Digital News Producer (Producer 1)

Wbez 91.5-Fm; Mississippi; On-site; USD 58,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading non-profit news organization in Chicago seeks a versatile Digital News Producer. This role involves producing online news stories, managing social media, and curating content while maintaining the highest editorial standards. Ideal candidates should have a passion for journalism, a commitment to accuracy, and experience in engaging diverse audiences. Join their dynamic team to help shape the future of news in the community.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Retirement Savings Plan

Generous Paid Leave

Commuter Benefits Plan

Qualifications

• Proven experience in producing and editing news content for digital platforms.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
• Skilled in building audience engagement through social media.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accuracy and clarity of news content across platforms.
• Write and edit daily or weekly newsletters.
• Monitor local and national news for updates and trends.

Skills

Editing

SEO Best Practices

Social Media Management

Journalistic Standards

Education

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent training

Job description

Home to WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Public Media is the largest local non-profit news organization in the country. WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times serve more than 2 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, we aspire to become the essential and most trusted news source that Chicago turns to each day for understanding the people, events, and ideas that shape our community.

WBEZ is home to local and national news programming as well as a growing portfolio of popular podcasts. WBEZ serves the community with fact-based, objective news and information, and its award-winning journalists ask tough questions, dig deep for answers and expose truths that spark change and foster understanding. WBEZ is supported by more than 86,000 members, hundreds of corporate sponsors and major donors. In 2022, WBEZ received more than 20 awards for its journalism, including two prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Chicago Sun-Times is Chicago’s oldest continuously published daily newspaper serving Chicago and is known for its hard-hitting investigative reporting, in-depth political coverage, timely behind-the-scenes sports analysis, and insightful entertainment and cultural coverage. Chicago Sun-Times is the winner of eight Pulitzer Prizes and countless other awards. In recent years, the Sun-Times has focused on a digital transformation to deliver its news and content to a growing digital audience. Most recently, the Sun-Times dropped the paywall on suntimes.com to expand access to its journalism, and shifted to a community-funded digital membership program supported by voluntary member donations.

Chicago Public Media believes independent journalism is essential to a well-functioning democracy and access to fact-based, objective news and information is a right of every citizen. We serve the public interest by creating diverse, compelling content that informs, inspires, and enriches. We connect diverse audiences and help them make a difference in the community, the region and the world. And, we employ 300+ staff who want to belong to an organization that inspires, supports, and challenges them to do their best work.

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

Position Summary:

We’re looking for a versatile Digital News Producer who knows what makes a good online news story, and can both produce the work of others and write original work of their own accurately, compellingly and on deadline. The ideal candidate doesn’t have to know our content management system but is someone who can learn and master it quickly. We’re looking for a true team player who wants to be a part of a dynamic, fun team that’s eager to try new things and achieve new heights. If you have a passion for digital media, and know how to grow audience and deepen engagement, then we want you to come help make our site the best source for journalism in Chicago.

The Digital News Producer is a vital part of the newsroom, working to support daily news coverage. This position is part of the audience team that includes editors, reporters, and producers focusing on broadcast, digital and engagement work. This position is primarily focused on digital production, newsletters, copy editing, social media channels, SEO and homepage curation.

Our ideal candidate will be resourceful and resilient, with an appetite for adventure and fun, a healthy competitive spirit, and a passion for growth and innovation in a time of dynamic change. They thrive in a daily news setting and love building collaborative relationships with colleagues across the newsroom. They will have the highest ethical standards and a deep commitment to the mission of public media.

This position is based in Chicago. This is a SAG-AFTRA covered position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

(These include but are not limited to the following. The company reserves the right to add to, delete, change, or modify the essential duties and responsibilities at any time.)

• As part of the digital news team, ensure maximum relevance, accuracy and clarity of news content across platforms
• Edit copy, headlines and visuals for accuracy, relevance and clarity
• Write, edit or produce daily or weekly newsletters
• Develop and reinforce SEO best practices
• Select, edit and curate photos, audio files and other multimedia story elements
• Update homepage regularly with fresh content
• Closely monitor local and national news for breaking news, updates, trends and insights
• Assess content from a variety of sources (e.g. NPR, wires) to determine where and how it fits into coverage, feature placement, and social media channels
• Create posts across social media platforms to engage audiences and extend the reach of stories
• Conduct research and interviews to gather and advance news
• Pitch, produce and report story ideas for web and air
• Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned

Skills and Knowledge:

• BA or equivalent training and experience
• Demonstrated experience producing and editing news stories and journalistic content for digital platforms with quality, creativity and accuracy
• Strong editing and copy editing skills, including SEO best practices
• Ability to consistently meet deadlines
• Excels in a dynamic, deadline-oriented environment where an attention to detail, especially in regards to accuracy and fairness, is a high priority
• Demonstrated thirst for news and strong editorial judgment Demonstrated experience and skill in generating story ideas and writing news stories compellingly and on deadline
• Demonstrated experience in using social media platforms to build audience and deepen engagement and loyalty
• Ability to communicate effectively and work constructively with others, building strong relationships with diverse colleagues
• Experience editing photos, video and audio elements a plus.
• High journalistic and ethical standards
• Knowledge of Chicago and Illinois is a plus, but not required

Working Conditions:

(The unavoidable, externally imposed conditions under which the work must be performed, and which create hardship for the incumbent including the frequency and duration of occurrence of physical demands, environmental conditions, demands on one’s senses and metal demands.)

• Office environment, radio broadcast studio or at a broadcast transmitter site with extensive public contact and frequent interruptions.
• Travel to off-site locations is/may be required.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical: While performing the duties of this job, the employee will frequently be required to stand; walk; sit; use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; climb ladders; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds and work in a physically active setting.

Vision: Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Compensation:

The expected pay range for this position is $58,650 to $66,120 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 Employerand 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.

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