands. My biggest concern was that I wanted to feel needed and appreciated. And I do.

My only two complaints are the hours and the commute. It is rough working a part-time job and going to school full-time in Provo and doing an internship in Salt Lake. This is more or less how my week usually goes:

Mondays, at 9:30 a.m., I meet Greg at Legends Grille here on BYU campus. I help him set up the audio equipment for the BYU Football Press Conference that starts at 10:00 a.m. We not only record the press conference for posting to the web and for future use in radio broadcasts throughout the week, but it is broadcast live on the internet and KSL’s XM-radio frequency. Typically, a press conference starts with Coach Bronco Mendenhall, and then it breaks up into pool interviews of two of the players. That is where I spring into action, and I am expected to record good audio from both players and even ask them questions. I bring that back to Greg, and he uploads it to the internet.

Tuesday through Thursday, I’m up at KSL headquarters from 5:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m. Things are less set-in-stone, but usually, I am breaking up audio from press conferences, teleconferences, interviews, etc. into 5-15 second sound bites that can be used for broadcast. I also compile a list of these sound bites, called a “cut list” and distribute it to on-air personalities, such as Greg Wrubell. All of this is done digitally (or “non-linearly”). During the week, I also update stats sheets from the previous week’s game. All of the preparation up to this point is leading us to “game day,” typically on Saturdays. If you’re keeping a running-total, you probably realize at this point that after four days, I’ve barely done half of my hours for the week. That’s because…

Saturdays (or whatever day is game day), I have to be at KSL Headquarters 2 hours before game time. So, if the kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. like it was this week, I have to be there at 11:30 a.m. As soon as I get there, I am working with on-air personalities Randolph Fairbairn, Paul McHardy and Andrew Adams, pulling sound bites from other Mountain West Conference games, and the top-25 ranked teams’ games. This helps them with the pre-game show, spots during timeouts in the actual BYU game, and their halftime show. This all goes in a cut list like I described earlier. During the BYU game, these responsibilities continue, and I also answer KSL Newsradio’s main phone line, and also keep a running cut list of sound bite highlights from the BYU game. When the game ends, I record the post-game shows, and keep a running list of possible sound bites to cut later. When the post-game shows end, they start the “Cougar Call-in Show,” and I become a call screener. I answer up to 10 phone lines, and take down the information of the callers. When the call-in show stuff is over, I cut the audio from the post-game press conferences, player interviews and coach interviews into sound bites for use during the next few days, and compile a cut list of that as well. Also, during a game we frequently receive calls from ABC Sports Radio (ESPN) or Fox Sports (FSN) requesting audio highlights from the game. I then convert the files into .mp3 format and e-mail them to the appropriate people, who then air them on national media. By the time I am done working on game days, I am understandably exhausted.


As you can tell, I needn’t have feared that I would be doing menial labor at KSL. They put me to work, and I give it everything I have. You can ask any of them, and they’ll tell you what they tell me on almost a daily basis—they couldn’t do it without me. It has been both fun, and rewarding thus far. I also feel like I am getting an invaluable education in what really goes on in a newsroom.


If I had to pin down what I specifically learned this week, I think it would be what one producer told me on Saturday. After telling me I did an awesome job, and thanking me for everything I do to make the show possible, I told him if there’s ever anything else I can do, to let me know. He thought for a second, and then said,

“OK, there is something, I guess, that I would tell you—‘Take the initiative.’”

He told me that I didn’t have to wait for anyone to ask me to do things…if I saw a need, I should just do it, and they would tell me if I was doing too much, or overstepping my bounds.


It is easy to be excited about going to my internship, even on early mornings when I’m getting up at 4:00 a.m. because it is a great atmosphere. I’m really grateful and fortunate to be working with a team of producers that are positive and work as a team, and tolerate my lack of experience while helping me to learn on the job—literally.


That’s it for this week.

Thanks!

~ Mark Hamilton

KSL Sports Radio Internship

Anyone that looks at the date on the previous post will see that I am pathetically behind on my Blog. Well, I've been inspired by the faithful dedication of my new boss to HIS Blog.
If you recognize him, it's because he is a local celebrity. I say local, but his influence is far-reaching. His name is Greg Wrubell. You may know him as "The Voice of the Cougars."

