News Director – Local Journalism Leadership Role

Civic Media Inc•Madison, WI

10d

About The Position

The News Director will lead a team of local reporters tasked with keeping their communities updated on breaking news and stories of significance. The ideal News Director is plugged into a variety of news sources and is a sharp, curious, hard-working person who is excited by new technology together with the power of radio, ready to lead the growth of an evolving team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, or related field preferred
3+ years of experience managing in a news environment
5+ years of experience working covering news and using strong news judgment
5+ years of experience in production and/or creative direction
Deep understanding of the purpose and mission of local media
Proven track record editing stories and working with staff to grow and develop
Strong understanding of content creation principles, editing, and distribution techniques that will aid in the promotion of the News Team’s best work
Demonstrated professional experience in editing and producing audio stories and in writing and/or editing news articles for print/web publication
Experience with social media platforms, and community engagement tools preferred

Responsibilities

Coach and mentor a team of news reporters, encouraging them to excel as journalists and seek professional development opportunities.
Switch seamlessly between editing radio and web copy on a daily basis, ensuring that advice is consistent among reporters, while maintaining standards of ethics as well as quality
Provide constructive, clear edits with “writing for the ear” top of mind for radio stories; prioritize live reads and conversational tone for radio copy, and give feedback on stories in a timely fashion before broadcast or digital publication. Ensure that digital stories are well constructed, appealing and posted quickly.
Participate in rotating on-air anchoring shifts, including evening and weekend coverage, as needed
Create, maintain, and execute coverage plans for breaking news and ongoing coverage
Take initiative and demonstrate leadership on Specials, series, and projects from idea to execution with a collaborative vision
Develop and oversee the editorial focus of the newsroom in collaboration with the news team, staying on alert and demonstrating curiosity for story opportunities
Support the news team as they regularly pitch and execute stories for local, regional and state-wide reach
Participate in the execution of a content distribution strategy to include broadcast, digital, podcast, and social media, addressing local, regional, and state-wide audiences
Attend major station events, regularly participate in on-air membership drives, and support grant writing/reporting as needed
Represent the News Team at staff meetings
Manage freelancers and interns
Confers and collaborates with the Content Team on what topics are appropriate to pursue.
Maintain a close working relationship with the Digital Team
The company reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.