Last Week of my internship at the Wiz 97.9

Today was the last day of my internship. This has been a journey that I will never forget. I have learned a lot along the way, and I’m thankful I was afforded this opportunity. At the beginning of my internship I didn’t know what to expect, but I manage to get through it. I’m honored I received the chance to work under the supervision of Ms. Alicia G. Ms. Alicia is a great person inside and out. She knows radio and it has been her passion for years. She is a great teacher, and I’m thankful she allowed me to work hands on with the equipment.

This is the end of my internship, but a new beginning for me and my career in radio. I’m confidence that I learned enough at the Wiz 97.9 to land me a job at any radio station.  The Wiz is a small station, but it has a lot of power. Mr. Nicolas, the station owner, has put in a lot of time and work into the station and it shows.  I didn’t get a chance to work with Mr. Nicolas hand on because of his busy schedule.

Overall, I enjoyed my time at the Wiz. I can’t express enough how graceful I am of this opportunity. I wish Ms. Alicia G the best in all of her future projects. She deserves everything God has planned for her.

This will not be the last you hear from me; stay tuned because more is to come.

Week 8 at my internship at the Wiz

It’s after spring break, and I’m back at my internship. I enjoyed my break, but I was ready to get back into the radio station. I’m back in full forces ready to take over the radio station. I have managed to only take five minutes to complete the news breaks, and that leaves me with extra time to sit down and catch my breath.

The weather is getting hotter outside, so it’s getting warmer inside the station. I was told it’s so cold in the station because the equipment needs to stay cool. And that totally understandable, but the workers, including the interns are freezing. Despite the conditions, I must still work and perform to the best of my ability.

This week I also got a chance to work with the other intern Rikellia. She usually comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I come on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. But we worked together and we both helped each other and got the jobs done.  We took turns producing the Russ Parr show, and downloading the mixes.

My internship is coming to an end; I only have a couple more weeks to go. It’s kind of bitter/sweet because I have adopt the station into my life and I enjoy going. However, I’m confidence that I have learn enough to move on and probably get a job at a radio station.  

 

Week 5 at my internship at the Wiz

Its week five at my internship, and I’m feeling like I can run a radio station by myself. I’m doing the news breaks, managing the Russ Parr show, burning mixes, inserting songs into the databases, and completing works orders for commercials all in a timely manner.  

I enjoy working with Ms. Alicia G, she has taught me a lot and I love going to her for advice. Some days at the station we don’t have a lot of work to do because we work so hard on other days. Ms. Alicia always tells me that we’re going to work smart and not hard.

                This week I was introduced to the money sheet (as Ms. Alicia would call it), this sheet is where I insert the songs and the times they get played in rotation. It’s called the money sheet, because the station gets paid every time a particular song is played. This sheet is very important, and Ms. Alicia says, “Daphne if you mess up this sheet, your time here at the Wiz will be limited.” I always laugh when she says that, but I know she is very serious. I always take my time and complete the sheet correctly.

Well it’s almost time for spring break, so ill report back to my blogs after the break.  Stay tune because it almost to the end, and you wouldn’t want to miss anything.

3rd week at my internship at the Wiz 97.9

I love my internship at the Wiz 97.9. It’s been 3 weeks already, time is flying. I have mastered just about everything that I am required to do at the station. I’m getting the news breaks done in a timely manner, so I’m not running around the station like a chicken with my head cut off. I had to learn time management quickly, or my days at station would have been very long.

                Learning time management at the station also helped me in my everyday life. I’ve learned how to use my time wisely, and how to get things done prior to deadlines. Also at the station I have learned how to complete work orders for commercials. It’s very easy, but you have to be careful and place the right information in its respectful place.  I completed work orders for McDonalds, Hardees, United loan, and IGA.

                My daily routine at the radio station is about the same every day, nothing really change.  However, lately at the station the satellite have been going down, so I’ve been able to free style and set up music to avoid dead air on the station.

Day 5 at my internship at the Wiz

It was a great day at the Wiz today. I woke on the right side of the bed and headed to my early internship. I greeted Ms. Alicia as I entered the station, and headed to the back to complete the news break. To my surprise the guy who sends over the news break was on vacation, so he didn’t send over the news break for me to edit. I enjoyed doing the news break, but I guess I have to wait until Friday.

            I went to manage the Russ Parr show, and since the news breaks was missing I got a chance to play a couple more of my favorite songs. Playing around with the system, I learned how to find and place songs in rotation. Playing around with the systems I taught myself a lot.

            Today I learned how to place all the mixes, voice tracks, and song into the system for the mid-day show with Shay Shay. Shay Shay is an on air personality, but she don’t come to the station; her voice tracks are recorded and sent to the station. Ms. Alicia usually edits and cut Shay Shay show.

Day 4 of my internship at the Wiz 97.9

The weekend was very eventful, but I manage to wake up on this Monday morning to get to my internship. Today was a good day at my internship. I did the normal, the news breaks and manage the Russ Parr show. During the break of the morning show I have to choose commercials and songs to play.  Most of the commercial are already in the system, and I get to choose which songs to play. And honestly, I sometime pick songs that I want to hear. Shhhhh don’t tell anyone. However, there is a song sheet of songs I do have to play during the morning show. But its only five songs on that sheet that I have to play, so that give me room to play other songs.  

I also did the mixes today; Classic Jamz, Kool Jamz, and the Old school quick mix. I also learned how to edit and create the 8 o’clock and 10 o’clock mixes. When editing these mixes, I have to make sure they start on time and end on time and the notes are good. I then place them in the system at the time they are to be played. This process is quick and easy.

Today I got a chance to chat with Ms. Alicia G and find out why she chooses radio. She has been working in radio for several years now, and she worked at a radio in Aiken, S.C, prior to working at the wiz 97.9 (I forgot the name of the radio station). It was a gospel station and she said she enjoyed it; however, she did leave the station. After leaving the station, she then got a job at the Wiz. Ms. Alicia G wears several hats at the station, and she does a lot. She is a God fearing woman, and she stay involve in the community.

I enjoyed the talk with Ms. Alicia, and my fourth day was a success. I still have to work on time managements, but I’m getting there.

Day 3 at my internship at the Wiz 97.9

Today is Friday and it’s day three of my internship at the Wiz 97.9. I have to say it’s getting very hard for me to wake up every morning at 5 a.m. to get ready and head to my internship, but I’m dedicated.

Today I learned how to burn the different mixes the station use at the 8’ o’clock hour. It was very easy, just like burning a regular cd. The cd is used because the station is syndicated so they don’t have live DJs. So in replace of a live DJ, the station plays the mixes. In between burning the mixes, I had to run back and forward to the control broad to manage the Russ Parr show. I know I had to learn time management. I had to always look at the clock to know when to go on break and play the commercials.

I didn’t really do much today, but I am getting to know the different systems and the way the station work. Not to mention it’s only my 3^rd day and I’m getting it. I have a long time to go, so this journey is not over yet. Continue to follow me, and embark on the journey with me.