1. Essay Summary
Mass Communications is about spreading information to others for the benefit of the
public and a bond between companies and media organizations. Daytime, a production of
Riverbank Studios, is mostly a bond between companies and a media organization, in this case,
Media General. In this summer internship experience, I have a totally different viewpoint of what
the media is about. In the media world, you have to have a backbone and a personality and I
believe that is something no book in school will teach, it is just something that is a hidden
necessity in this business and being successful in this business. Jerry Penacoli and Cyndi
Edwards are people that are known as “talents” in the Daytime setting and click with their
personalities when need be. These two people are great at what they do, especially Jerry, but his
ego can be tough to deal with at times. That is something I’ve learned in this business.
I have to say, being at a job at 8 a.m. is not the most amusing thing in the world and how
these folks do it 5 times a week 8 hours a day is incredible. Being successful takes dedication, a
passion for what needs to be accomplished and bringing positive/active energy to the table. I
have learned that in reporting/journalism, it is important to seek out everything and making sure
every angle is covered. Being able to be a part of the show was pretty cool and is something
most, if not all, interns get to do. I was assigned to find topics for the show, take pictures for
Facebook, and make the coffee- which is a big test, because if you mess up coffee how can you
be trusted going ahead?
Going out on shoots were something that reminded me of my Broadcast News class.
With the shoots, you have the elements of white balance; lighting, centering your shot, and
making sure you get all of the necessary content for the piece. With that, I saw just how it’s done
and how to improve my skills going forward and how it’s all about timing and creativity. One

2. week, I was able to see the editing room and how that all works out. It takes about three hours to
complete a show taping and it takes a few programs to make it happen. Edius is the NBC editing
software, Adobe Premiere Pro is the primary program to edit, and a version of what we used in
Broadcast News, and Adobe After Effects to make graphics. With Adobe, the features and
editing are all the same and there is even a way to tell the computer what you can do instead of
clicking-saves time. Saving time, one of the key elements to the real world, is having the ability
to do so many jobs as one. I have a quote stuck in my head to this day from my Research
Methods professor, Dr. Pearce. “Who is going to make me lose my money the fastest?” You
have to have tools in the toolbox to make it in this workforce.
With editing, there is also the audio aspect of the show. Putting on a mic is an
uncomfortable task and it could lead to some problems with the subject. Audio is controlled in an
audio booth and has multiple channels for the entire show. Unlike a camera, things can be
controlled and someone else who knows what to tweak can do that. I learned there that the “mic
placement is key for audio quality.” There is a problem though that has yet to be addressed in the
audio booth and that is the issue of the audio board, it is hit or miss on audio quality with music
performances and has yet to be replaced. With that point, that’s what makes the industry feel like
a business, companies have budgets and it must not be on the priority list.
Paid segments are a staple to the show and how the show stays on air. I learned about the
multiples, which are many segments in one day. The guests that do them know their talking
points and it is pretty clear cut. There are guests that do these paid ads for an ad agency and they
can be pretty miserable at what they do and you just have to coach them through it. These ads are
like a test, having to memorize each point and still looking presentable and good on TV. With
that point, the industry has a ton of ways to make people look better on TV, good editing, good

3. hairpieces, and people that know how to do this. It was a test of both personality and holding
composure when a lady came on to do multiple and showed up with her wig sagging during the
segment and Jerry had to hold his composure. This is something a reporter in the field has to deal
with, to be ready for the unexpected while holding that professionalism that got them there.
Being able to do a demo for the future was an exciting moment as I got to take a piece
that I did, reading the prompter with a personality. There was certainly a little nervousness, but I
felt like a natural doing that. The cameras were there and the lights were shining bright as I
delivered a sample chat and did it with a personality. I thank the team for doing that.
One of the most important points of the internship- in my perspective of course- is a
segment that the show does with a comedy club. The girls came in and are the stars of the show
“Girl Code” on MTV. The director made a point that the girls talk about a controversial topic
from their show, “slut shaming,” as one of the talking points. This is a show that talks all dating
and this was one topic that went a bit over the top. The team had a meeting on this point and it
was quite the discussion. The floor director, the director, Jerry, Cyndi, everyone was on board
with it except for the Executive Producer. Maureen believed that the point would jeopardize any
future clients coming in to come on. This show, once again the business aspect, is catered
towards the retired and the stay-at-home moms for the most part. Guests have come on and even
the host, Cyndi, worked for a Domestic Violence program and for them to say that, was over the
line for the show and time they are on. Another issue that came up was the drone guest we had.
He graduated from USF and made a video that received a ton of hits on the web. He has his
drone with him and was not allowed to fly it due to company rules. There had to be a way to
make the story happen at the studio and unfortunately, he had it left stationary. Having to do

4. what the company wants and allocates can be frustrating at times, but it’s how you keep having a
job there and they hold many keys to your future endeavors.
Being in the business of Telecomm, it is vital to have a personality and a passion for the
work. I believe I have the passion and drive to do what needs to be done- none of this felt like
work to me. My issue right now, reflecting, is that I need to gain a personality. Someone has to
put on a persona to be able to stay on TV, unless it’s the weather person. I’ve learned if you
bring energy and a personality to the table, it can lead to much continued success down the line.
In my Broadcast News class, my professor said the same thing; you have to captivate your
audience with a great VO-Voice Over package, great shots, and great content. The last day of my
internship was a pretty useful one as all of us, the producers, the crew, everyone came together to
reflect on what we learned throughout our time at Daytime. I learned just about as much as I
wanted to and gained a new support group for my future. I have always thought that having good
connections can help you in any job you seek. Especially now, people power is important to
getting where you want to work. It’s a great thing to have and to have such resourceful people to
turn to. One of the last things I experienced before leaving that final day was a guy who is in and
out of his office who gave us such great advice. “Go somewhere, work there 3 or 4 years, find
something else, then find that one thing you want to do.” He also told us to leave the state, which
I plan on doing after graduating. This was an experience I surely won’t forget and am glad I was
accepted for this opportunity. I may do another one in the near future.