AUDIO PRODUCER JOB DESCRIPTION

An Audio Producer in a daily news environment owns something most audio roles never touch: the editorial judgment call. Every episode begins as a raw feed of breaking headlines, reporter interviews, and archival tape, and it is the Audio Producer who decides which angle is sharpest, which tape advances the story, and whether the draft meets the newsroom's journalistic and legal standards before air. That accountability places this role inside the editorial chain, not beside it. The Audio Producer reports into a senior editorial structure alongside hosts, editors, and composers, shaping the sonic output that reaches a national or international news audience daily.

As the Audio Producer, you take daily ownership of episode production from pitch through final mix, applying editorial standards and audio craft to deliver news content that meets the publication's journalistic benchmarks. You work within a senior editorial team alongside hosts, reporters, and editors, with scope extending across domestic and international coverage desks.

Career Impact: Producing for a daily news outlet builds a portfolio of deadline-driven editorial work that advances standing within broadcast and podcast journalism, where consistent output at volume is the signal senior producers look for.

Business Impact: Each episode directly reaches a national or international news audience, and the Audio Producer's tape selection and story-angle decisions determine whether that audience gets clear, accurate, well-paced journalism or not.

Growth Opportunity: The scripting, guest-booking, and host-direction skills developed here map directly onto the Senior Producer and Executive Producer track in news audio, where editorial ownership expands to show-level strategy.

• Monitor the daily news cycle and editorial calendar to identify and pitch episode topics with strong audience relevance.
• Source and select archival and contemporary audio tape, including field recordings and newsreel, to advance story narratives.
• Record and direct host and guest interviews in studio and remote settings, coordinating across domestic and international offices as needed.
• Edit and mix full episodes to broadcast standard on tight daily deadlines, incorporating narration, scoring, and scene-based structure.
• Fact-check all episode content and ensure compliance with the publication's journalistic and legal standards before release.
• Partner with senior producers, editors, and audio engineers to refine episode structure, sound design, and post-production plans.
• Participate in scripting episodes and develop pre-interview frameworks in collaboration with reporters and editorial staff.
• Close and publish episodes on rotation, maintaining schedule integrity across the production calendar.

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, audio production, or equivalent work experience.
• 3 or more years of audio production experience in a daily news environment, with a track record of meeting deadline-driven episode output.
• Demonstrated ability to apply editorial judgment in story-angle selection and tape curation within a journalism context.
• Proficiency in multi-track audio editing and mixing, including the ability to build episodes with narration, scenes, and scoring.
• Experience scripting and fact-checking audio content to journalistic and legal standards of a news organization.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across editorial, engineering, and host teams.
• Capacity to manage multiple episodes in varying stages of production simultaneously without compromising accuracy.

• Experience coaching hosts or guests new to audio recording, including directing studio sessions remotely or in person.
• Knowledge of business, economics, politics, or science sufficient to evaluate story angle strength and fact-check domain-specific claims.
• Demonstrated experience producing narrative-style podcast episodes alongside daily news formats, showing range across production modes.
• Familiarity with audience development strategies, including promotion planning and social platform coordination tied to episode release.

• Episodes closed and published on schedule as a percentage of the weekly production rotation.
• Fact-check error rate per episode, measured against post-publication corrections issued by the editorial desk.
• Tape selection approval rate, reflecting how often sourced clips are retained through senior producer review without substitution.
• Guest and host session completion rate, tracking whether recorded interviews meet usable quality on the first take.
• Pitch acceptance rate per editorial meeting cycle, indicating the relevance and timeliness of proposed episode topics.
• Typical tools: Digital audio workstations (commonly Pro Tools or Adobe Audition); studio board and field recording equipment.

• Base Salary Range: $65,000 to $90,000 annually, varying by market and newsroom size.
• Bonus: Discretionary, typically up to 5 to 8 percent of base in larger media organizations.
• Equity: Not standard for this role in news media environments.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage standard; union plans common at major outlets.
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus recognized federal holidays and newsroom-specific blackout periods.
• Common Perks: Press credentials, professional development funds, union representation at qualifying organizations.

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

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

The Technical Audio Producer owns the development and maintenance of sonic experiences across mobile, desktop, and first-party hardware platforms, integrating complex audio systems and managing production pipelines for a client-facing product team. Working closely with engineering teams, large product groups, and multiple collaborators, this role delivers the audio infrastructure that enables best-in-class sonic output across surfaces.

