InternViews: Kyle Tatelbaum

This is part of a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their internship experience.  

Kyle Tatelbaum is a journalism and sports media student working for FOX 5 as a news intern in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Tatelbaum is earning minors in both Spanish and business and is pursuing a Certificate in News Literacy. Read more about his internship experience below. 

Provide a brief overview of your role and its associated responsibilities.

As a news intern with FOX 5 DC, I had the opportunity to work on in-house and field tasks, which include writing articles for the FOX LOCAL website and app, recording stand-ups on camera, writing anchor scripts, following reporters out in the field, creating story pitches and more. 

What opportunities do you have during your internship? 

I had the opportunity to report on emergency dockets at the Supreme Court of the United States and other legal proceedings throughout the District. I also fulfilled a dream of reporting on my favorite baseball team, the Washington Nationals.

What is one piece of work you are proud of creating in this role? 

I’m proud of one of the first pieces I published this summer, a story on Aaron Wiggins, a former University of Maryland Terrapin playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. I went to our digital manager and pitched the idea, focusing on Wiggins’ local ties and his performance in game two.  

How has the Grady curriculum prepared you for this internship?

Beat group assignments in Reporting I and II prepared me for the fast-paced collaborative aspect of reporting. Shout-out to Tracy Coley and Karin Assmann for teaching me the skills and expectations of a well-produced story under a tight deadline. 

Did you receive any mentorship or guidance? How did it impact your experience? 

Carlo Finlay has been a great mentor to me even before my first class in Grady. Prof. Finlay has always been available to answer any questions I have and has constantly provided support whenever needed. If anyone is remotely interested in sports media or quality reporting in general, Carlo Finlay is the guy you want to talk to. He’s among the most knowledgeable and genuine people I’ve ever met. 

What challenges have you overcome in this role? 

I believe that the more challenges you face in an internship, the more you will get out of it. An internship is the perfect place to fail. Expectations are low and opportunity is high. When recording practice stand-ups, the bright light behind the camera can be distracting. I overcame this challenge by reminding myself that this is something I need to learn how to deal with and to not think too deeply about it.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you gained from your experience? 

Be genuine and kind to everyone. You never know who people know. I’ve heard stories of anchors or reporters more qualified for a position being denied because of the way they work with others. People have connections. 

How has this internship influenced your future career? 

Throughout this internship, I confirmed my prior belief that a hectic newsroom environment is the place I want to be. I love all of the different elements colliding at one place at one time. It’s the same reason I love sports. The fast-paced, competitive environment motivates me to do my best work for the team and myself. I believe that the lessons learned and the memories made will undoubtedly aid my career moving forward. 

Editor: Lily Alarcon, lia52467@uga.edu