WLS-TV Annual EEO Public File Report August 1, 2023
WLS-TV ANNUAL EEO PUBLIC FILE REPORT, AUGUST 1, 2023
This Annual EEO Public File Report is filed on behalf of WLS-TV (the "Station" or "ABC7") in compliance with the FCC's EEO reporting requirements.
This report includes information from July 16, 2022 through July 15, 2023.
General Policy
WLS-TV has a longstanding commitment to a policy of equal employment and advancement opportunities for all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, gender, marital status, religion, age, national origin or citizenship status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a Vietnam era or special disabled veteran, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.
This commitment to fair employment practices applies to every aspect of the employment process to ensure that equal consideration is extended to all employees and applicants in recruitment, selection procedures, employee development, performance evaluation, promotions, transfers, benefits and other aspects of employment.
It is WLS-TV's policy to promote the realization of equal employment opportunity through a positive, continuing program of specific recruitment, outreach, hiring, promotion and other practices designed to ensure the full realization of equal employment opportunity.
Responsibility
John Idler, President and General Manager of WLS-TV, is in charge of the implementation and administration of the Equal Opportunity Programs and the accuracy of the information in this report, which was drafted by Dorothy Mathias, Business Admin Analyst of WLS-TV.
Job Vacancy Information
WLS-TV is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to meeting and surpassing the Station's EEO information dissemination obligations. Notices of all full-time job vacancies were posted on the Station's website and on the website of The Walt Disney Company, its ultimate parent company. Notices of full-time job openings were also distributed to the Illinois Broadcasters Association, TVjobs.com, and the Station's Recruitment Source List, which is made up of other professional groups, including minority and women's organizations, that requested such notification or that the Station believed could be useful referral sources. See Attachment A, for the Station's Recruitment Source List, (including names, addresses, contact names and numbers of the organizations to which the Station directly sends notices of job openings). In addition, once open positions are posted on the Disney Careers website they are also distributed to various organizations which are listed via the DirectEmployers Association Job Syndication Alliances list detailed in Attachment D.
The Station will continue to actively seek out new recruitment sources to ensure that word of all job openings is distributed to a broad pool of potential applicants.
Positions Filled
During the reporting period (July 16, 2022 through July 15, 2023), WLS-TV filled 17 full-time job vacancies. Job-specific recruitment sources are itemized in Attachment B below.
Supplemental Non-Vacancy Specific Outreach and Recruitment Measures
(A) Internship Program: WLS-TV is continuing to offer internships with a majority of the internships now on a 2-track program and comprised of Winter/Spring (Jan-June) or Summer/Fall (June-Jan). However, if there is a need or the current intern left early a request can be made for the intern recruitment process. The internship program is administered by Disney Campus Recruitment. Students are encouraged to continually check the Disney site during those times for openings as well as throughout the year and for any unexpected openings. Information about the internship program is also posted on the Station's website. WLS internships include a wage and average about 20 hours per week. Interns also have the opportunity to participate in monthly get-together meetings with various news professionals. These employees discuss their position, career path, and offer meaningful career advice. This is meant to encourage interns to ask questions and to explore the various integral departments needed in order to have a television station function successfully.
Those who have successfully completed the Station internship program have often received paid positions in broadcasting after graduation. By way of example:
-In 2017, three former interns were hired by WLS-TV - two as freelance Production Assistants in Programming and one as a part time Desk Assistant in News. One former intern was hired as a Weekend News Anchor and another former intern was hired as a News Producer at other television stations.
-In 2018, one former intern was hired by WLS-TV as a freelance Production Assistant in Programming and one former intern was hired as a Production Assistant for a radio news program. Three former interns were hired at other television stations; one as a Desk Assistant/Field Producer, one as a reporter and one as a Senior Producer.
-In 2019, one former intern was hired as a Production Assistant at another television station, one former intern was hired as a Multi-Media Journalist at another television station, and four former interns were hired by WLS-TV as freelance Production.
Assistants in Programming and one former intern was hired by WLS-TV as a staff News Reporter. One former intern, who had been hired by WLS-TV as a freelance Production Assistant in Programming was promoted to a staff Producer in Programming.
-In 2020, one former intern was hired as a Videographer & Editor at a Production company, one former intern was hired as a Media Apprentice for Image and Sound, and another former intern was hired as a Floor Director/Production Assistant at another television station.
