News Director

KVPR is seeking a news director to lead the station’s trusted, award-winning news department located in Central California. The ideal candidate is a veteran journalist with a track record of excellence, proven leadership skills and a commitment to editorial ethics. Applicants should bring with them experience in broadcast, podcast, print or digital platforms. Candidates should be ready to use their skills and experience to support and inspire a talented team of reporters and help develop their coverage of both enterprise and daily news content. We are looking for a candidate who can excel while bringing out the best in others. Curiosity, outstanding news awareness and judgement, plus the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, are essential skills for this job. The ideal candidate is also someone who excels in a collaborative environment, both within the organization and through projects with editorial partners in the public media system and beyond. Applicants should also bring with them familiarity with creative approaches to audio storytelling, and the ability to apply those skills to broadcast, podcast and other digital content. Investigative or data journalism experience is welcomed. This position is based at KVPR’s broadcast center in Clovis, California. This is an at-will position.

About KVPR:
KVPR is the NPR station for more than 2 million residents in Central California. KVPR operates broadcast stations in Fresno and Bakersfield, as well as KVPR.org, the KVPR app and KVPR Classical. KVPR serves a seven-county region of inland California stretching from Los Angeles County in the south to Yosemite National Park in the north. The region is known worldwide for its agricultural output, and includes vast rural areas as well California’s fifth and ninth largest cities (Fresno and Bakersfield respectively). The station’s newsroom currently has 6 FTE positions. KVPR is a partner in the new Microsoft-funded Central Valley News Collaborative with The Fresno Bee, Radio Bilingüe and Vida en el Valle. KVPR is also one of six NPR stations participating in the CPB-funded “1A Remaking America” initiative with WAMU’s flagship talk show 1A. In the past three years, the station has won seven Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and over a dozen Golden Mike Awards. KVPR operates out of a state-of-the-art 10,000 square foot broadcast center that opened in 2016 in Clovis, California, near the base of the Sierra Nevada, minutes away from Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The station is operated by White Ash Broadcasting, Inc. and is a community licensee.

Position Responsibilities:

• Oversee all news content for broadcast and digital platforms
• Supervise station reporters, producers and other news department staff
• Conduct editorial meetings with staff, evaluate pitches, assign stories
• Guide reporters through the editorial process and edit their work
• Collaborate with NPR, The California Newsroom, and other partners for wider distribution of our work through collaborative projects
• Supervise newscast production and operations, including breaking news
• Report, write and edit news content as needed
• Facilitate news-focused station events and community engagement activities
• Maintain high standards for journalism ethics and instill the values of fairness, accuracy and honesty within our work and our team
• Work closely with the station’s Content Director to integrate our reporting into local broadcasts of NPR news magazines, station podcasts, KVPR.org, etc.
• Interact with station staff, volunteers, listeners and others at events, during membership drives, and in other settings
• Perform work in a timely manner with attention to detail in a fast-paced environment
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• College degree, preferably in journalism, communications or a related field
• At least eight years of professional journalism experience
• Experience with multimedia / audio production, software, etc.
• Experience working with other reporters in a collaborative environment
• Prior management and/or editorial experience strongly preferred

White Ash Broadcasting, Inc. (dba KVPR | Valley Public Radio) is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce, and an inclusive vision of public media’s future. The station provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees for jobs, skills, training and promotions regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

It will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees who are qualified individuals with a disability as defined by law. Should you require assistance due to a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for your application process, please send an email to jmoore@kvpr.org or call 559-862-2481.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to jmoore@kvpr.org