News Director

Title: News Director

Location: Ketchikan, AK, United States

Work Type: Remote
Time Type: Full time
Job Type: Employee
Category: Reporting

Job Description:

KRBD Ketchikan is seeking a news director to lead our southern Southeast Alaska news coverage. The news director is the leader, manager, and chief editor of the KRBD newsroom, overseeing news staff, story output, and journalistic standards.

About the Position

You are responsible for editorial supervision, coordination, development, and implementation of KRBD news content, including over-the-air and online. You report directly to the general manager. You will cover a wide range of community-focused news stories. Your work will help fulfill our public service journalism mission of delivering news whether it is fisheries, forestry, local government, education, or in-depth enterprise stories. We strive to keep our community informed, engaged, and enlightened.

Our ideal candidate has strong management skills and the ability to produce high-quality news and public affairs programming. Someone curious by nature, innovative, creative, collaborative, and solutions-oriented with the ability to see the big picture while juggling multiple tasks. We do not have a story quota in our newsroom but you must have excellent time management skills and comfort writing and producing on daily deadlines.

Core Responsibilities

● Report, assign, develop, and edit stories while cultivating reporters' story ideas

● Collaborate with news directors and reporters across Alaska to cover regional stories with statewide significance

● Plan and host news broadcasts, special events, assembly meetings, call-ins, live streams, and other news coverage as needed

● Update and manage web-based news content

● Share news content with the wider Alaska Public Media network

● Create, edit, and distribute a monthly news digest email newsletter

● Assist staff, volunteers, and the public as needed in a professional and collaborative manner

Qualifications

● A Bachelor's degree in journalism or a related field, or equivalent experience in radio journalism

● A minimum of two years experience reporting in a newsroom

● Strong judgment and understanding of journalistic standards, practices, and ethics are required

● Desire to tell audio stories for diverse communities

● Previous supervisory experience preferred

● Demonstrated skills in radio including solid writing, interviewing, production/editing, and photography

● Knowledge of Alaska and local issues, interests, and trends preferred

● Ability to work under deadline pressure with minimal supervision

● Exceptional organizational and time management skills

The Station and the Community

KRBD-FM has a strong commitment to local news, cultural outreach, and inclusive programming. We serve southern Southeast Alaska island communities on Revillagigedo, Prince of Wales, and Annette Islands with a total population of about 18,000 people. The station is in Ketchikan, a community known for its interesting history, thriving arts scene, and diverse culture. Ketchikan is a regional hub for other rural communities and a cruise tourism hotspot with daily direct flights to Seattle. Situated in the Tongass National Forest it is a fairly remote and wild place, with mild temperatures and significant annual rainfall.

Deadline: Open until filled and screening applications immediately. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply right away.

Salary: Range D, $55,022 to $63,695 annually, depending on experience, with a competitive benefit plan.

The news director position is a salaried, exempt position with health care benefits, paid sick leave, and paid vacation leave. KRBD contributes to the 403(b) retirement plan for all employees participating in the program. KRBD observes 11 work holidays throughout the year as well as three floating holidays.

KRBD broadcasts from the traditional lands of the Saanya Kwáan and Taant'á Kwáan. KRBD is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building a culturally sensitive staff and creating a working environment of respect and a sense of belonging.