NEW YORK | For nearly a century, Americans have turned to NBC as a trusted source of news and entertainment. Just days before the US midterm elections, 17 New York City Seeds got an insider’s peek into the very heart of that company’s storied headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
The November 3 tour of NBC Studios was led by Matt Devine, a 2014-15 Camp counselor and member of the Seeds of Peace Global Leadership Council. Matt works as an editor for NBC News, where he coordinates breaking news coverage and domestic news-gathering efforts for The Today Show, Nightly News with Lester Holt, and MSNBC programming.
The behind-the-scenes tour included a visit to the MSNBC newsroom, as well as the studios of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Saturday Night Live, where the group happened upon SNL cast members Aidy Bryant and Pete Davidson rehearsing for that night’s performance.
“It was especially fascinating to learn about how the newsroom goes from hearing about a story from Twitter and other sources to broadcasting news, often in just a few hours,” said Owen, a 2017 Seed.
“Listening to Matt talk about the decisions he and others make during this process, about what gets covered and what does not, made me understand the tremendous responsibility of news organizations to cover the events that they believe are most important to society. This made me think a lot about the distinction between news and entertainment, and what, as Matt asked, is the purpose of the media and acquiring news.”
Afterward, the Seeds had a chance to ask questions about Matt’s role at NBC, as well as to discuss various aspects of journalism: the purpose of news; how decisions are made regarding what stories to cover; and how an event goes from happening in real time, to being reported on the air.
“It felt like we were in the middle of where the magic happens, surrounded by such important people making such important decisions that impact so much of our country’s culture and political outlook,” said Violet, a 2018 Seed.
“Especially three days before the election, it was incredible to be at the center of where a lot of our country looks to for guidance and information.”
And while several of the Seeds in attendance had already been considering careers in journalism, the event sparked a new interest for at least one other.
“I am inspired by Matt’s job and will definitely take classes in college around journalism and news and media after doing this visit,” said Lana, a 2017 Seed.
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