Key Responsibilities

• Support teams in the development of complex audio systems in mobile, desktop, and first-party hardware environments.
• Drive sonic experience preparation, delivery, and implementation.
• Support ongoing Operations and QA initiatives while participating in ad hoc and scheduled testing cycles.
• Work with QA to investigate, triage, escalate, and follow up on issues reported with our internal bug tracking system.
• Maintain the audio system and perform regression tests.
• Establish and maintain technical best practices, including support documentation.
• Contribute creatively and technically to define best-in-class audio experiences.
• Execute in a fast-paced and highly fluid environment.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 3+ years of professional experience in creative production in software development, with emphasis on audio and audio integration, including supporting complex audio systems, production pipelines, and testing and maintaining sonic experiences.
• Familiarity with QA, bug tracking, and triage processes; understanding of the iOS and Android operating systems.
• Solid understanding of DSP, audio synthesis, and digital audio concepts and formats; programming ability in JavaScript or Python.
• Proficiency in Digital Audio Workstations (Pro Tools preferred); experience with sound tools and/or AR/VR audio design across Unity, WWise, Spark AR, or other audio middleware.
• Experience with program and task management tools, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word), and source code control systems.

Embedded within the MarketWatch podcast team, the Audio Producer builds full episodes of the Best New Ideas in Money podcast from research through final mix, translating finance and economics expertise into compelling weekly audio storytelling. Working closely with the Senior Producer, editorial staff, and podcast hosts, this role sustains a production schedule that grows the show's audience and expands its reach.

Core Functions

• Produce full episodes from start to finish, including researching, pitching ideas, booking guests, writing scripts, fact-checking, cutting tape, finding archival news clips, assembling mixes, and scoring episodes.
• Schedule recordings with podcast hosts and record and direct host recordings either remotely or in studio.
• Assist the Senior Producer in maintaining the production schedule, including scheduling meetings, interviews, and recording sessions.
• Attend MarketWatch editorial meetings to gather ideas and work with editorial staff on crafting stories.
• Occasionally assist with production needs across other podcasts.
• Work on growing audiences and promotion efforts.

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience working in audio production.
• Interest and knowledge in business, finance, and economics.
• Strong writing skills and experience in building podcast episodes with multiple tracks and audio scoring.
• Professional-level understanding of podcast editing software.
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks, problem-solve, and execute against deadlines in a fast-paced, changing environment.

Reporting to the editorial team, the Audio Producer researches, records, edits, and mixes full episodes of the Wall Street Journal's daily PM podcast while fact-checking against WSJ journalistic and legal standards. Partnering with reporters and editors across New York, Hong Kong, and other international offices, this role shapes the audio output that keeps WSJ audiences informed on business and market stories.

Primary Duties

• Research topics of interest to the Wall Street Journal audience.
• Source timely news and archival audio to be used on the show.
• Record studio and field interviews with a wide range of subjects.
• Pitch and write news headlines, wraps with sound, and kickers for podcast episodes.
• Edit and mix full episodes of a daily PM podcast on deadline.
• Book, plan, and execute in-person and remote interviews with guests.
• Coordinate the appearance of reporters and editors across New York, Hong Kong, and other international offices on podcasts and sound-rich feature stories.
• Serve as a backup host on podcasts as occasionally needed.
• Fact-check and ensure all WSJ journalistic and legal standards are followed.
• Complete additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience

• 3–5 years of experience as an audio producer in a daily news environment, preferably at a top-tier news organization, with a track record of producing quality audio content efficiently under tight deadlines.
• Capacity to work late hours and weekends as part of a regular rotation and as news developments warrant.
• Knowledge of current events in politics and economics in the U.S. and internationally, with an instinct for news and excellent news judgment; ability to convey news and business stories in creative ways.
• Expertise in managing multiple projects in various stages of production, with demonstrated experience working on newsy and narrative podcasts.
• Adept with operating studio boards and field equipment; professional-level understanding of Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, or another DAW.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with a drive for collaboration.

Sitting at the intersection of editorial journalism and audio craft, the Audio Producer monitors the news cycle, scripts episodes, and builds clean drafts that include two-way conversations, scenes, narration, and scoring for a New York Times podcast. Operating across the editorial, engineering, and production teams, this role supports the consistent, on-schedule delivery of episodes that meet the Times' standards for fairness and accuracy.