-In 2021-22, four interns were hired by WLS-TV. Three as part time Desk Assistants in News and one intern was hired by WLS as a Programming Production Assistant. In addition, one former intern was hired as a Field Production Assistant at another television station.
-In 2023, one former intern was hired as a part time Desk Assistant and three interns went on to work as reporters at other television news stations.
See Attachment C for a description of internship opportunities and a list of the schools the interns attended.
(B) Career Days: Over the past year, some of the Station's on-air-talent and managers have given in person and virtual broadcast career-oriented talks sponsored by educational or community groups:
Tanja Babich - News Anchor
HFS Chicago Scholars - Chicago, IL (Virtual) - September 15, 2022
Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism - Chicago, IL- September 22, 2022 (accompanied by Executive Producer, Colin Evans) & January 10, 2023 (accompanied by Assistant News Director, Nneka Nwosu)
Terrell Brown - Reporter
AAJA JCamp - July 22-July 29 2022
Maher Kawash - Multi-Skilled Journalist
Aux Sable Middle School - Joliet, IL - April 24, 2023
Jason Knowles - Consumer Investigator
De La Salle Institute - Chicago, IL - January 19, 2023
Diana Palomar - Vice President of Community Engagement
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana - Camp CEO - Chicago, IL - July 25, 2022
Dwight Payne - ENG Crew
John D. Shoop Elementary School - Chicago, IL - May 25, 2023
Ann Pistone - Newswriter
DePaul University - Chicago, IL - April 7, 2022 & March 3, 2023
Philip Schwarz - Meteorologist
Gavin School - Ingleside, IL - November 15, 2022
Westmore Elementary School - Lombard, IL - January 10, 2023
(C) Station Tour: On May 17, 2023 Thomas Wekony, Director, gave a tour of the Station to six students and one professor from Bradley University-Peoria, IL.
(D) Job Fairs: From July 27, 2022 through August 1, 2022 the Station attended the Asian American Journalists Association Convention in Los Angeles, California. Executive Producer Wilson Toy, who has partial responsibility for hiring decisions, attended and collected resumes of potential job applicants. Mr. Toy also served as a panelist, reviewed applicant reels, and counseled journalists on what hiring managers hope to see when screening audition tapes.
From August 3, 2022 through August 7, 2022 the Station participated in the National Association of Black Journalists Convention which was combined with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Vice President of News, Jennifer Graves and Assistant News Director Nneka Nwosu, who have responsibility for hiring decisions, attended, reviewed reels, and collected resumes of potential job applicants. Colin Evans, Executive Producer, Virginia Matos, Executive Producer, Diana Palomar, Vice President of Community Engagement, Poinesha Barnes, Special Projects Producer, and Blanca Rios, Newswriter also all attended and collected candidate resumes. In addition, Nneka Nwosu also participated in a panel regarding the future of streaming.
From July 12, 2023 through July 15, 2023 the Station attended the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Convention in Miami, Florida. Blanca Rios, Newswriter, whom is also part of the national board attended along with Virginia Matos, Executive Producer, and Diana Palomar, Vice President of Community Engagement. At the convention they networked and collected resumes and email addresses. Ms. Rios was a part of many panels discussing media and leadership roles in the newsroom for Latinas (os), diversity, changes in storytelling, pivoting of journalism, and how to combat misinformation.
(E) Media Trade Group Postings: During the reporting period, the Station sent its upperlevel full-time job openings to several media organizations with substantial representation of women and minorities, such as the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and others listed in Attachment A.
- Efforts to Improve Mailing List and Recruitment Methodology
In an effort to expand and improve its organizational mailing list, the Station aired a 15- second spot on both the analog and high definition simulcast channels as well as the Station's second high definition channel requesting that organizations interested in being added to our mailing list contact us. The 15-second spot aired once a month between July of 2022 and June of 2023 on the analog and high definition simulcast channels. The 15-second spot also aired once a month between July of 2022 and June of 2023 on the second high definition channel. This message is also posted on the Station's website.
WLS-TV is engaged in a continual effort to evaluate the effectiveness of its EEO outreach and recruitment program and to improve and refine it as needed by monitoring the responses that are received and ensuring that the interviewing pool for the positions it fills includes a large number of qualified applicants from diverse sources. WLS-TV continually modifies and regularly expands its recruitment program as needed to fulfill these goals.
