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JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Free Speech Radio News
Headlines Editor
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sept 12th 2008
Send resume and cover letter within the body of an e-mail to: jobs@fsrn.org
JOB DURATION: Permanent
POSITION: Full Time Headlines Editor, Monday-Friday, starting at 8:30am ET
START DATE: October 2008
LOCATION: Home studio or local radio station.
JOB DESCRIPTION: To deliver 5-6 minutes of headline news in a suitable electronic format, on deadline, as part of 29-minute daily radio newscast Free Speech Radio News. www.fsrn.org. This is a full time permanent position.
JOB REQUIREMENTS: Familiarity with and access to an assortment of daily news outlets. Daily news reporting and editing experience; ability to meet deadline with minimal supervision; ability to work in a collective decision-making process; experience with digital audio editing required.
PAY: currently $18.75/hr
Free Speech Radio News is a half hour daily national/international newscast broadcast on about 100 community and public radio stations, and web radio stations around the United States. Approximately 150 freelance reporters around the world contribute to the newscast. We try to use local reporters rather than sending people from the US to provide coverage. FSRN is the world's only collectively-run broadcast news organization.
JOB TASKS:
* Attend the daily morning editorial conference call, prepared with a list of headline ideas
* Perform story selection in keeping with the overall mission of Free Speech Radio News.
* Watch for breaking news through deadline and be prepared to update headlines as needed.
* Assign stories in the morning to appropriate news reporters.
* Maintain contact with reporters to make sure they meet deadline.
* Edit and fact-check scripts written by reporters in preparation for production.
* If necessary, record reporter's stories by phone, maintaining the highest possible production standards.
* Provide instruction and assistance for reporters who send sound and/or file stories electronically.
* Research, write, and conduct any necessary interviews for important stories where no appropriate reporter is available, upon agreement with editorial team.
* Electronically transfer stories from reporters to digital workstation.
* Confer with Features Editor to evaluate day's newscast and determine any necessary changes in headlines or features.
* Write, edit, voice and mix story leads for the headlines portion of the cast and anchor leads when needed.
* Assemble stories in an order that encourages sustained listening and is sensitive to the news-worthiness of each story.
* Electronically edit stories and leads to fit for time -- ideally, 5-minutes. Confer with the Engineer if extensions are necessary.
* Deliver assembled headlines package to an electronic site, on deadline, as designated by the Engineer.
* Send a daily run sheet to the bookkeeper so that headlines accounts payable are kept up-to-date.
* Help represent the Editorial Team at FSRN Steering Committee Meetings.
* Participate in Editorial Team activites, such as the evaluation of reporter pitches and providing ideas for two-ways or potential interviewees for feature stories.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
Producer should own or have access to recording equipment, computer with high speed internet access, audio editing software, high quality microphone, quiet space to record, high quality phone hybrid for recording interviews and headlines delivered over the phone. Access to an ISDN is ideal, although not required.
REQUIRED SKILLS-QUALITIES:
*Good ear for sound quality and ability to identify and troubleshoot audio problems over chat, email, or telephone
*Ability to work well under pressure and on deadline.
*Responsible and Punctual
*Creative problem solving
*Ability to work independently
*Excellent grammar and copy editing skills
*Knowledge of news sources, web, print and personal
*Knowledge of and dedication to grassroots radio/independent journalism
*Ability to work with reporters from diverse backgrounds and at various skill levels
DESIRED SKILLS
*Fluency in at least one language beyond English
*Basic website skills
*Experience working or volunteering in a collective
*Understanding of basic finances, like the ability to read a spreadsheet and calculate costs over time
*Willingness to participate in organizational committees
FSRN is an equal opportunity employer.
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