2023 Student Workshop

Students from across the Carolinas, this is your chance to network with news managers and educators and gain knowledge that will help as you prepare for graduation and seeking that first job.

The RTDNAC Student Workshop will take place at WBTV, 1 Julian Price Place in Charlotte, on Saturday, February 25, 2023, from 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The registration desk will open at 8:30 a.m. in the WBTV lobby.

Face masks are optional.

The workshop is open to students enrolled at universities and colleges in North and South Carolina.

This year’s workshop will include the following sessions conducted by broadcast professionals from across the Carolinas:

Storytelling News and Sports: Find out what makes an engaging story with your viewers, from writing, shooting, and presenting it. We’ll discuss the importance of incorporating natural sound and discover the qualities needed to become a good storyteller in news and sports.

The Power of Producing: News producers drive the direction of today’s newsroom. Learn a producer’s role and impact, along with what makes a good newscast, from handling breaking news and writing the best teases. Also, find out why some of the best reporters were the first producers.

Finding Your Broadcast Presence: Learn what makes a good stand-up and voice tracks for your stories. You will also get a chance to learn tips on how to present on the anchor desk and read a teleprompter.

Photojournalism: Storytelling through the camera lens, learning the skills needed to create content with video.

A Day in the Life of an MMJ: What is it like to be a multimedia journalist? MMJs have to master a wide variety of skills, including shooting, writing, and editing stories by themselves. Learn what to expect from those doing it all and the advantages of being an MMJ.

Digital Revolution: Learn more about creating content for websites and social media like Facebook and Instagram. Find out why more news operations are creating podcasting and unique web-only content.

Finding Story Ideas: Learn how to win your morning meetings at your first job by finding and pitching the best stories. What is the key to finding engaging story ideas? Also, learn what is “a beat” and how working it can make your reporting and producing life easier.

Investigative Journalism: Learn how to find stories worth a deeper dive. This session will show you how to find stories by digging through documents and how to request them through the Freedom of Information Act. Also, you’ll learn some tools investigative journalists use to organize and find information and talk about the importance of getting it right.

 Finding your First Job in TV: You are ready for your first job in TV, but what are some of the do’s and don’ts when reaching out to a hiring manager? What are News Directors looking for in a candidate? This session will dive deep into what all graduates should know in their job search and what to expect when they start their first job in TV.

Students will also be given the opportunity to have their work critiqued by professionals.  Samples of students’ work must be accessible online.

For more information, contact:

Bernie Ritter
RTDNAC Board President
WNCT-TV
britter@wnct.com