AM Editor

Chicago Public Media Inc; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Vacation & holidays

Retirement plan

Job summary

Chicago Public Media seeks an AM Editor to lead daily news coverage across broadcast, digital, podcasts and print. You will work with anchors, producers, reporters, and other editors to set the tone for the day’s coverage, plan assignments, and shape reporting across platforms.

This full-time role requires strong news judgment, the ability to edit for content, pacing, narrative and voice, and a track record of guiding journalists to distinguished work.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience as an Editor with strong news judgment.
• Outstanding news judgment and experience leading journalists to produce work of tremendous distinction and community impact.
• Demonstrated passion for leading creative daily news coverage.
• Ability to conceptualize and edit news stories for content, accuracy, pacing, ideas, narrative and voice.
• Strong writing skills.
• Fluency and enthusiasm for multiplatform journalism.
• Deep commitment to the highest standards of journalistic ethics and the mission of public media.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the editorial team to guide editorial coverage.
• Works with the morning anchor and producer to have the most up-to-date news on the air.
• Directs the work of reporters and producers, and works with the editorial team, to plan and lead execution of daily stories for web and audio, and initiatives across platforms.
• Edits audio and occasional text stories, including digital stories for WBEZ and the Sun-Times.
• Reports for audio, web and print (when necessary).
• Reviews feature and project story pitches.
• Develops and conducts editorial training.
• Helps maintain audio and text standards across platforms.
• Helps manage coverage priorities, including coverage plans for major breaking news events or major events.

Skills

Editorial leadership

News editing

Multiplatform journalism

Strong writing

Ethical standards

Education

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, humanities or related field

Job description

About Chicago Public Media

Chicago Public Media is one of the nation’s largest local nonprofit news organizations. Home to WBEZ 91.5FM, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Vocalo. Chicago Public Media reaches more than 3.3 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, we aspire to be the most trusted news source Chicagoans turn to for understanding the people, events, and ideas shaping our community.

About Chicago Public Media

Chicago Public Media is one of the nation’s largest local nonprofit news organizations. Home to WBEZ 91.5FM, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Vocalo. Chicago Public Media reaches more than 3.3 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, we aspire to be the most trusted news source Chicagoans turn to for understanding the people, events, and ideas shaping our community.

Chicago Public Media is a 100% community-funded newsroom powered by nearly 97,000 members whose support makes our journalism possible. This sustained community investment helped drive nationally recognized work in 2025, including 29 awards from esteemed organizations, including the Public Media Journalists Association, the Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the National Association of Black Journalists.

We believe independent journalism is essential to a healthy democracy and that access to objective, fact-based news is a right for every citizen. We serve the public interest by creating diverse content that informs and enriches our community, supported by a dedicated staff of approximately 250 professionals.

For more information, please see the Chicago Public Media Annual Report.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The AM Editor is responsible for leading Chicago Public Media’s daily news coverage across a wide array of platforms including broadcast, digital, podcasts and print. The AM Editor will work with anchors, producers, reporters, and other editors to set the tone for the day’s coverage, plan assignments, conceptualize stories, structure and help organize reporting efforts. They will partner with their PM counterpart to ensure strong, consistent coverage for our listening audience.

This is a full-time, permanent placement position. This role will be expected to handle Editor duties on the Newscasts and News Magazines Desk, including planning assignments for reporters and producers, writing newscast stories, collaborating with fellow desk Editors, as well as working across teams in the newsroom. Employees in the AM Editor classification may perform work on any or all platforms.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the editorial team to guide editorial coverage.
• Works with the morning anchor and producer to have the most up-to-date news on the air.
• Directs the work of reporters and producers, and works with the editorial team, to plan and lead execution of daily stories for web and audio, and initiatives across platforms.
• Edits audio and occasional text stories, including digital stories for WBEZ and the Sun-Times.
• Reports for audio, web and print (when necessary).
• Reviews feature and project story pitches.
• Develops and conducts editorial training.
• Helps maintain audio and text standards across platforms.
• Helps manage coverage priorities, including coverage plans for major breaking news events or major events.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience as an Editor with strong news judgment
• Outstanding news judgment and experience leading journalists to produce work of tremendous distinction and community impact.
• Demonstrated passion for leading creative daily news coverage.
• Ability to conceptualize and edit news stories for content, accuracy, pacing, ideas, narrative and voice.
• Strong writing skills.
• Fluency and enthusiasm for multiplatform journalism.
• Deep commitment to the highest standards of journalistic ethics and the mission of public media.
• Ability to articulate your own ideas precisely and concisely – and to cultivate the strong ideas that come from other producers, editors, and reporters.
• Strong relationship builder and naturally collaborative leader.
• Knowledge of the Chicago region’s rich diversity of stories, sectors and communities is very helpful.

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, humanities or related field

Compensation

The expected pay range for this position is $90,168 to $100,000 per ANNUM. Chicago Public Media provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the organization reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographical location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Working at Chicago Public Media

At Chicago Public Media, we care deeply about our employees as we know attracting, developing, and growing talent is key to our success and enhancing our impact.

Our culture is one where collaboration, diversity of ideas, and innovation are encouraged. We value colleagues who will enhance our culture by bringing new ideas, divergent experiences, and talents to our dynamic workplace.

At Chicago Public Media we believe dedication to a great workplace includes supporting our employees and their families. As a result, we provide a broad and generous benefits package for employees at hire and in the years to come.

Our benefits include

a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, vacation, holidays, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings, and a commuter benefits plan.

Chicago Public Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer

and we actively seek and welcome people from all backgrounds, orientations, and life experiences to join our team.

The essential functions described above are not all-inclusive and are not intended to create any contractual or other legal commitment. Chicago Public Media may change the content or format of this job at any time in its sole and exclusive discretion without notice.