Internship
Posted Sep 28, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Why do you want to intern in a local TV newsroom, and what are you hoping to learn at Local 5 News?
What they are checking: Whether they have a real interest in local news and a goal for the internship beyond needing credit.
Tell me about a time you had to write something on a tight deadline. How did it turn out?
What they are checking: Whether they can produce clean copy under time pressure, which happens every day before a newscast.
What would you do
Pitch me a story idea for Northeast Wisconsin right now. Why would our viewers care?
What they are checking: Whether they can spot a local angle and explain its relevance quickly, which is how newsroom pitches work.
You are logging a recorded interview for a reporter and you cannot make out a key quote. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they flag uncertainty instead of guessing, since a misquoted source is a serious newsroom error.
How will you fit 18 to 20 hours a week at the station around your classes?
What they are checking: Whether they have thought through the time commitment and will show up reliably for an unpaid role.
You are shadowing a reporter and see a chance to help but were not asked. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they show initiative while respecting the reporter's lead in the field.
About the work
What is a beat call, and how would you handle one if a police dispatcher gave you a short answer?
What they are checking: Whether they understand routine newsgathering and can stay polite and persistent when sources are brief.
How do you check that a fact is right before it goes into a story for air or the website?
What they are checking: Whether they verify with more than one source, because a wrong fact on air damages the station's trust.
What experience do you have shooting or editing video, and what would you like to get better at?
What they are checking: Whether they know their current skill level honestly and will use the internship to grow it.
How would you write the same story differently for the newscast and for the website?
What they are checking: Whether they understand that broadcast copy is written for the ear while web copy needs more detail and links.
Practice this interview out loud.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Nexstar Media.