CBS SPORTS
summer internship reportSince I came to St. Johns University and was first advised counselors have always stressed the importance of interning while in college. Some said to start early to get a head start, others advised to wait until junior or senior year because it was more likely to lead to a job. I found it difficult to get one early on in my college education but I remained patient, so that by senior year I was prepared. Now, from my experiences at CBS this summer, I can attest to the old saying "good things come to those who wait."
For the most part, the internship was everything I expected and a little-bit more. I expected to receive hands-on experience in a workplace environment, I expected to meet and network with people in my field of study and beyond, and I also expected to learn more about the industry, and in these areas I was not disappointed.
Working in Tape Archives I was given several assignments and collaborated with Production, Marketing and Research Departments. My frequent use of the equipment and facilities quickly became sort of second nature because I had become comfortable using them and it required very little thought. I was responsible for numerous dub requests, video library logging and organization, computer data input, research, and smaller tasks such as photocopying and filing.
As an avid sports fan I enjoyed the dub requests and logging most because quiet often I would find myself watching the reels. I was able to delight in the performance of athletes from long-ago that I ordinarily would not have had exposure to. I witnessed Walter Payton break Jim Brown's rushing record, I realized what was so great about Oscar Robertson, I even saw Babe Ruth arrogantly point to where he planned on hitting his home run. So I received some sports history while I was working, which in-turn made it seem less like work.
While completing dub requests the Beta machines were easy to use because I had prior experience with them from my job and with our SJU TV Club. I noticed some of the other interns had never used tape machines. This was one of the advantages I had coming in. Sometimes, me or one of the other archivists would receive a call from Marketing about an advertisement that may have been placed during a sporting event. I would go through the tape logging the times that the ad appeared. I understood that the sponsors of the event pay for their name to be used a certain number of times so it was industry procedure to log it. At other times a producer may have wanted to do a special on a certain athlete so we would look through the library for important game reels that show that athletes past performance. If I knew the game I was looking for or the date it was played I could go straight to the library shelf. The library contained thousands of tapes so if it were difficult to locate a tape I could use the computer database. By entering a description of what I'm looking for, the computer would tell me close matches and their locations.
I enjoy reading and writing very much so the research projects were pleasing. The internet was the most convenient and efficient resource for my research, however there was also a large sports information book that I used. I didn't mind the photocopying and data input for a short period of time, but after a while they became extremely monotonous. I found that when in front of the computer for too long I had to take a break; so I would get up and walk around, or get a cup of coffee just to relieve the strain on my eyes.
The greatest gift I received from the internship were the relationships that were established from working with good people. Everyday I was treated with professionalism and respected as though I were a regular employee. I met a couple of kind, experienced individuals who, after discussing my career aspirations, offered their insight on what I should do to get to where I want to be. I went to lunch with some of them, and shopping with others. My co-workers at other jobs I've had have often seemed to be easily agitated. However, everyone I met at CBS was genuinely kind every minute of every day and that is what left me with a lasting impression. Quiet often one of the other archivists and I would begin a discussion on sports. It could be anything; we could be debating who the greatest players were, or just our takes on the NBA finals game that had aired the previous night. Eventually someone would come down from another department and just join into the conversation. Sooner or later you'd see four or five people engaging in "water-cooler" chit-chat about whatever was on their minds. It was funny to me to see it developing. After ten or fifteen minutes we would all then go back to work until it started all over again. It was fun to work with them because they were all easy to talk to. Even though I joked with them I still knew how to balance colloquialism with professionalism.
To study something in theory and to use that same thing in practice are two distinctly different concepts. I work in television and have been studying TV and Film for the past four years but I never actually understood what a broadcast company would go through on a day-to-day basis. From my internship I could see the magnitude of things a major company deals with and the structural organization it needs to be successful. For example, at my job I am an archivist and editor all-in-one. However, at CBS archivists are not allowed to do any editing due to Union regulations. Tapes that are to be edited are sent to another department. Before interning at CBS, I did not think this was an issue. Also, I was in awe when I saw how well maintained their library was, especially compared to what I was used to at a smaller closed-circuit television operation. CBS's tapes were all bar-coded to prevent loss, conveniently placed on rotating shelves, and easy to locate with a computer database of information. The music library had CD's I couldn't find if I went to Sam Goody. I began to see the company I as this titanic, well-oiled machine that took an enormous amount of money to maintain and highly-skilled employees to run it.
There was one shortcoming experienced during my internship, but it existed for an obvious reason: business is typically slow during the summer. I had expected it to be quiet but not as much as it was. I wanted to be more involved with everyday production activities but there simply wasn't much work to be done. The sports that CBS covers, such as college football, college basketball, the US Open and the NFL are not played during the summer so there was a lot of down-time. I used this time wisely, mainly networking and talking with people knowing that I would be returning for the fall semester when things were busier. The summer was essentially a sort of late "spring cleaning" period that they used to purge the system and prepare for the upcoming season. The majority of my time was spent organizing the library and updating tape information, so for this need I was extremely useful.
Overall my internship was all I expected and more. What I couldn't quiet calculate was the change that would occur inside of me. Just from being immersed in that environment I have gained a higher sensibility and am a far more mature person as a result. Aside from industry practice and all the TV "mumbo-jumbo" I learned how to conduct my self in business environment and that is far more important in my eyes. As a result I am more adept at dealing with other people's needs and satisfying mine in a professional manner. Furthermore, understanding the mechanics involved in running a major corporation brings me one step closer to one day owning one.