Yes, out of the I'm-not-sure-how-many people who applied for the internship, I was the one lucky soul who was selected. So, KSL Radio has now become an integral part of my life, and will be for at least the next 14 weeks or so.

Thus far, it has been great. Greg is awesome to work with, and I feel like I'm actually part of the action and that what I am doing really helps.

The schedule for me is thus:

Mondays, we have a BYU Football press-conference at Legends Grille from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. That's where we gather our audio for the week's radio segments. Coach Bronco Mendenhall and two players are the speakers.

Tuesday through Thursday, I drive up to KSL's Headquarters in Salt Lake (in a car that probably shouldn't be doing that--I'll get into that more later), and I'm there from 6:00 - 9:00 a.m. That's when I cut up the audio from the press conference, teleconferences, the Bronco Mendenhall Show, etc. into usable soundbites for air.

Saturdays (or gameday) I am once again in Salt Lake for the pre-game show, the game, and the post-game show. It usually takes about 8 hours. As I haven't yet done this, I'm not sure exactly what I will do there.

Greg Wrubell's Blog:
"Cougar Tracks"

What’s Religion Got To Do With It?

This is a paper I had to turn in for my Comms. 300 class (Media Literacy), and I thought you might enjoy it:
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What’s Religion Got To Do With It?

I have watched the political world with interest and eager anticipation as we head toward elections this Fall. The prospect is captivating. For the first time in a national race, we have a woman, an African-American, and a Mormon running for office. Any one of the three, if elected, would be the first of their kind to achieve the office of Commander-In-Chief of the United States.

But I have been disappointed.

About a year ago, it seemed hardly anyone knew anything about Mormons, and even fewer had heard of Mitt Romney. Sure, he was a veritable “hero” (at risk of over-using, and thus diluting that title) in the state of Utah. His sweeping reforms and reorganization saved the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake. They came off without a hitch, and were praised for their organization, budget-cutting and security in the months immediately following 11 September 2001. But who, apart from Mormons, is likely to vote for a Mormon?

As a resident of Massachusetts, Romney saw a unique opportunity to propel himself into the political spotlight. As a successful businessman, and now as the hero of the Olympics, Romney capitalized on his “go-to-it” attitude and his past ventures. His vast personal fortune afforded him the unique opportunity of running as a social conservative in a state that is overwhelmingly liberal.

But Massachusetts has done this before.

Why does a state that is so decidedly “blue” seem to consistently elect “red” officials as its governor? Maybe it is because Massachusetts was suffering under the strain of one of the largest budget deficits ever seen in the United States? The so-called “Big Dig” project, to put many of the highways and major roads around Boston UNDER Boston, was the largest and most expensive construction project in the history of the United States. Massachusetts was reeling, and Romney stepped in to once again “save the day” as he had done in the business world, and the realm of the Olympics.

Romney was elected, and under his leadership, Massachusetts climbed out of their budget deficit, reformed health care, and instituted a number of local and state-wide social rehabilitation programs—all without raising taxes. His success in a state that seems to produce a number of political “would-bes” (does the name “John Kerry” ring a bell?) convinced Romney that he might have a chance at something bigger.

Romney for President?

Romney is not the first Mormon to run for office. Even Joseph Smith tested the political waters in the mid 1800s. Romney’s own father led a short-lived campaign just a few decades before. But what was different this time? Why did it seem that the media was out to get him?

I watched, disappointed, as Romney struggled against the tide calling for him to make a “Kennedy Speech.” He reaffirmed again and again that religion should not be a determining factor in politics. But public opinion polls showed otherwise, and Romney conceded. But that has not stopped the media from discounting him, in my eyes. In the vital Iowa primaries, News outlets, both national and local “called” the Republican outcome hours before all the votes were counted, but claimed the Democratic race was too close to call, at just 5 or 6 percentage points. But as I watched, and numbers kept coming in, Romney eventually pulled within 5 percentage points of then-Republican Front-Runner Mike Huckabee. So why was Romney discounted, if Hillary Clinton was not? Because the media plays favorites, and they don’t want to see a Mormon in office.

