Story Desk Manager

TEGNA; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

401(k) with company match

Teladoc and mental health services

Job summary

TEGNA’s WBIR-TV Knoxville is seeking a Story Desk Manager to lead our newsroom’s Story Management Desk and oversee daily coverage across streaming, digital, social, and linear platforms.

The ideal candidate brings strong news judgment, the ability to guide a multiplatform newsroom, and experience coaching others in story development, breaking news handling, and timely updates for audiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications.
• Superior news judgment and ability to make fast editorial decisions under pressure.
• Proven success handling breaking news across platforms.
• Experience leading journalists in a fast-paced newsroom.
• Knowledge of digital newsroom operations and publishing across platforms.
• Experience using audience data to inform coverage decisions.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily coverage decisions and reporter assignments across platforms.
• Determine best format and platform for each story with clear timelines for coverage.
• Ensure breaking and developing stories are published quickly and updated continuously.
• Identify opportunities for live and continuous streaming coverage during breaking news.
• Ensure stories are presented with strong headlines, video, images, and other elements across platforms.
• Lead regular story check-ins and adjust coverage as stories develop.

Skills

News judgment

Multiplatform leadership

Editorial decision making

Team leadership

Digital publishing

Audience data insights

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications

Job description

About TEGNA

TEGNA Inc. helps people thrive in their local communities by providing the trusted local news and services that matter most. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA reaches more than100 million people monthly across the web, mobile apps, streaming, and linear television. Together, we are building a sustainable future for local news.

WBIR-TV Knoxville, TN the TEGNA-owned affiliate in Knoxville, is looking for a Story Desk Manager to lead the newsroom’s Story Management Desk and oversee daily news coverage across streaming, digital, social and linear platforms.

The successful candidate will guide our team of content creators in story development and presentation across all platforms. This person will manage coverage throughout the day, bring experience with the best practices of both assignment desk and digital operations, and coach others to excel at developing local contacts, responding to breaking news and delivering timely updates to our audiences.

As part of the newsroom leadership team, the Story Desk Manager will oversee breaking news, developing stories and enterprise reporting, ensuring coverage is continuously updated and presented effectively across streaming, website, mobile app, social media and linear television.

The ideal candidate is an experienced journalist with strong news judgment who knows how to lead coverage in a fast-moving newsroom. They can identify stories that are urgent, impactful and newsworthy, respond calmly to breaking news, pivot quickly as priorities change, solve problems creatively and keep a multiplatform newsroom focused and moving forward.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily coverage decisions and reporter assignments, with the goal of owning the biggest and most important stories of the day across platforms.
• Determine the best format and platform for each story and establish clear expectations and timelines for coverage, publishing and updates.
• Ensure breaking and developing stories are published quickly and updated continuously across digital platforms as new information becomes available.
• Identify opportunities for live and continuous streaming coverage, particularly during breaking news, developing stories and major events.
• Ensure stories are presented effectively for each platform, including strong headlines, video, images, live content and other elements that improve the audience experience.
• Look ahead and plan coverage for upcoming events and news cycles.
• Lead regular story check-ins throughout the day and adjust coverage as stories develop.
• Use audience insights, analytics and social listening to inform coverage decisions, identify opportunities and improve audience reach.
• Ensure competitive, engaging and impactful content across streaming, website, mobile app, social media and linear television.
• Provide editorial guidance to ensure content is accurate, fair and meets journalistic standards across platforms.
• Uphold TEGNA’s journalistic standards across all platforms.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications, or at least 3-5 years of journalism experience in a local newsroom, digital production or related role.
• Superior news judgment and the ability to make fast, sound editorial decisions under pressure.
• Proven success handling breaking news and developing coverage across platforms.
• Experience managing or leading journalists in a fast-paced newsroom.
• Demonstrated knowledge of digital and newsroom operations.
• Strong understanding of digital publishing, streaming and linear news production and how audiences consume news across platforms.
• Experience using audience data and insights to inform coverage decisions.
• Experience helping transform and manage newsgathering systems and workflows.
• Strong organizational skills with a keen eye for detail.
• Demonstrated success as both a team leader and team player.
• Effective communication and problem-solving skills.
• Familiarity with the local market is a plus.

Benefits

TEGNA offers comprehensive benefits designed to safeguard the physical, mental and financial health of our employees and their families. TEGNA offers two medical plan options for full and part-time employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, as well as access to dental and eye care coverage; fertility, surrogacy and adoption assistance; disability and life insurance.

Our 401(k) program offers full, part-time and temporary employees the opportunity to contribute 1% - 80% of their pay on a pre-tax basis to TEGNA’s 401(k). Contributions made up to the first 4% of pay are eligible for a 100% match from the company and are 100% vested from day one.

Regardless of participation in TEGNA medical plans, ALL employees and their eligible family members receive nine free virtual doctor’s appointments with a physician through Teladoc, and 12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health.

TEGNA offers a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit as well as nine paid holidays per year.

• Some jobs are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and thus some or all of the benefits described herein may not apply. For example, some newsroom bargaining unit employees receive health and retirement benefits under plans administered by the union.

EEO Statement

TEGNA Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, hiring and developing individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to add to our collaborative culture. We value and consider applications from all qualified candidates without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, disability, medical condition, enrollment in college or vocational school, political affiliation, military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. TEGNA will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law. If you are in need of an accommodation in order to submit your application, please email [e-mail]