Story Desk Editor

TEGNA Inc. • Toledo, OH

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) helps people thrive in their local communities by providing the trusted local news and services that matter most. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA reaches more than 100 million people monthly across the web, mobile apps, streaming, and linear television. Together, we are building a sustainable future for local news.
WTOL 11, the TEGNA-owned CBS affiliate in Toledo, Ohio, is evolving how we plan, produce and distribute local journalism—and we’re looking for a morning Story Desk Editor to help lead that work during our early-day coverage.

This hybrid role combines the strengths of an assignment editor and a digital content producer, serving as a central hub for morning news operations. The Story Desk Editor helps drive editorial decisions in the early hours, setting the agenda for breaking news, digital publishing and broadcast coverage throughout the day.

Role summary

The Story Desk Editor is part of WTOL 11’s Story Management Desk (SMD), a unified desk that replaces traditional assignment and digital silos. In this morning-focused role, you will be responsible for coordinating coverage during the earliest hours of the news cycle, when overnight developments, breaking news and fast decision-making are critical.

You will help lead coverage during morning breaking news, shape early-day story planning, and ensure content is published quickly and accurately across platforms. You’ll collaborate closely with morning producers, MSJs, photojournalists and digital teams to deliver timely, relevant journalism that serves our community.

This position requires strong editorial judgment, the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, and comfort making decisions during early hours with limited resources.

Requirements

• 1–3 years of experience in a local newsroom, digital production role, or related journalism position
• Strong news judgment and the ability to make fast, sound editorial decisions—especially during early hours
• Excellent writing and editing skills, with attention to accuracy and clarity under deadline pressure
• Familiarity with newsroom systems and CMS tools
• Comfort working across multiple platforms, including digital, social and video
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities in a deadline-driven environment
• Willingness to work early morning shifts, including weekends and holidays as assigned
• A collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset
• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or equivalent experience

Responsibilities

• Lead and communicate newsroom coverage during early morning and breaking news, ensuring accuracy, urgency and balance
• Monitor overnight developments, scanners, weather and social platforms to identify emerging stories
• Shape morning editorial priorities and help set the daily news agenda
• Coordinate newsroom logistics and provide editorial guidance to MSJs, producers and photojournalists during morning hours
• Edit reporter content for accuracy, clarity, AP style, fairness, ethics and digital best practices
• Create, edit and publish content for digital platforms, including the website, mobile app and streaming products, with an emphasis on early publishing and timely updates
• Curate and optimize content for broadcast, digital, streaming and social throughout the morning
• Support vertical video and social storytelling, including: Identifying stories well-suited for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and other vertical formats Writing and editing compelling vertical video headlines, descriptions and captions for morning publication Assisting reporters and producers with framing and pacing for short-form video Helping repurpose breaking and morning enterprise stories into vertical formats
• Enhance storytelling with creative elements such as video, graphics, maps and audience-submitted content
• Use audience and performance metrics to guide decisions and improve reach, particularly during peak morning consumption
• Communicate clearly with daypart managers and newsroom leadership to ensure a smooth handoff from morning to later shifts
• Uphold TEGNA’s journalistic standards and WTOL 11’s commitment to ethical, community-focused journalism across all platforms

Benefits

• TEGNA offers comprehensive benefits designed to safeguard the physical, mental and financial health of our employees and their families. TEGNA offers two medical plan options for full and part-time employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, as well as access to dental and eye care coverage; fertility, surrogacy and adoption assistance; disability and life insurance.
• Our 401(k) program offers full, part-time and temporary employees the opportunity to contribute 1% - 80% of their pay on a pre-tax basis to TEGNA’s 401(k). Contributions made up to the first 4% of pay are eligible for a 100% match from the company and are 100% vested from day one.
• Regardless of participation in TEGNA medical plans, ALL employees and their eligible family members receive nine free virtual doctor’s appointments with a physician through Teladoc, and 12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health.
• TEGNA offers a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit as well as nine paid holidays per year.
• Some jobs are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and thus some or all of the benefits described herein may not apply. For example, some newsroom bargaining unit employees receive health and retirement benefits under plans administered by the union.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees