An Interview with a Student Working the Olympics at CBC

Name: Alice Zhang
Age: 20
Program/Year: Second-year RTA School of Media: Media Production with a concentration in Television & Video
Favourite Olympic Sport: Figure Skating

In my position as a Program Assistant, I work specifically in the branded content department. Our team is responsible for overlooking and managing branded clips, like features or promos, from our list of sponsors after they have been broadcasted.

There are four shifts per day, and each assistant is responsible for one so that we remain familiar with the shows broadcasted during that time slot. My specific shift is the overnight one, from 1 a.m.-9 a.m. We are working remotely right now. We have a running team chat that I check first thing when signing on for my shift as the person who worked before me will describe any problems or work leftover to do. With the nature of the Olympics schedule, it is non-stop and so it is important that we are quick and efficient with our work so that there isn't any backlog.

Initially, the work was really intimidating, but once you do it a few times it really isn’t so hard! A program assistant role can help get your foot into the door of the industry.

I always thought that networking was only for business students, but it’s really for any industry. I first talked to my multi-camera professor at the end of last semester. I was interested in multi-camera broadcasting, and he was working in the industry in the sports field. In the Media Production program, we don’t get a lot of interaction with sports content, so I was curious to know what the day-to-day looked like in that area of the industry. He referred me to a past student of his who recently graduated and now works in sports media. It was interesting to hear the perspective of a recent graduate in the industry, especially with the shift to remote work due to COVID. I told her that sports media was of interest to me, and in turn she let me know that around this time of year CBC hires many students to work in program assistant or production assistant roles for the Olympics. She gave me the hiring manager’s contact information, and I thought that it was too late to sign on to this position, but still reached out. When I got on a call with him, I ended up landing this opportunity!

I think with my program specifically, students shouldn’t be scared to try different paths that they may not be familiar with —I had no previous experience with multi-camera work aside from a few volunteer positions or course work. Then, find opportunities with what you like. 

Also, don’t be afraid to talk to your professors on a more personal level. One really great thing about Media Production professors is that a lot of them are working in the industry, and are aware of ongoing opportunities. You hear this a lot, but it’s true that the folks in your classroom, including your professors, are one day going to be the people that you work for or work with. So make sure that your name is known, and let them know what you are passionate about.

The biggest challenge for this position is the overnight shift. When balancing school and extracurricular activities, a lot of my day was already taken up, so I decided to take the overnight hours. It is a major adjustment, and to be honest it is a great learning experience for me. In television and broadcasting, this is often the norm, so it is a good way of seeing if this is a lifestyle that I can maintain. It is a challenge, but what helps is setting strict guidelines within my schedule. When it comes to my sleeping schedule, I turn all of my technology off at 5 p.m., and communicate with people that I cannot keep in touch after that time. I do have a hard time keeping track of what day it is because they seem to blend together, so I find that keeping a physical to-do list helps me keep track of my tasks.

With online learning, the Media Production professors have put a lot of care into giving us the best learning experience online. The Media Production program is also so diverse in that we’re shown every possible thing that we can do, and then we can choose how to streamline the program for ourselves. I never thought of multi-cam as a possible career for me, but I tried it and loved it! Being a part of the Media Production program gives me the opportunity to explore while not being afraid to mess up. Other complementary courses also add on to the experience: communication classes, the Business of Producing, scriptwriting courses... they all set you up for success in an industry role.

The idea that I can be a part of the CBC during the Olympics is just so cool. I never thought that I could take on an industry role so soon in my academic career. It was also very exciting to tell my dad about the job. He’s from Beijing, so to tell him that I’m working the Beijing Olympics was really nice. It has been really amazing to be part of such a major corporation and to see that no matter the role, it has an effect on the work of the whole team. I like to know that I’m applying my Media Production skills to be a part of the Olympic process and  to accomplish a childhood dream. I’m glad that even if I don’t go into broadcasting as a career I can at least share with friends and family that I was able to have this opportunity.