A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of getting to attend the Turner Voices Youth Media Institute at Turner Broadcasting thanks to 21st Century Leaders. I spent a week getting to learn the ins and outs of Turner Broadcasting, from the company as a whole, to CNN, to TBS, to Turner Sports, to Cartoon Network, I learned everything there is to know about Turner Broadcasting (or as much as one can learn about anything in a week).
This week was a week chock-full of lectures, workshops, and group projects. This week provided extensive leadership training as well as an intensive look at the fields of media and journalism, which resulted in a week I will never forget.
The first full day of the program focused primarily on Turner Broadcasting as a whole. We learned about the formation of Turner Broadcasting under Ted Turner and the company's history. We also learned all about how Turner Broadcasting makes money, through a combination of advertising and sales to cable packages. We also learned that the greatest threat to companies like Turner Broadcasting were streaming services such as the much beloved Netflix and Amazon Prime. Services like these effectively steal viewers away with their enticing add-free content at a much cheaper price. While I did learn to appreciate Turner Broadcasting more this week, I don't think I will cancel my Netflix subscription just yet.
The second full day was actually the most impactful day for me; it was CNN day. We got an overview of CNN at first and learned how it operated. We learned how news is gathered and about the sheer amount of work and quick-thinking necessary to get just one hour of programming on the air. We also were lucky enough to get some behind the scene looks at the offices of CNN and the control room.
Next, we had an interactive seminar on ethics in journalism. I'm a sucker for any discussion on ethics, and this one had me hooked. We got to discuss as a group what actions CNN should take in a rapidly escalating situation involving terrorists, Bin Laden, poison gas, and the CIA's most successful spy ever. The seminar really caused me to question my beliefs on the nature of the government's role in journalism and where the journalistic obligation to inform the public begins and ends.
I also had the pleasure to take part in a Q&A with Carl Azuz, the anchor for CNN Student News. CNN Student News is CNN's branch dedicated to appealing to Middle and High school students by offering in-depth explanations for a variety of topics. Mr. Azuz also writes for and helps to direct and produce the show, a truly wide-reaching and rewarding job. It was fascinating to hear his story and how he rose to his position.
Something about CNN really re-lit a fire in my mind, a desire I have had for a while, to become a journalist. This was a fire initially lit by the book, The Laundry News by Andrew Clements back in third grade, a fire kindled more recently by the film, Spotlight. Something about CNN made me seriously consider pursuing journalism. I fell in love with their aim to truly "Go There" with there reporting and their dedication to crafting a story around every news article. I love story-telling, and CNN seems like it could be the perfect place to pursue that love in a supportive and financially-secure environment. Also, who wouldn't want to be Anderson Cooper?
The next day, we learned about entertainment at Turner, and the programming development that goes behind shows at TNT and TBS. As a dedicated lover of television, it was really interesting to get a behind the behind the scenes look at television. It was especially fascinating as I would love to get into television, maybe even running my own show. We also learned about Turner Sports, which turned out to be way more interesting than I expected. We had a fascinating panel on Sports in the Digital Age, which quickly shifted from a simple talk on Sports to an in depth conversation on the quickly changing digital sphere. We also learned about the epitome of Sports in the Digital Age: Esports. We got to learn from Turner's Vice President of Esports about Turner's new venture into the world of competitive gaming: ELeague. It was really interesting to see how Turner is adapting to face the future, and we also got to visit the set for Turner Classic Movies, fulfilling a number of dreams at once.
That night, we had our leadership dinner, and we got to meet with several executives from throughout Turner. I had the privilege to get to dine with Pola Changnon, the Vice President, Brand Creative Director at Turner Classic Movies. It was amazing to learn about her journey throughout Turner and to get to pick her brain about great classic movies and share in our love of Gene Kelley and Singin' In the Rain.
On the final full day, we got to learn all about Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, Turner's animation stations. We talked to Michael Ouweleen, the chief marketing officer for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and Boomerang, and we learned how the animation side of Turner works. We also got to tour studios and talk to different departments, culminating in a Technology Petting Zoo.
However, throughout the week, we were also working on group projects designed to address various issues Turner is facing. My group was tasked with designing an app or game to increase viewership of any Turner property. It took us a little while to get set on a vision, but after a lengthy deliberation, we decided on an integrative app to pair with ELeague. We hit a few potholes along the way, but my group worked really hard and we each brought out the best from each other. The project culminated on the final day, in which we had to present our idea to a board of Turner executives. The project really required us to hone in our critical thinking skills to find a practical solution to a complex problem, while challenging our leadership and teamwork skills, as well as requiring a professional-quality presentation. We were surprised and thrilled to win at the ceremony later that day; it's too bad we all sold away our right to Intellectual Property for the week when we signed up, though.
But perhaps the most enjoyable parts of the week were the quiet moments, the ones spent late at night, talking with my suite-mates, the ones spent laughing with my friends over various meals, the ones spent just hanging out while pretending to be participating in a variety of ridiculous camp games. I met students from all over Georgia, from a variety of different backgrounds, and we were all brought together with one common interest: to learn and grow as leaders. I got to meet up with old friends and meet brand new ones. I met future politicians, future lawyers, future scientists, future journalists, and, most importantly, future leaders. Maybe these connections, these friendships, will prove to be more valuable than a multitude of lectures, tours and workshops.
Irregardless, my week at Turner Voices Youth Media Institute was amazing. I learned so much about myself, others, and a career in media and journalism. I would strongly recommend the program to all high school students in Georgia, as well as all of the other programs available at 21st Century Leaders. This was certainly a memorable week, serving as a great reminder to keep my mind open to all of the amazing opportunities life could offer.
