Summer Check-In: Harry Glicklin ’26 Helps Produce a Live Morning Show
Glicklin, a media and communication major, is getting hands-on experience with writing, social media management, and a variety of other tasks through his internship with the WJLA-TV (ABC7 News) show “Good Morning Washington.”Friday, July 18, 2025 01:50 PM
Harry Glicklin ’26 on the set of “Good Morning Washington”Classes may not be in session, but Muhlenberg students are still hard at work — at internships and jobs, in the lab and in the field, producing creative works and engaging with their communities. Summer break is an opportunity for students to explore future pathways, unanswered questions, and avenues for impact. Discover what our students are up to this summer here.
Harry Glicklin ’26
Hometown: Burke, Virginia
Major: Media and communication (English literatures minor)
Why were you interested in this internship with the WJLA-TV (ABC7 News) show “Good Morning Washington”?
I’ve always been interested in television production, and specifically broadcast journalism. I’d done the morning announcements/news show in high school, and I wanted the opportunity to learn how it’s done at a professional level. WJLA is also extra special since I grew up watching Channel 7 News every day before school, and now I get to help make it happen for viewers like me! I also appreciate “Good Morning Washington”’s content, which is focused on spotlighting small businesses, local initiatives, and exciting moments around the world, especially during what’s often a hectic, worrisome news cycle.
What is a typical day like for you?
I typically work four hours per day. First thing in the morning is setting up for the 10 a.m. live show. This includes spell-checking scripts and graphics, ensuring our in-studio guests have a warm welcome, and preparing written articles to go on our website. If time allows, I’ll write scripts and graphics for future show segments throughout the week and sometimes research and book guests. After that, I go to the control room/studio, where I set myself up for the live show. During this time, I’ll usually grab some social media content and make any last-minute corrections to the show rundown. Then it’s showtime!
I sit in the control room for the entire show, helping with various tasks as needed. These might include behind-the-scenes photos/videos, making sure the studio is ready for camera, and helping out with the rare technical emergencies. I also use this time to take notes for the articles I started that morning. Typically, I produce two to four articles per day, depending on how many editorial segments we have.
After the show, there’s usually a post-show recording of the next day’s cold open and/or a sponsored segment, which operates similarly to live production. Then, I finish up the articles using quotes and summaries from the guests’ on-air appearances, clip the broadcast to attach the corresponding interview onto the article, and write headlines and captions. If there’s time remaining, I’ll look ahead at the next day's show and get a head start.
There are also some days when I go out on shoots! On these days, I’ll start the day the same as always, but instead of sitting in on the live show, I’m out on location with one of our hosts and a photographer for a live on-air appearance. At the shoots, I’ll help with making sure everything runs smoothly, gathering social media content, and learning.
Glicklin on assignment at Nationals Park
How have you been able to make an impact at your internship?
I think my perspective has made an impact. Not that I’m offering anything crazy different or new, but a lot of our focus is on entertainment, or what would make “good TV” — looking for segments and topics that viewers would be interested in, writing catchy scripts and articles that make people want to learn more, or focusing on uplifting stories that are already making an impact on the community. As a viewer, and generally just a second set of eyes and ears, that [perspective] is helpful. Additionally, as someone who has spent his whole life in the area that our station serves, my history and knowledge of these communities is valuable.
“I entered thinking I’d be most interested in on-camera work but have been really enjoying exploring all of the various roles and how some people are able to do multiple. … There are many ways to achieve success in the industry, and many ways to lend my talents to television. I almost have too many options now!”
How is this experience shaping your understanding of what you want to do in the future?
This experience has both solidified and challenged my ideas for the future. My internship with WJLA has made me feel comfortable in a local television setting and has actualized that goal as something achievable. However, it has blown up my ideas of exactly what I’m most interested in. Just on our one show, there is an executive producer, producer, and four hosts, all working directly on “Good Morning Washington,” as well as a director, technical director, floor manager, graphics [person], teleprompter [operator], and more who fill those roles for multiple shows. I entered thinking I’d be most interested in on-camera work but have been really enjoying exploring all of the various roles and how some people are able to do multiple. For example, the producer of our show is also one of the hosts, so she’s both on-camera and working very closely behind the scenes on the show, doing work similar to mine but on a larger scale. There are many ways to achieve success in the industry, and many ways to lend my talents to television. I almost have too many options now!
At Muhlenberg, Glicklin is the incoming WMUH station manager, the incoming managing editor for The Muhlenberg Weekly, the incoming PR manager for the Muhlenberg AcaFellas and a writing tutor. He’s also involved in the Muhlenberg Academic Review and Hillel.
