ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR - WBKO
About The Position
WBKO News, South Central Kentucky’s #1 news station, is seeking an experienced, innovative Assistant News Director to help lead daily newsroom operations and drive a winning multi-platform news strategy. This leadership role manages reporter assignments, coordinates breaking news coverage, fills in where needed, coaches and provides feedback to journalists, supports digital publishing, and partners with the News Director on special projects. Ideal candidates are organized, detail-oriented newsroom leaders with experience in broadcast journalism, editorial planning, producing, digital coverage, reporting, and team development.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Mass Communications, or a related field required.
- At least 3 years of newsroom leadership experience, such as Executive Producer, Managing Editor, or Assistant News Director.
- Strong news judgment, writing, storytelling, journalism ethics, and editorial decision-making skills.
- Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop a diverse team of journalists.
- Knowledge of digital-first content strategy, current social platforms, and multi-platform distribution.
- Familiarity with ENPS or other rundown systems, digital CMS platforms, live production, field workflows, and modern video formats.
- Strong organizational, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to pass an MVR check required.
Responsibilities
- Help lead daily editorial coverage across broadcast, streaming, web, mobile, and social platforms.
- Coach, mentor, and develop producers, anchors, reporters, and newsroom staff.
- Partner with producers to improve rundowns, writing, showcasing, and overall newscast quality.
- Review scripts, rundowns, and digital content for accuracy, fairness, clarity, tone, and audience impact.
- Coordinate breaking news, severe weather, and major-event coverage across all platforms.
- Support the First Alert brand through timely, trusted weather and safety coverage.
- Collaborate with the Digital Content Manager to deliver urgent news quickly and effectively.
- Promote platform-specific storytelling for TV, streaming, digital, mobile, and social audiences.
- Work with newsroom leadership on future planning, audience growth, station priorities, and coverage strategy.
- Maintain high editorial standards while fostering a supportive, accountable, creative newsroom culture.
- Communicate clearly and calmly in fast-paced, high-pressure situations.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
