KMEX Univision 34 and USC Annenberg have partnered to offer a local news internship, leaders of the program announced today.
As part of the ongoing collaboration, four USC Annenberg students will gain experience in a professional newsroom at one of the top television networks in the country. The interns were selected based on their abilities and willingness to learn.
The first students chosen are: Salomón Fuentes (Houston), Gustavo Gutierrez (Long Beach and Modesto, Calif), Roxana Ontiveros (Los Angeles) and Anabell Romero (Wilmington, Calif.). All students speak Spanish and are bicultural.
“As the station leader in the Los Angeles market, KMEX is committed to providing our viewers with the most relevant and exclusive in-depth news reporting,” said Marco Flores, News Director/Regional Director West Coast for KMEX-34 and KFTR 46. “We are pleased to partner with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to help mentor and develop tomorrow’s journalist. Our seasoned reporters and anchors will be able to share their knowledge and passion for journalism with the students.”
Designed to expose students to all aspects of real-world news production and reporting, the program will partner participants with current KMEX Univision 34 anchors as part of an educational curriculum. Interns will be required to work a minimum of 12 hours per week and will receive school credit for their time with the station.
"USC Annenberg students will now have an opportunity to work in both Spanish and English with the nation's top local broadcast and news operations as it continues to expand both its coverage and use of new media technologies," said professor Felix Gutierrez, who teaches a course on Latino news media in the United States at USC Annenberg and hosted a public affairs program on KMEX in the 1960s. "They will work with professionals to build their experiences and prepare themselves to be part of the rapidly growing media directed to Latinos in the U.S. and around the world.”
Students will work on special projects in the areas of news and interactive media production (Internet, digital television), while working alongside seasoned reporters and producers. Their responsibilities will include pitching story ideas, providing support on assigned stories and collaborating with the investigative team on research projects. Students will hone their skills in the areas of news gathering, organization and communications skills, news writing, shooting and editing.
The professionals at KMEX Univision 34 will also help students fine-tune their on-air reading skills and on-camera image. “We at USC Annenberg are thrilled that these fortunate students will have an extraordinary opportunity to work with one of the most vibrant media companies in the world,” said Geneva Overholser, Director of the School of Journalism.
