How to break into the business... the old fashioned way

So, my passion in life is television.

Not only am I passionate about watching it (hey, who needs sleep?!) but I want to work in it. I want to get into the nitty gritty, production work, deal with the lame actors, read the scripts, and make the magic happen.

Even if it means working as a production assistant for a reality show (Nanny 911...)

Even if it means working as an intern for an outrageous talk show (The Maury Show?)

With the stars in my eyes from reading all the wonderful internship descriptions on network websites (example below*), it was a little hard for me to accept that yes, I will have to start out by working on shows that I snub on a regular basis. Hopefully that will impress my future employers.


* This is the description of one of NBC's corporate internships:
Program Standards & Compliance
Intern's function: Assist in reviewing and monitoring all East Coast based shows (aka watch lots and lots of TV)for content with an eye toward standards; making notes on content and compliance. Will gather audience feedback on all shows (talk to people about TV) and keep VP and Sr. Director (get to know management)apprised of ratings and press. Will also help in implementing and tracking TV parental guideline ratings and advisories for all shows.