Job Description

External Applicants

Please ensure all required documents are ready to upload before beginning your application, including your resume, cover letter, and any additional materials specified in the job description.

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Job Description Summary

WFDD is looking for an early-career reporter to cover general assignment stories across a 32-county region while beginning to develop a beat.

In this role, you'll report for daily newscasts, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, while also working on longer-form features. You'll be expected to build sources, stay on top of local and regional issues, and monitor news and social media to identify stories that matter to our audience.

You'll work closely with editors and more experienced reporters, but you'll also be expected to manage your own time, move stories forward, and meet deadlines with limited supervision.

This position is not eligible for sponsorship of non-immigrant or immigrant visa status through Wake Forest University. All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply.

Essential Functions

• News Gathering: Monitor news sources, attend press conferences, and conduct interviews to gather information and develop story ideas on the topics that are of relevance to the WFDD audience. As a Reporter I, you are expected to keep the News Director, and Editorial Director aware of any developments in your beat that might be of interest. Reporters are expected to work on two or three stories simultaneously.
• Reporting: Research, write, and produce news reports for broadcast during Morning Edition, All Things Considered and the hourly newscasts, adhering to established journalistic guidelines and deadlines.
• Interviewing: Conduct interviews with sources, experts and community members to gather insights, perspectives and quotes for news stories, ensuring accuracy, balance and fairness in reporting.
• Story Development: Pitch story ideas to the Editorial Director, develop angles, and outline story plans to provide depth and context to news coverage, contributing to the station’s editorial goals and priorities. As appropriate, post stories to NCPRA.
• Editing and Fact-Checking: Review and edit news scripts for clarity, accuracy, and adherence to style guidelines, collaborating with editors and senior reporters to ensure the quality of reporting.
• Multimedia Content: Contribute to the production of multimedia content, including audio recordings, photographs, and digital assets, to enhance news stories and engage the audience across platforms. Utilize available social media channels to engage with the audience as the stories are being developed.
• Community Engagement: Engage with the community to identify story ideas, gather feedback, and build relationships with sources, stakeholders, and listeners, representing the station professionally at public events and meetings.
• Professional Development: Stay informed about current events, trends, and best practices in journalism through training, workshops, and networking opportunities, seeking to improve skills and expand knowledge in the field.
• Breaking News: Cover events/breaking news outside of the regular schedule as needed.

Other Functions

• Undertakes special projects and assignments as required.
• Participate in station fundraising, both on and off the air.
• Collaborates with other departments that support the Content Division.
• Anchor newscasts or host on-air programs, as needed.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• A four-year degree or equivalent is required and at least one year of professional experience in journalism or equivalent experience.
• Must have experience in news gathering, writing, editing and radio and web production for short-form and long-form reports.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a live broadcast environment.
• Displays knowledge of and adherence to high ethical and audio/work standards.
• Possesses effective communication and interpersonal skills. Must have excellent grammar and spelling skills.
• Must have excellent memory for details, be able to meet daily deadlines under pressure and deal effectively with simultaneous tasks.
• Ability to travel, as required.
• Valid driver’s license with good driving record. Must be insurable.
• Skills required also include online research, word processing, digital editing, basic photography, and operation of light office equipment. Must show experience in posting information to a content management system for website publishing and posting to social media sites.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Familiarity with public radio news programming.
• Possesses broad knowledge of local and regional issues — and/or depth of knowledge in beat specialty.
• A track record of network story contributions.
• Ability to learn quickly and be flexible.
• Ability to work well both independently and in a small group.
• Ability to lift light equipment (approximately 5-10 pounds).
• Ability to always present and display professional demeanor.
• Ability to meet the requirements of the University’s automobile insurance, including valid driver license.

Accountabilities

• Responsible for own work only.

Physical Requirements

• Sedentary work primarily involves sitting/standing; communicating with others to exchange information; repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers; and assessing the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned.

Environmental Conditions

• No environmental conditions

Additional Job Description

Time Type Requirement

Full time

Note to Applicant

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and military or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact AskHR@wfu.edu or (336) 758-4700.

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