Introducing IRTS Fellow Alumnus Tevin Jones of CNN

Tevin Jones
Current Company: Research Analyst, CNN
IRTS Summer Fellow Year: 2013
IRTS Internship: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau

Has IRTS shaped your experience in the media industry? If so, how?

Simply put, yes.

IRTS provided me with affirmation that the media industry is where I belong. I became an IRTS Summer Fellow in 2013, where I was placed at the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau, under the direction of Cynthia Perkins Roberts. The job entailed multicultural marketing, exposing me to a wealth of knowledge about the consumption of media and the demographic shifts that are currently influencing the industry. IRTS allowed me to be a part of that conversation and opened the door for many others to be representatives of "the now" in media.

How did your IRTS summer internship shape your current career placement?

My summer internship at the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau played a significant role in my current career placement. While interning, there were two pivotal moments in my experience: one being the chance to network at companies such as BET and the NFL, and the other being the need to learn more about understanding audiences. These two moments intertwined as I completed my internship and attended The London School of Economics for a Master’s in Media & Communications. My primary focus was on audience development, which eventually made me a prime candidate for an opportunity within the Market Research Department at BET once the program was over. (Tevin, third from right, is pictured below with fellow BET employees and hosts of "106 & Park.")

My time at CAB created the perfect storm of purpose, opportunity and skill, which made me successful in my early career endeavors. Today, I am an employee at CNN, bringing my own perspective and talents to an amazing team of young, professional researchers.

What was your fondest moment as an IRTS Summer Fellow?

My fondest moment as an IRTS Summer Fellow was getting to know my other Fellows and creating a community of young professionals that I could rely on career-wise and personally. There were countless nights that we all spent together talking, laughing and soaking up the experience, hoping that what we were able to accomplish in that short summer would be indicative of where we saw ourselves in the future. As time has passed and that amazing summer continuously fades further and further away, those late night conversations have blossomed into everything we spoke about and more. I’m proud of everyone I met through the experience and enjoy the moments where we are able to come back together to reminisce about that amazing time in our lives.

Support the IRTS Foundation's mission to "Build Future Media Leaders" by attending the IRTS MEDIA BUYERS Newsmaker Breakfast on June 9, sponsored by Active International, CBS Corporation, Comcast-NBCUniversal, DISH Media Sales, Disney-ABC, Facebook, Google/YouTube, Nielsen, Sony and more.  

The opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet, Inc. management or associated bloggers.