Next Gen Intern Diary: As I Begin My Internship at New York Amsterdam News, by Miracle Akubuo

On May 26, 2026, I was selected for a three-month internship with the New York Amsterdam News, a media outlet in the United States. This opportunity was made available through Campus Reporter’s Next-Gen Initiative.

Shortly after our selection, we held our first meeting with Josh Barker, the digital media editor, the NewsYork Amsterdam News team,  and other officials from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) who facilitated the internship opportunity. 

On June 6, 2026, we officially began our internship with the media outlet as social media interns. During this month, we attended several meetings with Mr Barker, who trained us on how to use the Social News Desk, an application used for sharing social media posts. He also took us through the organisation’s social media pages.

In the first month, I pitched and wrote an article on how the proliferation of social media fuels misinformation and worsens Nigeria’s security crisis. In this report, I explored how misinformation on social media is worsening Nigeria’s security crisis. I analysed how this trend is evolving and also spoke with experts who offered insights into ways to address the issue.

The internship has expanded my knowledge beyond writing articles to understanding how social media operates. This opportunity has been both exciting and rewarding, and I hope to gain more knowledge as the journey continues.

I look forward to continuing my learning journey, and I am also grateful to the management of the CJID and the Campus Reporter for this opportunity.