School of Communication & Journalism
Karah Rhodes: WKRN Nashville

I interned during the summer with WKRN-TV, the local ABC affiliate in Nashville, Tennessee. As an aspiring reporter, I went in as a news intern with a reporting focus. For me, this meant primarily shadowing reporters out in the field. I loved going out in the field with reporters covering stories as each day opened itself to a new adventure! There were days where I would report on hard news stories, such as possible arson or a nursing shortage. Being in Nashville, especially, I had opportunities to cover the entertainment side of news. This included covering the CMA Fest which was definitely a highlight of my summer. Other memorable stories that come to mind when I think of my summer internship in Nashville include being several hundred feet underground for a story featuring caves, and a story visiting Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital where I had the pleasure of meeting and sharing the heartfelt story of a little boy battling Crohn’s Disease. When not in the field, I was in-house, learning and shadowing producers, editors, assignment desk, web writing, and in studio watching on air talent. There was even one weekend where I asked to come in and anchor for practice, and I got to anchor the same news script in between the actual anchors’ live hits in studio. The people at WKRN-TV truly welcomed me with open arms. I actively shadowed and learned from some of the best in a top 30 market, and I am so thankful for the time, energy, advice and encouragement that each team member offered and poured into me during those three short months.

Over the course of the internship, I developed my overall confidence that when the time comes, I will be as ready as I can be for that first job. Through this internship, everything that I’ve learned both in my time at Auburn, on-campus extracurriculars, internships and life experience in general came together in this final internship to essentially “make sense.” There were less things I didn’t know or had not heard of in some capacity, and for me, that built my confidence. Throughout this internship, I had many opportunities to develop my current skill set and challenge my own acceptance that yes, I can do this, and yes, when that time not too far in the future comes, I will have trained to the best of my ability and am ready to take on the job with the best effort I can give. The advice I have for others is something I continue to need to take for myself: Choose joy in the process. As I am learning now, job searching might as well be considered a part-time job, particularly in college! As I look forward to graduating in December, I am doing my best to be proactive and network, open conversations and apply for jobs early to try and secure a job come graduation. Another thing I have learned as far as reporting goes: Many a time, people wait to hire until the later months, which can be stressful when you would like to have an idea of where you’re going post-graduation yesterday! When looking at the “To Do List” to get done before graduation, it really can be overwhelming as much as it is exciting. For me, being patient and choosing joy regardless if things do or don’t go exactly according to your own timeline of how things should go is the best advice I can offer.

One of the most important things I learned during my internship that I continue to carry with me is a reminder to be a human first both in and out of the office. And at that, be a genuine human. Those I shadowed showed me through their intentional actions and words how much it is worth to remember to be human first. And at that, be a genuine human. This business is challenging and rewarding, but can also be a very competitive business in nature. Knowing this, it is important to make the most of your time with both your peers and your interviewees while also getting to know them as owning a teammate mentality makes this job that much more efficient and enjoyable. For hard stories especially, it is so important to remember that you might be meeting someone at a very delicate time in life. Whether that means the person has just lost a loved one, has witnessed something traumatic, etc., always remember to be kind. Yes, you are a journalist, but you are also a human. The interviewee will respect you that much more if you are genuine in the way you carry the conversation and treat them during a time of high emotion and/or stress. This can also be said for people experiencing their greatest highs in life! As news, as journalists you are often meeting people at their high points in life, so be ready to share in their excitement and be genuine in your happiness for them. Another huge takeaway I gained from this internship that applies in and out of the office ties in relationally: Get to know everyone! One of my best mentors from this internship was a photographer. In addition to being a great friend, he helped me so much as he worked with reporters on a daily basis and offered a different perspective. Shadow who and where you want to be, but also don’t miss the chance to meet everyone as everyone brings something new to the table and can help you be your best well-rounded self both professionally and as an individual.

My best advice is to pursue and develop lasting relationships in the field that you can rely on for feedback and encouragement in the future. I have had the pleasure of interning at two different news stations during my college run (WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia), and this summer’s WKRN-TV, and at both internships, I made it a priority to finish well both professionally and relationally. At WSB-TV, I learned from who I consider to be one of the greatest veteran investigative reporters in local television. He poured into me and trained me in a way that I know prepared me for my most recent internship in Nashville, and even more, is someone I can call with any questions or sharing of news with a guaranteed wise and caring eye looking out for me. This summer in Nashville, as a result of being intentional with my relationships and getting to know those I shadowed, I was able to feel comfortable enough to ask questions that I have going into the business post graduation that you can’t really know until you’ve “been there.” For me, this included questions regarding finding your place in the newsroom post college life, and what to look for and to stay away from when taking that first job, whether that be a healthy work environment, financial concerns, or simply your job title and what you really are signing up for. It is so important to take each of these relationships and use them for guidance because they know where you are, and oftentimes, have been in your exact shoes.