Wild Things Baseball No. 1 (Internship)

[Jon Chelesnik]

The Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League are accepting applications for a Broadcast Director internship for the 2022 season.

The season runs from late May through mid-September.

This job can be offered for school credit as an internship and successful applicants would start near the season’s start. The employee/intern in this position will direct broadcasts for all Wild Things’ home games, allowing the intern a chance to gain professional baseball broadcast experience and to work in a learning environment, helping to enable career advancement.

The production is a four-camera/potentially five-camera stream with limited graphics, commercials and more. The person(s) will also have other duties as assigned.

Please indicate in your cover letter you learned of this opportunity through Sportscasters Talent Agency of America.

Apply online

[PhilGiubileo]

Note - this is NOT a play-by-play position - it's to direct their broadcasts. Also, here's how these interviews are likely to go:

Washington Wild Things GM: "We'd like you to be our #1 director - AND other duties as well."
Candidate: "How much does it pay?"
Washington Wild Things GM: "There's no pay, but if you can get college credit (which the student would have to pay for to the school), there's that. And hot dogs after the game - maybe some stale beer if you're over 21."

This is awful - it's a job, not an internship. Internship implies an experience where the intern learns about certain job duties/functions and then with guidance and training, learns the ropes to where they can at first do the job (with supervision/'training wheels'), and then perhaps by the end of a season in this case, be able to handle the gig.

However, the team here is looking for someone experienced to work for free - which if that's what they want to do, then have the guts to say that. Here are the full list of responsibilities in the job listing and tell me, on what planet is this an internship and not a job? This organization should be ashamed - and BTW, I'm very much pro-internship, ideally paid, but if not, limited in scope to provide a great learning experience and also not monopolize the intern's time so that they're able to either study (if during the school year) and/or get a paying summer job/have a life, etc.:

Responsibilities:
Serve as the director for all Wild Things’ home game broadcasts helping to get the crew on the air, off the air and do everything in between from switching cameras to assisting camera operators and doing more.
Assist with the operation of broadcast equipment, running commercials and more
Shoot, edit and upload player and coach interviews and other web content to the team’s social media and website, as well as edit interviews for use on the air (can have interview opportunities) • Help broadcasters with shows as needed (schedule guests, log/digitize video, write scripts, generate ideas, may host pre or post-game shows)
Edit and produce commercials if needed for sponsors
Assist in the set-up and tear-down of booth
Adequately prepare for broadcasts prior to arrival at the stadium

Requirements:
Experience Directing live sports preferred
Knowledge of baseball preferred
Knowledge of TV sports production preferred
Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in a field of communications, PR, marketing or a related field
Passion for sports, broadcasting
A strong work ethic couple with the ability to work with others
Energy to thrive in a fast-paced, sometimes unpredictable environment
Must be available to work from the beginning of the May to at least near the end of the season
Self-starter, pro-active and highly motivated
Have great communications and interpersonal skills, along with a positive and energetic personality
Learn quickly and work well under pressure
Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite
Proficient understanding of broadcast equipment, streaming devices
Basic knowledge of the Mac operating system as well as PC video-streaming software
Positive attitude and willingness to go the extra mile
Able to assume other responsibilities as required

[Bill Czaja]

I didn't worship at the altar of Vecchio, but to be blunt, it was pretty much a joke shortly after he left.