More than radio...

News Internships

GLT 89.1FM Normal/103.5 FM Peoria is a 25-thousand watt, listener-supported radio station located in Normal, IL. The GLT broadcast signal covers much of central Illinois, west to Peoria, north to Pontiac, east to Champaign and south to Springfield, covering a total population area of more than 400-thousand. In 2002, GLT News was the most honored downstate radio newsroom—public or commercial—with six Associated Press awards in categories ranging from Best Newswriting to Best Series or Documentary. Formats include National Public Radio news and the most jazz and blues between Chicago and St. Louis.

GLT receives its funding from several sources: 47% from listeners and businesses, 23% from state and federal grants, and 30% from Illinois State University.

Internship areas of responsibility

File Management

• Organize and maintain newsroom background files by issue/subject
• Organize and maintain newsroom future files, glean newspaper clippings and filing press releases
• Under the supervision of the news director, update the quarterly Issues and Programs file, maintained for public inspection

WRITING

• Write public service announcements
• Re-write wire copy and locally-written news stories
• Write news stories from press releases
• Write stories from events attended, interviews conducted (see next section)
• Write questions for an interview to be conducted by GLT news staff

NEWS GATHERING

• Use on-line and other available resources to generate story ideas
• Accompany news reporters to at least three news conferences or news events
• Attend at least one news conference or news event unaccompanied
• Conduct phone and in-person interviews with newsmakers for stories

PRODUCTION

• Edit on digital editing equipment
• Maintain archive of recorded stories
• Record regular daily feeds of stock report and occasional feeds of stories from other stations utilizing ISDN technology
• Produce at least one "spot" (short) wrap
• Produce one "depth" (long) story (this depends on progress of intern and proficiency of work)

ADMINISTRATION

• Attend at least two GLT staff meetings and attend one informal newsroom review session
• Attend one GLT departmental meeting involving the news director

Contact: Willis Kern, News Director 438-5426 or wekern@ilstu.edu.