In his speech, Kennedy proclaimed that he was not a Catholic running for President, but a man running for President who happened to be Catholic, but would not be influenced by Catholic Church leadership in his Presidency. It worked just fine for him, and he went on to become arguably one of the greatest Presidents this country has ever known.

The question is, can Romney win over the hearts of voters and convince them that religion should have no bearing on how they vote? It of course remains to be seen, but after last Tuesday’s victory in Michigan, and Saturday's victory in Nevada, it seems Romney has another chance at proving he’s electable.

I just wish religion wasn’t so much of an issue.

Benazir Bhutto, (21 June 1953 - 27 December 2007)

While I was on vacation enjoying good food and good company, half a world away there was no "peace on earth, good will toward men."

Last week, my wife and I watched the movie "Hotel Rwanda." While it is unfair to draw connections between the events unfolding in Pakistan and those portrayed in the movie, there was something from the movie that struck me.  The movie states that when the world sees what is going on in Rwanda, they will say "Oh, that's too bad" and then go back to their lives.

And THAT is why I want to be a Broadcast Journalist.  I want to help people see that there is more to news than headlines.  These are real people, with real families.  They are the heart of news as Art Rascon says in his book of the same title.  I learned on CNN this morning that most of Bhutto's family had already been killed prior to her assassination.  I was sick inside.

Prime Minister Bhutto was a real person, with a real family, and real friends.  She knew that by speaking out against the current leadership of Pakistan, she risked death--yet she returned from exile anyway.  For months now, we have watched as she toured around Pakistan, hosting rallies and protests all over the country.  For months we have watched, and we have waited...sensing somehow that it was too good to last.

So, while it was a shock that she was assassinated, it was hardly a surprise.  I had already spent months hoping, rather than believing, that she could do what she wanted to do.  And maybe I'm wrong.  Maybe she knew all along that she would probably be killed.  And maybe she didn't care.  Because maybe, just maybe, it was the hearts of the international community that she was trying to win--and not the presidency.

If we say "oh, that's too bad," and go back to our lives, then she indeed died in vain.  Only the coming days and weeks and months and years will show how deep of an impact she had on her country and the world, but one thing is certain--she did not die in vain.  Those who wished to silence her have only helped her voice grow louder.  That is why her story must be told.

I pray for Pakistan and its people--the people behind the story.

A VERY Merry Christmas for me...

This last semester was among the worst I have ever endured. It was what they call your "dead semester" in the Communications Department at BYU. What that means is that I had to apply to the Broadcast Journalism major, but I couldn't take any classes for it, because I hadn't been accepted yet. That left me with one option--Generals.

So I thought I'd make the most of it and take classes that interested me, and would help broaden my perspective (hopefully helping me in my Journalism career.) So, I took World Civilizations from 1500, Intro. to Comparative Government and Politics and Ethnographic Writing. Big mistake.

I figured I would kill two birds with one stone...I had already taken AP World History and AP European History and Modern World History in High School, so I thought History 202 - World Civilizations from 1500 would be a breeze.

Not so.

Also, I had taken AP U.S. Government and Politics, AP Comparative Government and Politics and AP Human Geography, so I thought Political Science 150 - Intro. to Comparative Government and Politics would be a cinch.

Also not so.

And Honors 300R - Ethnographic Writing? I thought THAT would be easy because I had taken AP English Language and Composition AND an Honors English class last year in which I got an A.

Also ALSO not so.

The amount of work required for these GE classes was off the hook...these should have been a relative walk in the park, but they had me working so hard I was often at my wit's end...I was stressed beyond belief and terribly sleep deprived.

But it's over. Finally. And I can breathe again.

THAT is why I am so excited for this break. Because I'll have a chance to spend more time with my wife and be able to sleep in and be able to "waste time" guilt-free. Oh, and celebrate Christmas, of course.

All of this was a VERY round-about way of saying that I am SO excited for next semester, because the next time I set foot on BYU's campus, I will be a Broadcast Journalism major--now my real life can begin.

Changes...

You may have noticed that things look a little different around here now...I've done some major housekeeping.

So, take a minute to look around...vote in the poll, leave a comment on a post, or watch one of my videos.

Thanks for your interest in Mark Reports! Watch for more changes to come!

~ Mark