In a break with news industry standards, ABC News' internships will become paid assignments beginning in January 2008. ABC News previously offered academic credit for semester-long internships.
In making the announcement, ABC News President David Westin said: "ABC's internship program is one of the primary ways we identify and nurture young journalists. This change will enhance our ability to reach an even more diverse group of students and attract the best and brightest."
Out of hundreds of candidates who apply, ABC News draws upon approximately 75-80 interns from colleges and universities around the country every semester and summer. Interns staff broadcasts and platforms throughout the news division, including "World News with Charles Gibson," "Good Morning America," "Nightline," "Primetime," "20/20," the ABC News' Investigative Unit, News Productions, the Longform Unit, ABCNEWS.com, ABC News Radio and ABC News Now.
Many ABC News staffers got their start in the Internship Program. Vinnie Malhotra, who was named executive producer of Weekend News Content in 2007, began his career at ABC in 1996 as an intern at NewsOne, the network's affiliate news service. "The experience and the exposure you get as an intern at the network level is unparalleled. I worked hard, soaked in everything I could, and paid my dues to earn a full-time position. It definitely gave me a head start," said Malhotra.
ABC News' Internship Program is open to sophomores through seniors and graduate students enrolled in an accredited college or university. Students are eligible to work between 16 and 40 hours/week for an hourly wage consistent with media industry standards. Students work closely with producers, editors and correspondents on a wide variety of projects, including research and writing, preliminary interviews, footage selection and tape logging. To apply, go to www.DisneyCareers.com.
More Americans get their news from ABC News than from any other source. Through its platforms on television, radio and the Internet, ABC News reaches on average more than 180 million people in a given month. ABC News programs are seen in 88 countries worldwide. In addition, ABC News Now, the network's 24-hour digital linear channel, provides a wide range of video-on-demand programming from all ABC News broadcasts. ABC News Now is available to more than 34 million broadband subscribers and nearly 5 million mobile video users.