Senior Assignment Editor, Digital

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POSITION OVERVIEW

The Senior Assignment Editor, Digital leads our daily news production on PBS.org / Newshour and its associated platforms. This first?of?its?kind position is grounded in trending news and audience, working closely with the deputy managing editor and senior coordinating producer of video to create a new approach to multiplatform daily news.

This person drives daily news coverage. Were looking for someone who recognizes news opportunities and search potential; who can guide reporters and producers to report and produce relevant, original content; who can write a killer headline, meticulously comb through copy, home in on the perfect sound byte, and put the audience first. Theyll have a plan for the biggest stories of the day and make assignments that pique curiosity and feed todays insatiable sense of discovery.

The senior assignment editor manages a small team focused on news, video, wire and partner content for the website, and coordinates with other digital team leads to move this reporting across platforms. Strong headline writing and text editing are essential to success, as is a relentless pursuit of better, faster and more relevant content for our audience. They must have a deep understanding of what content is resonating and why, so that our daily assignments and big?picture approach reflect what the audience needs.

The editor works with senior digital and broadcast leadership to expand the audience reach across all potential platforms and will be a leader in developing new products and approaches to news. This is a leadership position on an innovative digital team that seeks a creative thinker with strong journalistic skills and editorial integrity.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assign, supervise and edit daily news stories in text and other formats.
• Use data to plan daily news coverage on site and across platforms.
• Regularly report to digital staff on news performance and adjust assignments accordingly.
• Work closely with digital leadership to coordinate publishing news and reporting across platforms.
• Coordinate staff schedule for daily news desk coverage and fill shifts on that desk when needed, maximizing effective use of resources and creating distinctive, brand?consistent content.
• Develop coverage plans for major events in close consultation with senior digital and broadcast colleagues.
• Identify future stories of likely interest to existing and potential PBS NewsHour audience.
• Supervise producers and reporters.
• Mentor and coach staff, particularly on how to shape ideas into actionable and reportable stories.
• Perform related special projects or other duties as assigned.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

LOCATION

WETA and NewsHour Productions are Washington, DC based media and news organizations. We are a largely local workforce based out of the Campbell Place office in Arlington, VA. Most positions based in our Arlington, VA office will be onsite or hybrid, depending on the role.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

WETA and its subsidiary NewsHour Productions LLC serve local and national public media audiences by producing and distributing content of intellectual integrity and cultural merit. Through broadcast, digital and community services, the organization offers compelling, diverse programming on five television channels, including primary channel WETA PBS, and on WETA Classical, the exclusive home for classical music in the nations capital; produces a portfolio of national television productions, including PBS NewsHour, recognized globally for bringing balanced, in?depth news coverage to all Americans; creates impactful documentaries with longtime production partners Ken Burns and Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; features a variety of content offerings on weta.org, WETA Passport, the PBS Video App and the WETA Classical App; and serves communities near and far with education and engagement initiatives that contribute to the companys mission of public service.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

WETA and NewsHour Productions are equal opportunity employers committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and internships. WETA and NewsHour Productions make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

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