ABC 15 will not interview students Friday for its web-content internship because of a reorganization of the internship program, station representatives said.
Anice Stonerock, KNXV’s human-resources manager, said she did not have a lot of information, but the company will still interview students for the summer internship position. Despite the reevaluation of the internship program, Stonerock said that it will remain strong.
“Our strength of our internship program won’t change,” she said. “I think our internship program is very valuable and a good learning opportunity.”
ABC may begin paying the interns in the future, Stonerock said. However, the decision has not been made, but an official decision should be reached by June, she added.
“When we’re ready to roll out our next program, we’ll be ready to share it with the Cronkite School,” Stonerock said.
Journalism freshman Alex Ferri currently interns with ABC 15 and interviewed with the company because it was one of the few news organizations that would take freshmen. He said that the reorganization of the company’s internship program will hurt students.
“I know that as a freshman there aren’t a lot of options,” he said. “It hurts freshman the most and other people with less experience because of the requirements.”
However, Ferri added that the internship was a great opportunity for him to learn. He writes breaking news for the website and puts them on the web. He also wrote a series of articles on pedestrian safety and said that the internship gives him a lot of freedom.
“They’re not super strict with what you have to do,” Ferri noted. “They lead you to be creative. I’m really glad I had the opportunity to write and learn longer forms of journalism.”
He also confirmed with his boss that the internship program will not be canceled, but postponed, and that there is a possibility it will be paid in the future.
Michael Wong, Cronkite’s director of Career Services, sent students who had signed up to interview for the position in the fall an email notifying them that the ABC 15 internship would not be available. He did not know all the details but said that the reorganization would benefit students.
“In the end I think it will be better for students,” he said. “It’s a way to make the internships a better experience for students.”
Contact the reporter at dmillar@asu.edu
