ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporters need an editorial authority who can commit to coverage angles under deadline pressure; producers need a supervisor who can redirect a newscast minutes before air; and station leadership needs someone who owns the daily editorial process while advancing long-term audience strategy. This role sits one level below the News Director and carries direct supervisory responsibility over executive producers, reporters, and anchors across linear, digital, and OTT platforms. FCC compliance and broadcast standards enforcement fall squarely within its scope. No other role in the newsroom combines that regulatory accountability with hands-on coaching of content creators at every level.

The mandate of the Assistant News Director is to drive daily editorial decisions, oversee multi-platform newscast execution, and develop the talent required to sustain competitive local coverage across broadcast and streaming channels. The position operates within the news leadership team, typically reporting to a News Director or VP of News, with supervisory authority spanning producers, reporters, and anchors across all dayparts.

Career Impact: Managing FCC-regulated broadcast operations and overseeing election and investigative coverage units gives candidates a credential set that opens News Director opportunities in medium-to-large markets.

Business Impact: The daily editorial calls made in this role determine whether newscasts hold audience share, whether breaking news coverage outpaces competitors, and whether the station's OTT and FAST channel content meets platform growth targets.

Growth Opportunity: Direct exposure to streaming strategy, DE&I culture leadership, and cross-platform audience development accelerates the move into a full News Director seat or a VP of News role.

• Lead daily editorial meetings and breaking news coverage decisions across linear, digital, and OTT platforms.
• Oversee on-air execution of newscasts, reviewing scripts and directing live broadcast operations to meet brand and compliance standards.
• Enforce FCC rules, broadcast standards, and company editorial policies across all content produced by the news department.
• Coach and develop executive producers, reporters, and anchors through structured feedback, performance evaluation, and ongoing training.
• Collaborate with the Digital Strategy team to expand content reach across streaming, social, and FAST channel platforms.
• Plan and execute coverage of elections, sweeps periods, investigative series, severe weather events, and news specials.
• Manage news staff scheduling, recruitment support, and the annual performance appraisal process in coordination with the News Director.
• Monitor workflow efficiencies across the newsroom and adjust production processes to meet evolving multi-platform demands.

• Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, or equivalent work experience.
• 5 or more years of broadcast news experience, with demonstrated leadership or management responsibility in a local newsroom.
• Proven ability to make rapid, accurate editorial decisions during breaking news and severe weather coverage.
• Working knowledge of FCC regulations and broadcast standards governing local television news operations.
• Strong people management skills, including experience conducting performance evaluations and providing developmental feedback.
• Demonstrated experience producing or overseeing content across broadcast, digital, and social media platforms simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of editorial accuracy and journalistic integrity.

• Experience in medium-to-large television markets with competitive local news environments.
• Background in investigative or consumer reporting units, election coverage coordination, or news specials production.
• Familiarity with OTT, FAST channels, and streaming content strategy within a broadcast newsroom context.
• Demonstrated record of building inclusive newsroom cultures and advancing DE&I editorial initiatives.

• Newscast ratings performance in key target dayparts, measured against prior-period and market-competitor benchmarks.
• Digital and streaming audience growth rate across OTT and FAST channel properties quarter over quarter.
• Percentage of newscasts delivered without FCC standards violations or post-air editorial corrections.
• Time-to-air on breaking news events relative to competing local stations, tracked per significant coverage window.
• Direct report retention rate and internal promotion rate within the news department annually.
• Typical tools: broadcast production systems (commonly iNews or ENPS); video editing platforms (commonly Avid or Adobe Premiere); CMS platforms for digital publishing.

• Base Salary Range: $85,000 to $130,000 annually, depending on market size and experience
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus, typically 5 to 12 percent of base salary
• Equity: Rare at this level; stock grants possible at large media groups
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution standard
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus federal holidays and station-observed days
• Common Perks: Professional development funding, union benefits where applicable, flexible scheduling for on-call rotation

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Employment in this role is contingent on successful completion of a background check, and candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process upon request.

The Assistant News Director owns daily coverage operations and cross-platform content creation for the news team, including oversight of all newscasts, OTT, and online content. Working alongside the News Director, this role shapes a collaborative newsroom culture and enables performance growth through staff scheduling, personnel evaluation, and coaching.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist the News Director with oversight of all news broadcasts, OTT, and online content.
• Create tactics and strategies to increase performance in key target areas across multiple platforms.
• Manage cross-platform content creation and distribution.
• Post content to station websites with proficiency.
• Write copy and edit scripts for air and web.
• Manage the assignment desk, assist with station fleet and gear, and participate in the on-call manager schedule.
• Assist the News Director in the ongoing evaluation of personnel.
• Participate in hiring and performance management of direct reports.
• Schedule news team staff to ensure appropriate 24/7 coverage.
• Lead coverage planning of both small and large events, including planning and oversight of special and major events.
• Proactively communicate news initiatives across departments.
• Evaluate workflow efficiencies.
• Implement working knowledge of federal, state, and local laws impacting operations.
• Assist the News Director in managing the budgetary aspects of newsroom operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, a related field, or equivalent experience preferred.
• Minimum of three years of supervisory experience in a newsroom environment preferred.
• Broad understanding of newsroom operations and equipment.
• Social media and digital experience preferred.
• Proven ability to work effectively with all departments and staff.
• Ability to write, edit, and facilitate the transfer of video to outside sources as needed.
• Understanding of and proven ability to work the investigative process.
• Ability to foster creativity, generate new ideas, and implement innovative ideas across all platforms.
• Advanced computer skills, including Microsoft Office.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced oral and written communication skills.

