Consumer Investigative Intern

About the Role & Program

ABC7 (WLS-TV) Chicago is the Midwest flagship of the ABC television network. ABC7 leads the market in local news coverage with daily newscasts and has held the number one position in local news since March 1986. The station's offices and studios are located in The Loop in downtown Chicago.

This internship is a part-time (18 hours per week), six-month commitment in the Chicago, Illinois area, running from January 2027 to June 2027.

What You Will Do

Our Consumer Investigative Unit of the I-Team responds to viewers who need help or feel they have been ripped off or wronged. The team looks for patterns of complaints against certain companies to warn other viewers. We also alert viewers to data and privacy concerns and uncover stories with broad warnings that can improve people's everyday lives.

Beyond responding to viewers, the team proactively digs for stories through research and the use of the Freedom of Information Act to uncover wrongdoing and problems affecting consumers' pocketbooks.

The role of an intern in the Consumer division of the I-Team department includes:

• Assisting the investigative reporter and producer with stories by researching and following up on hotline calls and emails.
• Attending field shoots and interviews.
• Sitting in on editing of segments.
• Logging interviews using Dalet.
• Setting up interviews and helping find digital original stories.
• Submitting Freedom of Information Act requests for data.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Experience in journalism (print and/or broadcast), television news, new media production, or news script writing through coursework, student media, or internships.
• Experience communicating professionally via phone and email while accurately documenting information.
• Demonstrated ability to research and develop story leads.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience evaluating stories for investigation.

Education

• Junior or Senior year preferred.

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information

Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements:

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree and taking at least one class at the time of application, OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship.
• Current Disney Interns, College, International, or Culinary Program Participants may only work for ONE consecutive year (12 months) in any combination of an internship and/or program.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Possess unrestricted work authorization.

Additional Information

• Able to have a consistent, reliable work schedule throughout the internship.
• Fully available from January 2027 through June 2027.
• All candidates must be willing to work 18 hours per week for the duration of the internship during the business week, Monday through Friday.
• Able to provide own housing for the duration of the internship program in the Chicago, IL area.
• Able to provide/have reliable transportation to/from work in the Chicago, IL area.

Materials Required

A portfolio review is required for this position. For full consideration, please include a link to your portfolio on your résumé. Applications without a portfolio link on the résumé will not be considered a completed application packet and may not be fully considered for the position. Please visit our support site for additional information.

The pay rate for this role in Illinois is $20.00 per hour. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.