Out Front With a CNN Anchor

Anna Wright

Internship Reflection - Fall 2024

Interning at CNN was a valuable experience. I got to be part of the Erin Burnett OutFront team, and every day felt like a learning opportunity. I had the chance to take on some pretty hands-on responsibilities that gave me a real feel for what working in a fast-paced newsroom is like.

One of my main jobs was operating the teleprompter during live shows. At first, it felt a little intimidating. There’s a lot of pressure to keep everything smooth during the live broadcast and Erin is a seasoned anchor who would frequently go off script or jump to a different part of the show out of order, especially when a guest brought up something unexpected. I had to learn how to adjust quickly and stay in sync with her, even when things changed on the fly. Over time, I got better at anticipating her next moves and reading her tone and pacing, which made the job a lot more manageable and fun.

Another part of my internship involved supporting the writing and production teams. I helped gather research, look up statistics, pull visual elements, and assist with organizing content for different segments. Sometimes it was something small, like finding a quote or video, but it was great to know that even those little contributions helped move the show forward. I also got the chance to practice writing scripts and even got feedback from producers, which was super helpful for developing my voice and writing style. I also worked on clipping segments from guest interviews to be used on social media.

One of the most memorable parts of the internship was during a control room rehearsal, where I actually got to anchor a mock broadcast with Erin Burnett. It was just for practice and not aired, but it was such a cool experience to sit in a flash studio and run through a newscast. I pretended to be Jeff Zeleny, the DC correspondent. It definitely boosted my confidence and reminded me why I love working in news.

Overall, my time at CNN gave me a better understanding of how a major news show comes together. I appreciated how much trust the team gave me and how much I was able to learn just by being involved. It confirmed for me that this is the kind of work I want to keep doing, and I’m really grateful for the experience.