My Broadcasting Story!!!!!

    This is a chronicle of how my career in broadcasting and where I am today. I graduated from the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland in August 1998.  There I learned all the facets of broadcasting in both radio and television and from sales to being on-air. I started my career interning in radio at WAMD in Aberdeen, MD and TV at WBFF Fox 45 in Baltimore, MD.
    
     I interned at Fox 45 from September of 1997 until January 1999 in the Sports Department..  Under the guidance of Steve Davis, Bruce Cunningham, Clay Williams and Brian Collern I logged athletic events and CNN and Fox feeds, edited  video and ripped scripts for the sports anchor.
I learned a lot while I interned there and without the training that I got I wouldn't of had the first thought on how to edit video to script.  I met a lot of people during my internship and keep my face in there minds(i'll explain).  If you know anything about people in TV is they love food.  I was working at a Dunkin Donuts during my internship and would regularly bring in donuts and ofcourse was greatly loved.
    
     On to my other internship which was at a radio station WAMD.  Yet another internship which I learned a great deal.  I ran the board and did weather forecasts on-air overnight to start out.  Then after I was used to that about three weeks later I was the on-air personality on Wednesday overnights.  Seems a little weird, a intern on-air.  Well, WAMD is in a small market and usually went off-air from 12m-6am, but then chose to take students from the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland to take over the overnights.  Thus putting them on the air 24 hours a day and get interns plenty of experience.  Brillant idea on the part of Bob Mathers(WAMD's Program Director).  I learned a lot about being on-air and the stressful job that it is.  For anyone who thinks it's easy it's not.  Its not just a DJ playing records.  You have to say what management wants you to say meaning promo's, advertising and make it sound good, then you have to decide what you'll say between songs and you might have eight seconds to say it so you don't cut off a song and you have to plan your show so it's not always a four hour shift like people think.
    
     After my internship at Fox 45, I left for Springfield, Virginia for a chance at a entry-level position at Newschannel 8.  I was a Production Assistant which means I met with the show producer and found out what video they needed and where it was coming from and then give it to the editors.  After I got the video back from the editor I would have to set it up in order according to the rundown so before the show the person playing the video in the show would have it in order.  After about three months I was promoted up to Morning Video Editor/Playback.  Basically i was one of the video editors for the morning rush hour report and also played the tapes for the show.  During my tenure as video editor I learned the Post Production Edit Bay.  In this room I could edit video putting wipes between the video or dissolve from one video to another.  Basically add finesse to video.  The producers and reporters loved the work I did in this room so they unleashed me on some special projects like a a News Years Montage showing a lot of celebrations around the world on New Years 2000, A tribute to Martin Luther King on his birthday, Future Watch 2000( i was the editor of this special piece which aired during 1999 showing new services and products coming in 2000 and beyond).  I actually produced, edited and wrote two packages on "The Future of Toys." I  left Newschannel 8 in July 2000 to pursue my career in Baltimore at WBFF Fox 45 as a Video Editor.
    
     I also work as a board operator at WMAL in Washington D.C.  I started there in October 1998.  I basically run taped shows and play commercials and run the real-time traffic.  I am not on-air there, but i am trying to pursue my dream of being on-air in some capacity in radio.
    
     So far I am loving my job at Fox 45.  It is great going back to the station I started out with and seeing old friend that I worked with.  Overall I am very pleased with my career in broadcasting, but have a few things I want to go farther in.