News Director

Job Description

The News Director leads and manages the planning, production, and presentation
of news on-air and online, including social media sites, and through the use of new and
emerging technologies. The News Director trains, supervises, and evaluates the news
department's professional staff, interns, and student workers to ensure adherence to industry
best practices. The News Director works in cooperation with the General Manager to establish
and monitor editorial policy and ethical, artistic, and technical standards for news
programming. The News Director also participates in public events, participates in on-air and in
person fundraising events, and generally works with WVIK staff to support the station's mission.

Job Duties:

• As News Director, this person directs and coordinates all activities of the WVIK Newsroom by providing editorial oversight, assigning or approving stories, writing news copy, coordinating special coverage, monitoring news developments on a continual basis, and adhering to the highest journalistic and ethical standards. They also manage news department staff, including full and part-time employees, independent contractors, reporters, hosts, and students.
• Leads regular news staff meetings to generate plans for short and long form coverage. They will plan daily and long-range news coverage on all platforms.
• Originates and approves news story ideas and projects, and communicates these ideas and projects across the organization. Creates and maintains plans for coverage crises and breaking news, working with other station departments as needed.
• Recruits and manages news interns in coordination with General Manager and Augustana College.
• Works with the General Manager to create news department budget; manages newsroom budget throughout the year. Runs the newsroom in a professional, collegial manner. Actively seeks opportunities to collaborate with all departments, including Development, Community Engagement, and Music Director, on multi-station and multi-platform stories and initiatives.
• Gathers, reports, generates, and contributes to news and public affairs content. Works with General Manager and other relevant staff to solicit community input on news coverage priorities. Represents the WVIK Newsroom as required at board meetings and station-sponsored events outside of station. This may include candidate forums and tables at fairs and festivals.
• Works with students, interns, and entry-level employees to develop technical skills and maintain journalistic integrity.
• Regularly participates in on-air fundraising and assists with grant writing/reporting as needed.
• This person will need to host either Morning Edition or All Things Considered on a regular or occasional basis. As such, they should be capable of preparing materials for multiple hourly breaks that include local news, station information and promos, weather, community calendar items, and corporate sponsors.

Job Requirements

Education: A four-year degree in journalism, or equivalent, is a minimum requirement. Full-time professional experience in journalism, preferably radio news including radio hosting experience.

Skills & Abilities:  

• Familiarity with public radio news standards and values.
• A broad knowledge of local and regional issues would be a benefit.
• Demonstrated proficiency in electronic news gathering and audio editing, news writing, and broadcast production strongly desired.
• Must possess effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Preferred office skills include online research, word processing, and spreadsheet use, and operation of light office equipment.
• Must have excellent memory for details, be able to meet daily deadlines under stressful conditions, and deal effectively and pleasantly with multiple tasks simultaneously.
• A passion for the core values of WVIK and its news and cultural mission.

Physical Requirements:  Must be able to lift  25 pounds on a frequent basis. The ability to speak and read clearly in the English language. Also required is the ability to listen, write, climb stairs, bend, stoop, and stand for intermittently long periods of time.  Must possess or be able to acquire a valid driver's license. Must be able to work in a variety of environments for  long periods of time including radio studios and production rooms, out of doors under a variety of conditions, drive a motor vehicle, carry and manipulate broadcast recording equipment, use computers, basic office software, and standard broadcast equipment. As news events frequently occur on an unscheduled basis, the News Director must sometimes work outside of normal business hours and, at times, for long periods of time. As fill in Morning Edition host, their work could occasionally start before 5 AM.

Special Requirements:  As key personnel representing the Station & College to the community, this position requires excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to relate to a diverse audience, and the ability and willingness to model the mission and high standard of behavior of Augustana College and WVIK.  All prospective employees must pass a criminal background check.

Powered by Journalismnext