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Summer Fellowship Program

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FAQ

What is the Summer Fellowship Program?
How is one selected to participate?
What happens once you are selected?
Where have Fellows completed internships in the past?
What kinds of options are there for internship placements?

What is the Summer Fellowship Program?

Many people in the world of electronic communications play an active role in the International Radio and Television Society Foundation, which helps professionals, educators, and members of the public keep abreast of developments in our complex media world. One of the projects made possible by the generosity of communications companies throughout the industry is the IRTS Summer Fellowship Program.

This nine-week expense-paid opportunity begins with a comprehensive one-week orientation to broadcasting, cable, advertising, and new media. Students have a rare opportunity to question a stellar line-up of industry professionals at panels, lectures, group discussions, and simulations. They take related field trips and learn how to “network” by attending industry social functions. Conferees emerge from the program with a better understanding of our business, along with carefully honed skills in career planning, resume writing, and interviewing. After this first week, students are assigned an eight-week Fellowship. This full-time “real world” experience in a New York-based corporation allows them to reinforce or redefine specific career goals before settling into a permanent job. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

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How is one selected to participate?

Only full-time, four-year college Juniors, Seniors, or Graduate students are eligible to apply. In order to compete, you should either be a Communications major or have demonstrated a strong interest in the Communications field through extracurricular activities or other practical experience. If selected, you must be able to take part in the entire nine weeks of the program.

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What happens once you are selected?

Those selected to participate in the program receive air or train fare, housing at a local college dormitory, and a small allowance to defray the cost of food, intra-city commuting, and personal expenses. The IRTS Foundation also provides supervision and career counseling to insure that each student makes the most of this New York experience!

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Where have Fellows completed internships in the past?

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What kind of options are there for internship placement?

A. Broadcast Standards & Practices
Site: TV network.
Activities: Learn how to screen commercials/programs for deceptive claims and/or distasteful scenes, attend meetings, review docudrama scripts, conduct research, verify facts. Particularly beneficial for, but not limited to, students interested in law and copywriting.

B. Commercial Production
Site: Ad agency.
Activities: Assist in all phases of production such as pre-production meetings, casting calls, shoots, editing sessions. See a project progress from concept, to storyboards, to execution.

C. Entertainment News/Production
Site: Broadcast or cable network, local TV station, independent production company.
Activities: Assist in all phases of production, do research, write, go on interviews, act as audience coordinator, propose story ideas, screen and log tapes, find clips, observe editing, answer viewer mail.

D. Local News-Radio or TV
Site: Radio or TV station.
Activities: Do research, observe editing, arrange interviews, shadow reporters, assist producers, propose story ideas, set up camera shots, write stand-ups, log tapes. Union restrictions apply.

E. Marketing/Public Affairs
Site: Basic cable network or local station.
Activities: Attend meetings and brainstorming sessions, interact with cable affiliates, coordinate marketing kits, assist in writing promotions and movie summaries for monthly program guides. Strong writing skills recommended.

F. Media Planning/Buying
Site: Ad agency.
Activities: Conduct research such as analysis of audience numbers, estimates on future programs and costs, screen TV pilots, assist media planners and buyers with special projects, work on major accounts.

G. National News
Site: TV network or news production company.
Activities: Do research, assist producers, observe network news gathering, watch taping of newscast, go on shoots, speak to affiliates, propose story ideas, learn about satellite feed operations. Union restrictions apply.

H. New Media
Site: Network or Internet company.
Activities: Student should have excellent computer skills, be Internet savvy, a strong writer, highly organized, and able to work independently. Interns who work at a cable network might assist in the content development of their web site by conducting research and writing copy.

I. Program Marketing & Distribution
Site: Syndicator.
Activities: Learn how programs are marketed and distributed, screen movies and TV programs, assist in promotions of pay-per-view films, do research on digital TV, observe production and editing of promotional spots, arrange and attend client meetings.

J. Radio Programming
Site: Radio network.
Activities: Opportunity to learn how a national radio service works, do research, work with talent relations, book guests and set up interviews, write interview questions, log tapes, assist in production of shows, interact with affiliates.

K. Research/Sales
Site: Station rep firm (these companies obtain national advertising for stations they represent across the nation) or local/national cable sales company.
Activities: Assist research managers/analysts in developing sales promotions and tracking ratings, attend sales meetings, shadow account executives on calls to ad agencies, interact with ad agencies, cable networks, and radio and/or TV stations.

L. Sports
Site: Production company, radio station or network.
Activities: Write press releases and interview questions, book guests, call prospective advertisers, assist producers on shoots, gather research, attend press conferences, observe editing, work on schedule for major sporting events.

M. Television Programming
Site: Station rep firm (programming depts. at rep firms offer advice on which shows to buy and where they should be placed on the local program schedule).
Activities: Assist in assembling pitches for stations, update avail lists, interact with TV syndicators, attend programming meetings, provide research analysis, view new TV programs, maintain programming schedules for stations.

Site: Basic Cable Network.
Activities: Update avail list for acquisitions, attend program pitches, read scripts for projects in development, screen movies, assist in distribution of network schedules and movie dubs, organize promotional mailings for original programming.

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