- ATTACHMENT A
WLS-TV RECRUITMENT SOURCE LIST
For the Entire Period 07/16/22 - 07/15/23
Bright Horizons - 500 West Monroe Street - Chicago, Illinois 60661
Contact Gina Barnes - Phone (312) 876-8687
Email gina.barnes@brighthorizons.com
Chicago Urban League - 4510 S. Michigan Avenue - Chicago, Illinois 60653
Contact Joe O. Gray - Phone (773) 285-5800 - Fax (773) 285-7772
Contact Calmetta Coleman, CUL Newsletter; Andrew Wells, CUL Workforce Clients
Email ccoleman@chiul.org ; AWells@chiul.org
Connecticut School of Broadcasting - 3901 Coconut Palm Drive - Suite 105, Tampa, FL 33619
Contact Shayna King - Phone (813) 443-5307
Email jobs@gocsb.com
Counseling for Special Needs Adults - 125 S. Wilke Rd - Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Contact Christine Santini - Phone (847) 212-8093
Email mcmayyy@aol.com
Family International Outreach Ministries, Inc. - 117 Fairlane Dr - Joliet, IL 60435
Contact Linda Weatherspoon
Email llwspoon@yahoo.com
Harold Washington College - 30 East Lake Street - Chicago, Illinois 60601
Contact Ollie Horan - Phone (312) 553-5667 - Fax (312) 553-3130
Illinois Broadcasters Association - 200 Missouri Ave - Carterville, Illinois 62918
Email iba@ilba.org & dgray@ilba.org
Illinois Center for Broadcasting - 455 Eisenhower Lane South, Lombard, IL 60148
Phone (630) 524-4628.
Email dclark@beonair.com
Illinois Department of Employment Security - 33 South State St. - Chicago, IL 60603
Contact Lynn Cox & Jeffrey Routier
Email lynn.cox@illinois.gov; jeffrey.routier@illinois.gov
Updated: August 2, 2022
Illinois Media School - 210 S Clark St - Chicago, IL 60603
Contact Anthony Tobias - Phone (331) 215-4733
Email atobias@beonair.com
Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans - 3800 W. Division Street - Stone Park, Illinois 60165
Contact JoAnn Serpico - Phone (708) 450-9050 - Fax (708) 450-9065
Email jcc@jccia.com
Latino Council on Media - 2011 West Pershing Road - Chicago, Illinois 60609
Contact Mary Gonzalez-Koenig - Phone (773) 523-4380 - Fax (773) 247-3924
NAACP - 800 East 78th Street - Chicago, Illinois 60619
Contact Rev. James Demus - Phone (773) 487-9600 - Fax (773) 429-9834
Email westsidenaacp@gmail.com
NABET - CWA Local 41 - (National Association of Broadcast Employees &
Technicians) 211 West Wacker Drive - Suite 1030 - Chicago, Illinois 60606
Contact Chris Willadsen - Phone (312) 372-4111 - Fax (312) 372-4115
Email raza@nabet41.org; jfabrizi@cwa-union.org; (Updated 04/07/2022)
Website NABET 41.org
NABJ Chicago Chapter (National Association of Black Journalists) - P.O. Box 811132 - Chicago, IL 60681.
