New book checks out internships

As I flipped open the newspaper this morning (and yes I actually get a hard copy of the newspaper at my house. I know, we’re a dying breed) I saw a story on internships. Naturally, as a student who has had to complete a few internships, I read on about a new book that takes a critical look at internships, especially those that are unpaid.

Ross Perlin, author of “Intern Nation: How to Earn Nothing and Learn Little in the Brave New Economy,” checks into the legality and absurdness of internships. According to the report, he estimates that nearly two million Americans take internships every year.

Perlin was an unpaid intern a few years ago and he estimates that at least half of interns go unpaid. (Check out the AP story here: http://www.reporternews.com/news/2011/apr/24/new-book-takes-critical-look-at-internships/)

Mark me down as one of those unlucky interns.

However, as unlucky as I may be to not be receiving a paycheck, I’m sure those of you who frequent the blog and read my articles on Fox19.com know that I’m having the time of my life with my internship. In three years I’ve had the opportunity to do some pretty sweet things, all thanks to working—unpaid—for two separate TV stations in Cincinnati.

Two years ago I was as green as they get, working on my first internship at WCPO, Channel 9. My main job early on was to watch Reds games and compile file footage that could be pulled out at any time and used if we needed video on a certain player or team.

I shadowed photographers Phillip Lee and Mark Slaughter around to various sporting events and even got to edit some footage that appeared on the air as my internship went along. Slaughter and I traveled down to the Kentucky Speedway in 2009 for Nationwide Series practice, and I was sold on becoming a TV sports guy.

From left: Dan Wood of WXIX, me and Mark Slaughter of WCPO at the 2009 Nationwide Series practice day at Kentucky Speedway (NASCARMedia.com photo)

A year later I began working at the smallest TV station in the city, WXIX, aka Fox 19. I began to write stories for the website, and even shoot highlights for the air.

Needless to say, midway through my third unpaid internship, I couldn’t be happier. Sure I wish I was getting paid, but after I read the article this morning I thought to myself, ‘How else would I have had the chance to meet my hero and role model Mark Martin without help from the TV stations that I was interning at?’

In the now-famous photo, I'm on the right in the aqua colored shirt, holding a camera, listening to Mark Martin at Indianapolis last year (IMS.com photo)

According to the article, “An Intern Bridge survey of 27,335 U.S. undergraduates showed seven out of 10 would accept less money in exchange for greater work experience.”

Meeting Mark Martin, to me, equals pretty darn good work experience. Maybe that’s just me.

I don’t mind internships, especially since they have put me in the door at places around the city I could have only dreamed of being at three years ago. Of course I wish I could get some payment, but then again, I have met Mark Martin…more than once. That sold me right there.