Live from camp: Lights, Camera, Action

After weeks of researching, interviewing and writing, the teen reporters from the Introduction to Journalism camp went on a field trip to WCCO (for those of you that don’t know what WCCO is, it is a television station that is affiliated with CBS.) We went there to see how broadcast journalism differs from print journalism.

When we first arrived, after taking a bus from the University of St. Thomas to the WCCO building, we were led on a tour of the building. We saw reporters sitting in their offices, the control room where people control what is seen in homes across the United States, two news sets and green screens. After completing our tour, we headed over to a St. Thomas building to eat lunch. When we got back, we got to see a live broadcast and met anchors Angela Davis and Mike Binkley, as well as weather reporter Mike Augustyniak.

All ten of us watched in complete fascination as the cameras started rolling and the anchors took the stage. Angela Davis and Mike Binkley were wonderful speakers, not stuttering or messing up a word even once. During commercial breaks, the anchors told us a lot about their jobs. My favorite part was the weather segment, where Mike Augustyniak started out sitting with the anchors before walking over to a green screen and showing the audience the warm front that was currently hanging over the Twin Cities and then crossing back over and sitting back down with the anchors, talking the whole time.

After the 12 o’clock news ended, we took a group picture with the anchors. I’m really glad that our class got to see the news broadcast live — it was almost like watching people film a movie. This is one experience that will stay with me forever.

- Kimberly Mao, Introduction to Journalism Camp ’11