Embedded within a multiplatform news operation, the Assistant News Director leads day-to-day broadcast coverage decisions and partners closely with producers, reporters, anchors, digital desk producers, and photographers on compelling, impact-driven original storytelling. Working closely with the executive team and news leadership, this role builds the audience relationships and editorial standards that deliver high-quality content across all platforms.

Core Functions

• Lead day-to-day decision-making on broadcast coverage.
• Oversee production of newscasts and special programming.
• Make split-second decisions to lead the news team during breaking news and severe weather events.
• Work with executive producers to ensure a multi-platform content approach at every stage of the news-gathering process.
• Partner with news leadership to elevate core values, internal DE&I culture, and race and culture content.
• Strategize with the executive team on goals focused on growing people, content, and audience.
• Build relationships with news sources and community stakeholders.
• Execute administrative duties, including managing direct reports, creating schedules, and training new employees.
• Assist in training and providing feedback for the entire editorial team.
• Evaluate workflow efficiencies and adjust processes and procedures as necessary.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or a related field, along with news leadership experience.
• Minimum of five years of content experience, including generation of original content.
• Solid journalistic and content judgment that emphasizes accurate, fair, and unique local content, along with community engagement.
• Excellent people management skills.
• Strong communication and conflict management skills.
• Strong organizational skills in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment.

Reporting to the news director and managers, the Assistant News Director leads daily editorial conversations and oversees on-air execution of newscasts, coordinating all aspects of coverage from breaking news to enterprise story production and news specials. Partnering with content creators across all platforms, this role delivers a newsroom culture of teamwork and inclusion that elevates writing, crafting, and storytelling to reflect the diverse communities served.

Primary Duties

• Oversee the daily editorial process and on-air execution of newscasts.
• Lead producers to promote urgency and impact in daily editorial conversations.
• Plan coverage of natural disasters and other breaking news stories.
• Train, develop, and coach the newsroom team with a focus on mentoring content creators across all platforms to elevate writing, crafting, and storytelling.
• Collaborate to execute long-term newsroom strategy.
• Coordinate all aspects of coverage, from breaking news to enterprise story production and news specials.
• Ensure news coverage meets brand standards, company policies, industry codes, FCC rules, and station values.
• Direct newsroom operations and review scripts.
• Work with the news director and managers to establish goals for content and people and to develop and further the brand.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, a related field, or equivalent news leadership experience.
• Minimum of five years of industry experience with leadership and management experience.
• Track record of quality journalism, high integrity, and ethical decision-making.
• Ability to calmly handle live, breaking news situations and changing events.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.
• Passion for growing journalists and fostering a creative and positive newsroom environment.

Sitting at the intersection of editorial leadership and digital strategy, the Assistant News Director shapes the overall look and editorial content of daily linear newscasts while working with the Digital Strategy Lead to reach digital, social, and streaming goals. Operating across specials production, investigative reports, election coverage, and documentaries, this role leads a news team whose performance directly advances content quality and audience growth.

Duties

• Lead daily newsgathering and content presentation across all platforms.
• Aggressively lead breaking news and severe weather coverage.
• Oversee the overall look and editorial content of daily linear newscasts.
• Review newscasts to ensure goals and objectives are met.
• Work with the Digital Strategy Lead to reach digital, social, and streaming goals.
• Supervise executive producers, producers, reporters, and anchors.
• Evaluate the performance of the news team.
• Work closely with the News Director on recruitment and development.
• Lead specials production and high-impact content projects as assigned.
• Develop and implement plans for sweeps, special reports, investigative and consumer reports, election coverage, and documentaries.
• Identify opportunities for special news coverage and strategic advantages.
• Manage franchise stories and coordinate schedules for the team contributing to special content.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in journalism, or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of five years of local news management experience.
• Strong understanding of news content in the digital and social landscape.
• Detail-oriented with an understanding of how content drives storytelling across various platforms.
• Ability to make logical decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work effectively under deadline pressure.
• Flexibility with working hours and adaptability to change.

A key member of the news leadership team, the Assistant News Director leads day-to-day coverage across all platforms, including oversight of investigative and consumer units, elections coverage, digital and streaming development, and staff scheduling. Collaborating across departments with the VP of News and Director of Digital, this role delivers the editorial output and workforce development that build a high-performing, audience-focused news operation.

Functions

• Work with the VP of News to plan short- and long-term strategies across multiple platforms.
• Manage day-to-day coverage, big stories, breaking news, weather, and special reports across all platforms.
• Oversee investigative and consumer units, elections coverage, and other station events.
• Attend all editorial meetings for daily newscasts.
• Work with the Director of Digital to develop new content for digital and streaming platforms, including OTT and FAST channels.
• Oversee news staff development and training in coordination with other news managers.
• Manage the performance evaluation process and conduct annual performance appraisals for news department staff.
• Manage and publish schedules for news staff.
• Assist the VP of News with recruiting and hiring personnel for the news department.
• Serve as backup for the VP of News as needed.
• Enforce applicable legal and standards guidelines.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of five years of experience in medium to large markets as a News Director, Executive Producer, or news manager.
• Minimum of two years of experience coaching, leading, and motivating a team of employees.
• Strong producing, management, and leadership skills.
• High level of technical expertise across emerging multimedia platforms.
• Knowledge of FCC rules and laws about news broadcasting across multimedia platforms, as well as employment and labor regulations.
• Willingness and ability to work long hours, late nights, and weekends as required.