Assistant News Director

Job Description

WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY is seeking a motivated and skilled individual to join our team as an Assistant News Director.

Syracuse is in the heart of New York and home to award-winning hospitality, affordability, and fun! A growing tech hub, soon to be the home of Micron. The region is known for its natural beauty and a strong network of educational institutions at all levels from excellent public and private schools to colleges and universities, including Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, and Upstate Medical University. These are just some of the reasons why the Syracuse region is a great place to live.

NewsChannel 9 (WSYR-TV) is situated in East Syracuse, New York, just a short distance from Downtown Syracuse and Syracuse University. For those unfamiliar with the Central New York area, our area offers four distinct seasons, each filled with its unique activities like apple picking, skiing, boating, festivals, and rooting for the Syracuse Orange year-round. Syracuse, also known as the 'Salt City', strikes an ideal balance between the amenities of a larger city, including events, restaurants, and attractions, and the welcoming atmosphere of a smaller town. Our city is rapidly growing, as evident from the developing Inner Harbor area, the newly renovated JMA Wireless Dome, and the significant investments in our infrastructure. Additionally, our city offers a diverse range of culinary options to suit any taste.

The qualified candidate will play a pivotal role in our mission to inform and engage our audience. As the Assistant News Director, you will collaborate closely with the News Director to oversee all aspects of news, weather, sports, and daily lifestyle programming at the number one news station in the market. In the absence of the News Director, you will step into this leadership role.

Your duties will encompass a wide range of responsibilities, including but not limited to:

Essential Duties:
• Assisting in the management of the News Department, excluding production.
• Participating in planning, staffing, training, and conducting performance evaluations for the News Department.
• Providing coaching, leadership, and guidance in storytelling to team members.
• Offering valuable insights on hiring, evaluation, and promotion of the news product.
• Developing a comprehensive news coverage strategy for our station and website.
• Conducting critiques of newscasts to enhance coverage and provide feedback to the news staff.
• Assigning projects to the team and ensuring that deadlines are consistently met.
• Implementing daily and long-term strategic plans in collaboration with the staff.
• Making decisions on programming and evaluating equipment needs for quality programming.
• Responsively addressing coverage questions and issues.
• Filling in as a producer or assignment manager if needed.
• Serves as the News Director in his/her absence.

Education Requirement:
• Bachelor's Degree (TV/film or equivalent experience may substitute) in television broadcast/production.

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Work Experience:
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.
• Experience in news programming, with some leadership experience preferred, depending on market size.
• An ability to identify the developmental needs of others and provide coaching and mentorship.
• Proficiency in using digital and social media platforms in the newsgathering process and presentation.
• The capability to adapt effectively to daily coverage plans as new content and breaking news unfolds.
• Proficiency with computers, telephones, copiers, scanners, fax machines, and other office equipment.
• Strong organizational skills to meet deadlines, prioritize assignments, and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Effective listening skills to understand employee needs and collaborate with the team to develop solutions.
Other Relevant Information:
• This role operates in a high-stress environment with deadline pressures and the unpredictability of breaking news, which can occur at any time.
• Day-to-day multitasking and simultaneous management of multiple projects with frequent changes in direction and priority are essential.
• The employee in this position must be comfortable working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
• Repetitive movements may be required.
• Work may be conducted in various lighting conditions, ranging from extremely bright to inadequate.

Salary: $55,000 to $85,000 per year

NewsChannel 9 WSYR-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-r13owy-13-58-211-135-42 in your application.