Update: PRIME TIME!

My official schedule is in: I work this Saturday to next Wednesday, 4 p.m. to midnight. 

PRIME TIME.

Working as an office assistant during prime-time of the RNC, I’ll essentially be the resident serf of any and all reporters working for the Associated Press. My total shot in the dark guess is my responsibilities will range from quickly obtaining the name of the president of Nepal to fetching coffee–all with the utmost speed. These reporters are going to be working with ridiculous deadlines. Obscene deadlines. I will be exposed to the actual newsroom atmosphere; the grind of one of the world’s largest news-gathering organizations.

Needless to say, the day is fast approaching that I suit-up and take the convention by storm. More updates to come as more details are available.

There’s no fighting in the war room!

 

The War Room

 

The work has begun. Above is a picture of the AP nerve center. The guts of the operation, this is what I have to protect. This basically means I am a glorified steward who has to make sure nobody walks in accidently steals a plasma TV. During the convention, this room will be nothing short of a chaotic mess. There is sure to be fighting in this war room. I can’t wait.

To update how I actually got in: It was just about as bad as I anticipated. It took two hours to finally get my credential, but I got it. This involved anywhere between 5 and 25 phone calls to people who may or may not have been in the same time zone, all in an effort to work my way up (in most cases sideways) the phone tree. Once in communication with people who actually knew what was going on and vaguely understood who I was, or at least pretended to know, I got my credential. Hard fought battle. Joe-1 AP-0.

 

Inside the Xcel Center

 

This is currently what the inside of the Xcel Center looks like. Still very rough around the edges, but most of the infrastructure is up and running. It is the weekend so there is much less activity than usual. I’m told during the week you can’t even count the people working inside.

More updates to come today, including possible interviews. I have an outside internet connection. Yesterday, I couldn’t access the web because I would be using the AP hard line. Supposedly they don’t want non-reporter intern-types to be able to access the inner-workings of the Associated Press network.

Weird.

Biggest Question: How do I get in?

I have always known that the path to becoming a journalist would be difficult, and challenges would arise. Like any other college-aged rising professional, I have always assumed these problems will be swept aside with my cunning and deft problem solving ability. Then I came to my current problem.

My work for the Associated Press begins tomorrow in downtown St. Paul, and I could not be more excited. However, one thing has me a bit worried: I have no idea how to get inside the convention. 

I don’t think, judging by the assumed presence of well-dressed armed guards sporting intimidating sunglasses, they will let me waltz to the front door and mosey on to my destination. I don’t even have a credential. 

Never fear–I am armed with phone numbers and names of people that should allow access. Basically a glorified open sesame. Should be an interesting morning.

The Assignment

My job is in: Occupy the Associated Press tent/area/territory in the Xcel center the weekend of the 23rd. While I do have my assignment, I do not have any credentials or any clue as to what I will actually be doing. Or if this is my only assignment. In reality, I’m pretty much clueless. So much for being part of an all-knowing 24-7 news agency.

More news to share when it is available.

The Blogging Begins

As a student at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC), I frequently receive emails that give notice to events and opportunities related to the journalism field. One of these emails paved the way to the opportunity I have now–working for the Associated Press inside the Republican National Convention (RNC) in St. Paul, Minnesota.

I am completely clueless as to what I will be doing. My paperwork is most likely being processed in some manner as I write. Once this process is complete and the NSA or CIA is certain I am no danger to the democratic process, I should receive some sort of assignment. Most likely I will function as a photography runner or office assistant. 

At the very least, being inside the Xcel Center during this event will be an experience not soon forgotten. Exposure to mass media at this stage will certainly shape how I view the purpose and function of news agencies–if not how I am cut out to function within the organizations themselves. 

So now begins the semi-daily, and eventually daily or even hourly blogging of the duties, tribulations and triumphs of a low-level intern at the Republican National Convention for the Associated Press.