My name is Deana Korsunsky and I am a fourth year, studying English Cultural Studies. I chose this program because I love to read and analyze literature, as well as study film and other media. I am endlessly fascinated by the way people can manipulate words to be sentences, to be arguments, to be literary or visual works. I want to build a career that involves entertainment, media, and writing, whether that be entertainment journalism or entertainment marketing.
I was drawn to Muddhouse Media’s internship program because I wanted experience in the entertainment industry. Previously, my resume was rich with marketing and advertising positions, so I wanted to diversify my skill sets by working in a slightly different industry. The ongoing pandemic, unfortunately, halted production for many entertainment mediums. Muddhouse Media, however, is a podcast network, an industry that arguably thrives when people sit at home (or in their cars). I wanted to join Muddhouse because I wanted experience marketing for entertainment purposes, and to be able to expand my written portfolio. I am not currently receiving credit for this internship.
Muddhouse Media is a start-up podcast network. It markets a diverse series of podcasts, with genres that include comedy, true crime, sports, cooking, and science. Hosts include former World Series champion Kevin Youkilis, Top Chef contestant Tanya Holland, journalists Melissa McCarty and Kelly McLear, and many more. Muddhouse’s mission is to bring together creative minds, experts in their fields, and gifted storytellers to share stories to their audiences. Muddhouse Media is each podcast show’s principal marketing agency. Its job is to sell each show’s brand to audiences, and to promote its content.
Something that I really appreciated about my internship was my freedom to choose what responsibilities I wished to have. For example, as part of my cover letter to my future supervisor, I noted that Muddhouse does not have a blog for their website. I offered up my services to start one, and to pitch and write articles for it. I got hired, and started building a blog from scratch! I even created a guide for future interns on how to write and post blogs, and got to edit another writer’s drafts. The process includes multiple steps: pitching an idea, researching the topic, drafting, editing, and then posting. I created several blog categories such as “show overview” or “Q&A with Hosts.”
In addition to building the company blog, I also started the intern research initiative. My previous internships have taught me that the key to marketing is researching the product, the competition, and the target audience, so I suggested to my supervisor that I do just that. I created documents in our company folder about podcast trends, genre preferences amongst different demographics, and useful marketing tips that Muddhouse could implement.
A huge highlight of my internship was meeting (over Zoom) two podcast hosts, Kelly McLear and Melissa McCarty. Kelly and Melissa host Killer Genes and Was It Murder, two true crime shows by Muddhouse Media. As part of my blog duties, I wrote down some interview questions for the hosts, and drafted blog posts for them. It was an incredible honor to meet two female journalists whom I really admire. I got to listen to their stories, their motivations, and their passions about their careers. Another highlight was meeting the co-founders of Muddhouse, Kris Meyer and Mark Carey. Kris is a former Hollywood producer and CEO of Muddhouse, while Carey is an executive producer and Creative Director at Muddhouse. Both Kris and Mark were incredibly enthusiastic about the internship program, and made me feel like the company genuinely cared about me and my success.
I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to intern at Muddhouse Media, and believe that it will guide my success, education path, and future career. Muddhouse allowed me to have a foot in the door in the entertainment industry, not only with a line on my resume, but also with valuable connections from my superiors and podcast hosts. Additionally, my Muddhouse experience supplemented my education very well, allowing me to actually put into action my writing, researching, and analysis skills.
The funding that I received through the Arts Student Employment Fund (ASEF) allowed me to buy myself groceries and sustain myself, as well as to feel like my hard work was appreciated. Because Muddhouse Media is a start-up it is currently not paying its interns. Receiving an award from my university was incredibly meaningful to me because it reminded me that my hard work is recognized and rewarded.
I will admit, working remotely at first was an absolute nightmare. I was worried that the entire pandemic summer would take a toll on the quality of my work, but soon realized this would not be the case. The trick, I learned, was to keep a clean and cozy work space in my living space, and to separate that from the space I use to relax and destress. Additionally, taking breaks to go outside or even perform menial tasks gave my work day some variety and oddly enough, more impressions of stability.
I want to thank the Arts Internship Office and the Arts Student Employment Fund for generously awarding me funding this summer. I was scared that the pandemic would not only halt my resume development, but also my income. It is incredibly comforting to know that my university stands with me, and supports me in my endeavors.