Email secretary@nabjchicago.org
NAHJ Columbia Chapter (National Association of Hispanic Journalists) - 916 South Wabash, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60605
Contact Tyler K. McDermott
Email hjc@loop.colum.edu
National Latino Education Institute - 2011 W. Pershing Road - Chicago, IL 60609
Phone (773) 247-0707 ext. 243
Contact Celia Lopez (Effective 10/24/19)
Email clopez@nlei.org
NLGJA (National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association) - 1420 K Street, NW Suite 910 - Washington, DC 20005
Contact L. Spencer - Phone (202) 588-9888 - Fax (202) 588-1818
Email info@nlgja.org
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition - 930 East 50th Street - Chicago, Illinois 60615
Contact Candice Brown - Phone (773) 373-3366 - Fax (773) 256-2772
Contact Reverend Janette Wilson
Email revjwilson@rainbowpush.org
Restorative Justice Community Court - 3605 W. Fillmore Street - Chicago, IL 60624
Contact Jacquelyn Ingram - Phone (773)-588-0180 - Fax (773) 826-3620
Email jmjingram@gmail.com
Rona Mobley Wells Foundation - 3720 South Dearborn - Chicago, IL 60609
Contact Rona Mobley - Phone (312) 972-5332 - Fax (866) 850-0307
Email ronamiracle@yahoo.com
Saint Sabina Employment Resource Center - 7825 S Racine Ave - Chicago, IL 60620
Contact Tony Tobias - Phone (708) 651-8629
Email Atobias@ercsabina.org
Contact Don Jones - Phone (773) 783-3760
Email djones@ercsabina.org
Updated: October 28, 2022
Transformation Learning Center - 1013 Desplaines Ave - Ste 203 - Forest Park, IL, 60130
Contact Francine Anderson
Email Franderson59@gmail.com
United Cerebral Palsy Association - 325 North Wells Street - Suite 321, Chicago, Illinois 60610
Contact Angela Welch - Phone (312) 464-1608- Fax (708) 863-3863
Women Employed - 65 E. Wacker Place- Suite 1500 - Chicago, Illinois 60601
Contact Maritza Gonzalez - Phone (312) 782-3902 - Fax (312) 782-5249
Email info@womenemployed.org
Youth Job Center of Evanston - 1114 Church Street - Evanston, Illinois 60201
Contact James Sibley - Phone (847) 964-5627 - Fax (847) 864-3098
* These organizations explicitly requested to be placed on the Station's Recruitment Source List
ATTACHMENT B
POSITIONS FILLED BETWEEN 07/16/22- 07/15/23
Listed below are the seventeen full-time positions filled at WLS-TV between 07/16/22 and 07/15/23 the recruitment methods used for each, and the sources of interviewed applicants.
Multi-Platform Programming Producer
Date position was opened: 03/14/22
Date position was filled: 08/08/22
The position was posted on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Seven people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Four applicants from the Disney website, one applicant from LinkedIn, and two internal staff employee applicants. The candidate hired was a Disney Careers applicant.
Broadcast IT Specialist
Date position was opened: 10/01/21
Date position was filled: 08/15/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, Emma Bowen Foundation, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Twenty nine people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Twenty one applicants from LinkedIn, two from Indeed.com, three applicants were referrals, one applicant was from Glassdoor, and two were from the Disney careers site. The candidate hired was a referral.
Programming Producer/Editor
Date position was opened: 05/02/22
Date position was filled: 09/06/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Five people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Two applicants from the Disney career site, two applicants were from LinkedIn, and one applicant was a referral. The candidate hired was from the Disney career site.
Manager, Human Resources
Date position was opened: 11/17/21
Date position was filled: 09/06/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Five people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant from the Disney Careers website, three applicants from social media, and one from a job board. The candidate hired was from social media.
Producer
Date position was opened: 07/24/22
Date position was filled: 10/09/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Six people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: All six candidates were internal employees. This position represented a promotion for the in-house staff employee from a Newswriter to Producer.
Transmission Engineer (2 positions)
Date position was opened: 09/13/22
Date position was filled: 10/22/22 & 11/13/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Five people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant was a former employee and the other four were internal candidates. The candidates chosen were the former and internal employee.
News Photographer
Date position was opened: 09/13/22
Date position was filled: 11/13/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Seventeen people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Ten applicants from the Disney career website, six internal employee applicants, and one LinkedIn candidate applicant. The candidate hired was an internal employee. This position represented a promotion for the in-house staff employee going from a Vacation Relief to full-time staff.
Anchor/Reporter
Date position was opened: 05/30/22
Date position was filled: 11/29/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Six people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Three applicants were internal, two from NABJ, and one from the WLS-TV site.
The candidate chosen was an internal employee.
Newscast Producer
Date position was opened: 11/16/21
Date position was filled: 01/01/23
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Three people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant was a referral and previous employee and the other two were internal employees. The candidate chosen was an internal employee.
Meteorologist
Date position was opened: 10/17/22
Date position was filled: 01/09/23
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Four people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Agents for the four applicants.
Newswriter
Date position was opened: 10/17/22
Date position was filled: 02/19/23
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Six people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Four internal employees, one LinkedIn applicant, and one from the Disney career site. The candidate hired was an internal employee. This position represented a promotion for the internal employee as they went from a daily hire to staff role.
Anchor/Reporter
Date position was opened: 01/09/23
Date position was filled: 03/05/23
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Four people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were all internal candidates.