Duties

• Monitor the news cycle and Times editorial calendar.
• Pitch episodes, build and maintain relationships with Times reporters and editors, and participate in pre-interviews with reporters and sources.
• Participate in scripting episodes, episode tapings, and create post-production plans alongside editors and senior producers.
• Build clean drafts of episodes including two-way conversations, scenes, narration, and scoring, often on tight deadlines, and incorporate edits with grace and speed.
• Collaborate with audio engineers and composers to improve the sound of the show.
• Close episodes the night before they are published as part of a regular rotation.

Skills & Qualifications

• At least 3–4 years of experience in audio production.
• Experience generating and presenting pitches on deadline; experience scripting stories for audio, ideally including scripting interviews.
• High editorial standards and commitment to fact-checking to ensure fairness and accuracy.
• Fluency in audio production, ideally in Pro Tools; experience researching, selecting, and cutting raw tape, including interviews, archival, and newsreel.
• Genuine passion for news and a collaborative nature with a spirit of generosity, even under high pressure.

A key member of the podcast production team, the Audio Producer shapes narrative and interview-driven stories about startup founders, investors, and the latest in tech, distributing content across multiple channels including live and virtual formats. Collaborating across audience development, social, and business teams, this role builds the editorial and production consistency that expands the show's reach within the wider audio ecosystem.

Functions

• Develop interest in understanding the motivations of startup founders and investors as well as the latest stories in tech.
• Tell stories through narrative pieces and interviews and distribute them through various channels.
• Edit audio with multiple tracks of varying lengths.
• Assist audience development and social teams with striking the right Twitter tone for show accounts.
• Write titles that capture the imagination of listeners and coordinate ad scripts and reads with the business team.
• Track news to quickly produce, record, and edit emergency pods or Twitter Spaces.
• Produce live versions of podcasts, whether virtual or in person.
• Think strategically about shows as they relate to the wider audio ecosystem.

Experience & Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience as a podcast producer.
• Experience working with live video and other production teams across various platforms.
• Adept at working with producers and talent to produce well-reported and polished news pieces and features for podcast audiences.
• Experience editing various types and lengths of audio; ability to develop a sound strategy and adapt it when necessary.
• Strong scheduling and time management skills with the unwavering desire to grow audiences.

Consistent daily news coverage depends on the Audio Producer, who selects story angles, builds episodes in Pro Tools, and coaches the Host in studio for a New York Times daily news podcast. Based within the editorial team and collaborating with the Sr. Editor, this role sustains the editorial judgment and production quality that reflects the Times' mission and principles.

Accountabilities

• Monitor the news cycle to help make story selections alongside the team.
• Find the best angle on big news stories in sophisticated, distinctive ways.
• Work with the Sr. Editor and Host on writing copy and coach the Host in studio.
• Adhere to quick turnaround deadlines and demonstrate a hunger for daily news.
• Consistently select the best available tape from news clips to advance a story.
• Build stories in Pro Tools alongside the Sr. Editor and perform basic mixing.
• Apply editorial judgment reflective of Times mission and principles.

Professional Experience

• 5+ years of experience in journalism with daily news experience and a passion for daily news.
• Knowledge across multiple disciplines such as politics, business, and science.
• Experience coaching people new to audio.
• Proficiency with audio editing software such as Pro Tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to work independently and quickly in a fast-paced, collaborative, deadline-driven environment.
• Well-developed and adaptive cultural competence and emotional intelligence; belief in The New York Times' mission and dedication to its innovation and growth.

As the Audio Producer, this role co-creates the relaunch vision for Circle of Willis, oversees all production and post-production, and coordinates interviews and social media promotion from UVA's community radio station, WTJU 91.1 FM. The WTJU podcast collective and broader on-air initiatives rely on this work to sustain community engagement and deliver science-driven audio storytelling to public audiences.

Activities

• Work closely with the host and creator of Circle of Willis to co-create a vision for its relaunch.
• Oversee production and coordinate interviews.
• Recruit, oversee, and train a team of student interns from UVA's Brown College.
• Manage editing and post-production and coordinate promotions, engagement, and social media.
• Support WTJU's podcast collective and on-air and off-air initiatives at UVA's community radio station, WTJU 91.1 FM.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• One year of experience creating compelling radio or podcast work.
• Knowledge of science, science journalism, and/or public scholarship.
• Experience with Adobe Audition or comparable audio software; familiarity with social media platforms and office software.
• Experience teaching and/or leading volunteers; experience representing an organization or brand on social media.
• Self-starter with strong time management, organizational, and communication skills; ability to work independently or as part of a team.