Tuesday, October 14, 2008

A Model To Find Tomorrow's Talent

Fox News is all about TALENT. Roger Ailes gets talent and the essential need for developing new talent as well, if not better, than anyone in the media business. FNC is constantly trying out new people and even entire long form programs with fresh casts of interesting people. Ever see Red Eye? It's a great show...you will probably have to TIVO it since it's on at 3am ET.

The cable news channel also promotes a very progressive intern program.

Today while scanning the TVNewser blog I saw this:
Tuesday, Oct 14

Interns Get Their Say at Fox News

fncu_10-14.jpgFox News launched a new page on their Website today, with content that comes entirely from the network's interns. The FNCU (Fox News Channel University) page (fncu.foxnews.com) includes stories and videos from current interns and the application process if you'd like to be an intern.

Also featured on the site is an intern interview of FNC anchor Shepard Smith, about how he got his start in the business and his experience with interns at FNC.

Currently led by FNC's VP of recruitment, Brigette Boyle, FNC's summer internship program officially launched in 2004, and the network has had interns since the network began in 1996.

You can bet, among other things, this program is designed to sift through aspiring young talent and identify the next Sean Hannity or Sheppard Smith. [And let's not forget that FNC has committed to a content rich web experience and this is just another way to do that.]

I know radio stations have interns, but how many intern programs give their interns an entire website and encourage them to produce content?

Seems like a terrific idea to me.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interns? Where?
We had a total of 2, count em, TWO
interns in the past year. And we only had them for 2, count em, TWO MONTHS!!!

We can't even find part timers anymore. Nobody wants to do it!

HARVE ALAN said...

No doubt, a real problem. We (the industry) must figure out how to turn the tide. Stating the obvious, our future depends on young voices and fresh ideas.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the radio industry should, God forbid, teach them about the business of radio instead of handing them a box of t-shirts or stupid bumper stickers and making them get rid of them. I know a couple of interns that, when given the chance, have turned into amazing contributors in our industry. Still, only the strong survive.

HARVE ALAN said...

Anon: I couldn't agree more!