February 12, 2008--Duncan Pickard, A10, was lucky enough to be working at Boston’s WBUR during the New Hampshire primary. The only large NPR newsroom near New Hampshire, WBUR was working at full capacity.

“It was particularly interesting to see the stress and intricacy that goes into producing what is, on the air, a seamless program,” recalls Pickard. “Technicians were receiving data from reporters in New Hampshire, furiously splicing tape to put it online, often seconds before a producer would scoop it up and put it on the air. Managing editors were arguing with producers over what content should go on the air in the interest of impartiality. And the producers were gesturing madly at the show host on the air to speed things up or cut to a certain reporter.”

Pickard’s unusual front seat view of radio news was made possible by a popular one-week internship program. He was one of 19 Tufts students matched with alumni by the Communications Career Connection, co-sponsored by the Communications & Media Studies Program, the Tufts University Alumni Association, and Career Services.

From its launch in Los Angeles three years ago, the program has grown to three cities with vibrant media outlets. This year students were dispatched to:

• Boston: The Boston Globe, WBUR, Walden Media, Boston Magazine and Arnold Worldwide;
• New York: Young and Rubican, WNET/Thirteen, Josh Seftel Productions, WW Norton, Worldwide Entertainment, Lookalike Productions, Random House and Court TV;
• Los Angeles: Bona Fide Productions, Paramount, PRBuzz and Ted Schachter Entertainment.

“The week is short, but the restrictions we had on time meant that I was able to experience many steps in the production process,” said Pickard. “I left with a holistic understanding of the radio news business. It is certainly an experience that will inform my career plans in journalism.”

Alumni are unequivocal in their praise of the initiative as well. Julie Suratt, J94, an editor at Boston Magazine, sponsored three Tufts students. “What a great group we had, and at a time when we really needed the help,” she said. “This is a wonderful program.”