KRBD News Director

KRBD in Ketchikan is seeking a news director to lead our southern Southeast Alaska news coverage. The news director is the leader, manager, and chief editor of the KRBD newsroom, overseeing news staff, story output, and journalistic standards.

About KRBD

Come work for a 47 years-strong pillar of Southeast Alaska community radio. KRBD is a small station with a close-knit staff, an active board, and many volunteers. The KRBD team includes two reporting staff, a general manager, a Morning Edition host/program director, and a half-time development representative. KRBD's work schedule is typically Monday-Friday, save for weekend events that need to be covered.

KRBD's base of operations and the main listening area is the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, a group of island communities with a population of around 14,000. The listening area also includes Alaska's only federal reservation, Metlakatla on Annette Island, plus several communities on Prince of Wales Island.

KRBD is part of CoastAlaska, a regional news collaborative that shares support and resources with its members (including KUCB in Unalaska, KCAW in Sitka, KFSK in Petersburg, and KSTK in Wrangell).

About Ketchikan

Ketchikan is located among the forested islands and mountains of Alaska’s beautiful Inside Passage. Ketchikan is proudly known as the "First City" because of its position as the first stop for cruise ships coming up from Washington. It is the ancestral land of the Tongass Lingít people. The community is driven by an intense art scene, music, fishing, and a subsistence lifestyle. Entertainment includes places like the Creek Street Cabaret or pop-up art and music events.

Ketchikan offers outstanding opportunities for hiking, backpacking, fishing, and boating with nearby glaciers, surrounded by the natural beauty of Alaska. This is a unique opportunity in a beautiful small town with a community radio station that plays an integral part in the culture and fabric of the city.

Transportation is mainly by sea or air – Ketchikan is off the road system. There is an airport and ferry system.

About the Position

You are responsible for editorial supervision, coordination, development, and implementation of KRBD news content, including over-the-air and online. You report directly to the general manager. You will cover a wide range of community-focused news stories. Your work will help fulfill our public service journalism mission of delivering news whether it is fisheries, forestry, local government, education, or in-depth enterprise stories. We strive to keep our community informed, engaged, and enlightened.

Our ideal candidate has strong management skills and the ability to produce high-quality news and public affairs programming. Someone who is curious by nature, innovative, creative, collaborative, and solutions-oriented with the ability to see the big picture while juggling multiple tasks.

Core responsibilities include:

• Report, assign, develop, and edit stories while cultivating reporters’ story ideas
• Collaborate with news directors and reporters across Alaska to cover regional stories with statewide significance
• Plan and host news broadcasts, special events, assembly meetings, call-ins, live streams, and other news coverage as needed.
• Update and manage web-based news content
• Share news content with the wider Alaska Public Media network
• Create, edit, and distribute a monthly news digest email newsletter
• Assist staff, volunteers, and the public as needed in a professional and cooperative manner

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field, or equivalent experience in radio
• Strong judgment and understanding of journalistic standards, practices, and ethics are required.
• Desire to tell audio stories for diverse communities
• Previous supervisory experience preferred
• Demonstrated skills in radio including solid writing, interviewing, production/editing, and photography
• Knowledge of Alaska and local issues, interests, and trends preferred
• Ability to work under deadline pressure with minimum supervision
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills

Salary and Benefits

Starting salary: $47,712.00 - $55,233 annually, DOE.

The news director position is a salaried, exempt position with health care benefits, paid sick leave, and paid vacation leave. KRBD provides a contribution to the 403(b) retirement plan for all employees participating in the program. KRBD observes 11 work holidays throughout the year.

To Apply:

Send your resume, cover letter, three references, and at least three work samples you reported or edited to KRBD Interim General Manager Marty West at gm@krbd.org.

The position is open until filled.