‘Do the work; nobody’s going to give you anything’

TV journalist Megan Rivers speaks to multimedia students on Oct. 17 at Claflin.

A TV journalist offered insight on how students can be successful in media careers: “Do the work; nobody’s going to give you anything.”

Megan Rivers, traffic anchor and multimedia journalist for Charleston’s WCIV-TV channel 4, spoke with Claflin University’s mass communications students last Oct. 17. Rivers, a 2010 Claflin University graduate, visited her old stomping grounds to give students key points on how to be successful in pursuing media careers.

“If you don’t listen to anything else I say, get an internship. It will be extremely difficult for you to ever work if you don’t have an internship,” Rivers said.

She stressed the importance of having experience under their belts and most importantly on their resumes. “Use these four years while you’re in school to intern and build your resume.”

Rivers detailed how to go about getting internships and the proper etiquette for doing so.” You have to go to the websites and apply for the internships the semester before. You don’t wait until January to apply. Do the work yourself.”

Networking is important too, Rivers said. “You have to make the effort. Reach out to people you know, who may know other people.”

She encouraged the mass communication students to get active in the National Association of Black Journalists for networking and scholarship opportunities.

As important as internships and networking are, basic skills are required for jobs in media, she said. “Writing skills and deadline performance are necessary.” Knowing how to use a camera and also how to edit can make or break you in this industry.

And be ready for success, Rivers said.

“I advise you to be assertive. If you know that you want something, always be ready so that you don’t have to get ready.”