WORLD NEWS February 22,2§06 4
Exploring Careers in
Television
Honor and
Integrity Week
JACKIE BULLOCK
Staff Writer
The newsroom at WRAL-
TV is an environment that
vibrates with incessMt ac
tivity—change is constant,
deadlines are measured in
seconds, expeditious behav
ior is paramount. It takes
many elements—as well as
many people—to make a
newscast happen. The fol
lowing is the first in a series
of articles that will explore
some of the jobs and people
at WRAL who make news
happen, starting with the
News Production Assistant.
Diane Richardson has a
background in finance. She
came to work at WRAL-TV
on a three-month assign
ment, filling in for someone
who was on maternity leave.
That was ten years ago. As
an Administrative Assis
tant, Richardson supports
over 100 newsroom em
ployees, as well as oversees
News Production Assistants’
schedules. Richardson says
that the position of News
Production Assistant (NPA)
offers a good overview of
all aspects of news. The
NPA assists producers, di
rectors and assignment edi
tors with the daily prepara
tion of newscasts, including
organizing news scripts and
news rundowns. Additional
ly, a NPA also is responsible
for archiving news scripts,
watching other newscasts,
listening to scanners, and
doing legislative, police and
fire department beat checks.
Richardson says that NPAs
also work on special projects
and participate in field-pro-
ducing assignments, such as
the NC State Fair and First
Night Raleigh.
According to Richardson,
the NPA position originally
was an internship and a way
of networking with local
universities to give prospec
tive broadcast journalists
insight into the broadcast
news atmosphere. It has
-since evolved into several
part-time positions that are
structured around newscasts.
The position also can serve
^ a catalyst to other careers;
Richardson knows of former
NPAs who have gone on to
be producers and associate
producers as a result of their
experience with WRAL.
Although the News Produc
tion Assistant position offers
practical experience, the job
also can be highly stressful
and demanding. Richardson
stresses that a potential NPA
“cannot be thin-skinned.
People can be direct. A
News Production Assistant
must be flexible, be a great
listener, have a great memo
ry, and hear and respond to
direction quickly.” Medioc
rity is not a desirable trait;
adaptability and an openness
to change also are necessary,
as well as keen insight and
the ability to assimilate ma
terial. Richardson also says
that it is necessary for a NPA
to be current on what is hap
pening in the news today.
One should be connected
with what is happening in
the world by reading a news
paper, watching a 24-hour
news channel, or listening to
the car radio on the way to
work. One “should not come
into a newsroom cold,” says
Richardson.
According to Richardson,
the NPA is the entry-point to
the newsroom; a NPA is giv
en the opportunity to cross-
train in all aspects of news,
fi-om cueing tapes to writ
ing stories. Richardson says
that WRAL-TV has versatile
employees who find a way to
make the viewer care about
the product that they deliver.
Richardson also says that she
enjoys her job and the “phe
nomenal people” with whom
she works.
MEGAN DONAHOE
Freshman Membcr-at-Large
As some of you may know,
this past week, February 13-
17, was Honor and Integ
rity week. This week was to
make students more aware of
the Honor Code at Meredith
College.
On Monday, February 13,
the Honor Council held a
mock trial to show students
what goes on in an actual
hearing. The cases are not
open to the Meredith com
munity, so this gave all who
wanted to watch the hear
ing an insight into a real
trial. The case was a student
pleading guilty to plagia
rizing a portion of a paper.
During the hearing, the stu
dent explained herself, wit
nesses testified, the Honor
Council questioned the stu
dent. Shannon Walker, Hon
or Council Chair, explained
that in a real hearing, the
Council would discuss the
evidence, look at past cases,
and decide the appropriate
outcome.
On Wednesday, February
15, a drop-in dialog was held
discussing issues such as
plagiarism detection web
sites/software, and how fac
ulty and students can
get a more open dialog about
issues such as plagiarism.
Also, that evening, students
had the opportunity to visit
the Tunnel of Oppression
which is an experience where
participants travel through a
series of sensory experienc
es witaessing forms of op
pression and discrimination
within our society.
Throughout the week, a
large pledge card was dis
played in the lobby of the
Cate Center for students,
staff, and faculty to reaf
firm their commitment to
the Honor Code. Two cards
were entirely filled with sig
natures.
Although Honor and Integ
rity week is over, next week
the Honor Council will be
presenting Shattered Glass, a
movie based on the true sto
ry of Stephen Glass, a writer
whose award-winning work
was found to be fabricated.
This will be shown February
21, at 7 p.m., in Kresge Au
ditorium and February 22, 7
p.m. in the Oak Room.
D