newsroom « Amritha Alladi

At IBN: excerpts from my internship diary

January 6, 2009 at 4:29 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Tags: IBN, internship diary, newsroom, story ideas

The political news reporter had apparently already set off an a shoot early this morning around 7 or 8, so I guess I missed her. But the CNBC correspondent, was in the office. Basically, she spent most of today teaching me and the other interns how things work and what we should be doing and how to do it. It started when I handed her a list of about 10-11 story ideas I had with descriptions. She said they were good ideas, but she emphasized the need for a hard news peg of national relevance. After I handed her my list, she went through and explained to us, point by point, why some ideas could and work and why others wouldn’t. Finally, I concluded that these were ideas with which I could follow through:

1) PMK party in Tamil Nadu is pushing for prohibition laws. So, what will this mean for liquor stores and liquor store owners? What will be the implications for the state since liqor IS taxed heavily? How much money will they lose and how do they plan to make up the money lost in taxes?…etc. Basically, the economic impact if prohibition were to go through. Will probably also get a reaction from the Tamil Nadu Trade Market Coproration about how liquor salesmen feel etc. What they’re doing to stop the law from being implemented

2) South Indian actress Namitha came up as like the number 9th actress Googled. and she’s well…hefty. Meanwhile north Indian actress Katrina placed 6th. So what is it about south Indian culture/perception that makes the heavier women more attractive, cuz it obviously wouldnt fly in the north.

3) recession and jobs: what are the 5 safest jobs right now? Are students changing their career choices because of the recession? which are the 5 least safe job right now? Many people are cutting corners and tightening their budget…but who’s still safe and actually making money during this recession?

She also showed us some of her previous work to give us an example of the kind of information we should be looking for, the kind of clips we need to shoot, and the kinds of bites to pull, etc.

At IBN: excerpts from my internship diary

January 3, 2009 at 3:54 am | Posted in At work | Leave a comment
Tags: IBN, internship diary, Medha Patkar, newsroom, protest

The office is smaller than the AM850 newsroom. When you enter there is a little sitting (reception?) room. From this room you can enter four other rooms. To the left is a “studio” The next door, going clockwise, is the editing room. It’s the smallest I believe. The next room to the right is the editorial room, the only room I stepped in today besides the bathroom, and then to the very right is the marketing room. The editorial room has four computer cubicles

I was told a few days ago to come in around 10:30/11ish. My mom wanted to drop me off at 10 because it was my first day, and she wanted me to reach the office before Rahu Kalam.

That first day, I tagged along with the political news reporter, who was scheduled to report on a protest by some residents in four counties (comparable to counties) by the airport. These locals were protesting the construction of a second airport runway, saying it would infringe on their property and would cause some other hazards such as flooding, etc.

It was a peaceful protest, just people just speaking about why they shouldn’t build the runway and how it would be detrimental to sustainable efforts in the region, etc.

Social activist Medha Patkar showed up to speak about sustainability and green initiatives. She argued against the runway construction, illuminating its detrimental effects to the lives of local people.