General Assignment Reporter
Date position was opened: 01/17/23
Date position was filled: 03/19/23
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Six people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Four applicants were internal and two were agents. The candidate chosen was an internal employee. This position represented a promotion for the internal employee as they went from a freelance to staff position.
ENG Crew-Vacation Relief
Date position was opened: 01/19/23
Date position was filled: 03/20/23
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Three people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed as follows: Two applicants were referrals with one being a former employee and one was an internal employee. The candidate chosen was a referral and former employee.
Weekend Morning Newscast Producer
Date position was opened: 01/19/23
Date position was filled: 04/02/23
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Three people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant from the Disney company career website, one internal applicant, and one employee referral. The candidate hired was an internal employee. This position represented a promotion for the employee going from a daily hire newswriter to a staff newscast producer.
Digital Producer
Date position was opened: 04/13/23
Date position was filled: 05/14/23
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A. Seven people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant from the Disney company career website, one internal applicant, three employee referrals, and two applicants from LinkedIn. The candidate hired was an internal employee. This position represented a promotion for the employee going from a part time to full time role.
ATTACHMENT C
INTERNS
The following are descriptions of internship opportunities at WLS-TV and a list of the schools that the station's 2022-23 interns attended. The News Department consists of three unique intern opportunities.
NEWS DEPARTMENT - I-TEAM & CONSUMER TEAM
Grambling State University January 2023 - June 2023
Northwestern University June 2023 - January 2024
The I-Team investigates complaints from viewers whom have been wronged and try to help them. The team looks for patterns of complaints with some companies to forewarn viewers of a possible scam. The goal is to alert viewers and to improve people's everyday lives by not getting wronged themselves. While on the team the interns' follow-up on hotline calls and emails, log/set-up interviews, attend field shoots with the producer and reporter, sit in on editing segments, and assist in finding digital original stories.
NEWS DEPARTMENT SPECIAL PROJECTS
Vassar College New York June 2023 - August 2023
The Special Projects Team produces reports for multiple platforms. The team executes coverage of the station initiatives and high profile events. Interns assist producers with stories by brainstorming ideas and researching topics, set-up interviews, attend field shoots and interviews with reporter and producer, and sit in on editing of segments.
NEWS DEPARTMENT - NEWS, RACE & CULTURE
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville September 2022 - April 2023
The News, Race & Culture team explores the impact of such things as race, ethnicity, culture, gender, and sexual orientation on everyday life. The goal is to expand the diversity of voices included in storytelling. Interns assist reporters in developing and researching story ideas by reaching out to the community, following up on story pitch ideas, conduct/log interviews, and help write digital stories.
GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT
Saint Louis University September 2022 - June 2023
Interns in the Graphic Design department participate in meetings to critique design projects, assist in asset creation and learn creative project planning, experience the motion design process from start to finish including distribution, and develop a thorough understanding of how designs come to live on multiple platforms.
DIGITAL / WEB DEPARTMENT
DePaul University January 2023 - August 2023
Digital Interns are part of a digital team assisting in producing stories, creating original videos, and engaging our audience on social networks. Interns take on new challenges and make a difference. Some of these responsibilities include update and develop digital content, research internet-related reports, sites and systems, format documents and images, along with special projects that come up.
PROGRAMMING, PROMOTION & PUBLICITY INTERN
DePaul University January 2023 - June 2023
Northwestern University July 2023 - January 2024
The Creative Services internship program is very hands-on. The intern gains knowledge of real-world experiences in production, post-production, promotion writing, and digital media marketing. The program is designed to interact with multiple departments at the station, including News, Digital, Programming, Promotion, Production and Publicity. Interns learn from both promotion and programming producers on how to create promos and content for special programs and "Local-ish." There is opportunity to pitch story ideas to the programming team and will be held accountable for seeing various projects through to the end. There is also opportunity to work on the station's weekly talk show, "Windy City Weekend," where you help with social media and other production tasks involved with getting a weekly show on the air.
SPORTS DEPARTMENT
Loyola University February 2023 - June 2023
Michigan State University July 2023 - August 2023
The sports interns are responsible for coordinating video footage of sports highlights for WLS-TV's Sports Department. Interns gain knowledge in studio and of post-production techniques. When possible, the intern may have an opportunity to go out into the field with the Sports Eyewitness News Team.
