For the past week and a half I have not been at my internship but I have been in Los Angeles, California with High Point’s Media Fellow Program. High Point University’s Media Fellows Program gives students global perspectives and real-world experiences in the media industry. This program creates a living-learning community for 16 communication majors each year. As a member of the inaugural class I am very excited to out on one of the program’s first trips.

So far we have had some great experiences meeting with industry professionals and getting a behind the scenes look at the business. We have had the chance to go to a filming of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and meet with Bruce Evans, Senior Vice President of Current Series at NBC. Mr. Evans was able to tell us about how he brings all of the different departments together in order to help produce successful television series.

Most recently we enjoyed a meeting with the some members of the Hollywood Radio and Television Society. We were able to talk to them one-on-one about their day-to-day responsibilities and ask questions about how they got their start in the business. One of the panelists was Jacob Fenton who represents celebrities such as Christine Baranski and Sasha Allen. It was fantastic to hear from people who started in the mailroom and now hold very high-level positions.

This trip has been an invaluable resource in giving us exposure to what our future careers will be like. We have also had the chance to tour the American Film Institute and see the sights of Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, and Sunset Blvd. We are looking forward to meeting a few more people and making the most out of our time here!

5:00am came all too early on that brisk May morning. I arrived at the station at 6:00am and headed out with Country 92.5 to Lime Rock, a motor speedway.

Lime Rock was having an event to honor military heroes and I was thankful to get to be a part of the event. No event is ever complete without music. That was clearly evident right from the start. I learned how to compose myself in a situation and how to approach miscommunications. When 92.5 arrived at Lime Rock we asked one of the managers where our equipment was located. A member of the MID staff at Clear Channel had told us that he left the equipment at Lime Rock since he was there the day prior (have to save room in the vehicles of course). The manager looked at us like we had three heads and told us that our equipment had gone back to Hartford.

A slight glimpse of panic brushed over the manager’s face because what’s an event without music?! Without much effort it seemed my boss went into crisis communication mode. She politely told the manager to hold on a moment while she called another MID staff member at Clear Channel. The person on the other line told us that the equipment should be there. When we told the manager this, he shook his head and said “I don’t know what to tell you.” My boss looked at me and said, “This is why we always arrive to an event an hour early. You need to be prepared to expect the unexpected.” We discussed alternative options, because it was essential that we upheld our end of the contract.

We immediately hopped in the car and decided to go to the local Walmart to buy a connector cable for the car. If worst came to worst we were going to blast music through the Country 92.5 vehicle with the aide of our cellphones and the cable. As we were pulling out of the drive, a second manager from Lime Rock came running up to us. She stopped us and said that they did, in fact, have our equipment. There was a miscommunication among their staff about whether or not they had Clear Channel’s equipment and where it was being stored if they had it.

Lucky for us, we didn’t end up having to purchase anything to make the appearance a success. I learned that it is important to maintain a level head, and to not get worked up over the little things. My boss taught me that there is always an alternative solution that can be found if you have a clear mind and rational approach. This experience also taught me the importance of communication. Miscommunications can lead to problems, so it is best to have all the ducks in a row before doing anything else. A team or staff is only as strong as its weakest player or member; therefore, it is imperative that everyone is on the same page and understands that page.

At Lime Rock, I set up the stations booth, and learned how to set up stereo equipment. Setting up the sound system and such was not as difficult as I had predicted. I already felt like a pro because I had experience with setting up cables and microphones thanks to a studio production class I took at High Point University.

The next hours were spent greeting listeners, having them play games in hopes of winning a prize and encouraging people to enter a raffle to win Tim McGraw tickets.

Despite the freezing temperature, rain, wind and minor miscommunication, the event was successful and I had a blast working with Country 92.5.