Multimedia Journalism Experience - Francie Ebert

I interned with WTAJ during the fall of my senior year of college, eager to understand the 'local' aspect of television news. As part of my journalism internships, I assisted reporters in the field, captured B-roll, and prepped questions for stories that ranged from new medical technology at the Altoona hospital to the breaking news of Luigi Mangione being found at an Altoona McDonald’s. Ironically, a year later, I found myself assisting NBC’s coverage by taking my own court notes during his hearing in New York City. This position allowed me to fully grasp how essential local news is to the overall industry and the hard work stations put in behind closed doors.

 During a historic news cycle that included President Biden dropping out of the presidential race and the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July, my day-to-day duties involved assisting the anchor producer with informational sheets, updating guest papers, and logging interviews and events. I also collaborated with the social media team, helping clip segments for YouTube and other platforms. At the completion of this journalism internship, I was offered an extension into the beginning of my senior year of college, allowing me to continue working and providing research for the team.

I also interned at FOX 11 in the spring of 2024, an experience that significantly enhanced my understanding of newsroom workflow.This journalism internship allowed me to assist in the newsgathering process and provided me with a closer look at how anchors prepare for broadcasts and execute their roles. In this position, I reviewed anchor scripts, learning how they are tailored to each anchor’s style and delivery.

During my junior year, I was excited to be accepted into Penn State’s Hollywood Program. This incredible opportunity allowed me to live in Burbank, California, for a semester while completing two journalism internships and taking courses in Entertainment Law and Entertainment Media. At TheWrap, a notable magazine publication, I researched and pitched stories that aligned with the outlet’s coverage areas, ensuring they matched TheWrap's tone and business model. Additionally, I had the pleasure of joining the team for premieres.

I will never forget being accepted into the Daily Collegian, Penn State's student-run newspaper. Over time, I was nominated to serve on the Board of Directors, where my role was to improve the Collegian from the student perspective. I had the privilege of analyzing which social media posts performed best and identifying how, as an organization, we could enhance our outreach efforts. This experience also provided me with insight into the paper’s financial standing. Later, I joined The Daily Collegian’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team, where we collectively developed strategies to ensure our coverage adhered to our standards while serving all areas of our community. We worked diligently to eliminate gaps and biases in our reporting.

After fully immersing myself in journalism, from writing to production to broadcasting, I found myself increasingly interested in serving the Penn State community, particularly Centre County. While I briefly volunteered through my sorority, I wanted to deepen my commitment to the community that had given me so much. I began asking myself how I could give back, which has always been a primary motivation for pursuing a career in journalism. My journey led me to Student United Against Poverty, which became a significant avenue for my efforts. In this role, I gained a deeper understanding of how students around me were struggling to meet basic needs, from food security to feminine hygiene products and proper winter clothing. Through my involvement, I also collaborated with our executive leadership team to develop more effective ways to promote the organization across campus. 

46 Live is the student broadcast for the largest student-run philanthropy event in the world, THON. THON is a fundraising event organized by Penn State, and during this remarkable event, 46 Live provides coverage to viewers from all around the globe. As part of the 46 Live host team, I had the opportunity to interview parents and performers. In 2025, our broadcast reached an impressive 200,000 viewers across 80 countries.