PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Well, I’ve finally reached the end of my internship. I can’t believe how much experience I have gained from being here. I have had the chance to shadow so many different departments at the station. I was able to work with the newscast, production team, Hampton Roads Show, digital team, sales department, and of course the one I was assigned to, the promotions team. To be able to work with so many amazing people every day has been an honor.
It’s hard to believe from where I started to where I am now. I first found out about this opportunity when I saw anchor Anita Blanton at a Hampton University game. I asked her for advice on anything I could use to help me steer my path in the right direction for my love of film. She then told me about the internship and I immediately jumped on the opportunity. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I received an email that told me to come down to the station for orientation where I met Stephanie Cooke, the internship advisor.
When I first arrived at the station for my first day of work, I was just an intern who did not know anything about how the news station operates. I walked to my work desk and then I had the chance to meet my supervisor, Mike Booth, as well as Nicole Brailer, Antonio Jones, Ezra Petersen, Zak Khaliqi, and Eric Pyburn in the promotions team. Thanks to all of them, I learned so much about camera production and how much work and dedication it takes that goes into this department.
I was able to go out and shadow so many news anchors and reporters who taught me what it truly takes to get the story. Whether it was waking up at 1:00 a.m. to get to the station or just simply driving around different cities to get to the scene. Trust and believe that it looks way harder than what it seems. They just make it look so easy.
To think I came into the place of business knowing practically nothing, and now I know how to write a news package, a news copy, mic up guests., and so much more. I also was able to work the cameras, run the teleprompter for the midday newscast, takeover the tik-tok for The Hampton Roads Show, and I even got to do the weather forecast.
Overall, I am very happy to have been given this opportunity. I came a long way from my first blog, Kenneth’s First Promotions Shoot, to Kenneth’s Journey Behind The Scenes, to Kenneth’s Stories in the Field, to now. I will miss not only the station, but the people I have made connections with and the memories I have made along the way.
I truly want to thank everyone in the station, who has helped me along my journey. I hope to one day cross paths again. Until next time, this is Kenneth Ferguson, 10 On Your Side.
