ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR - WITN

About Gray Media:

Today, we are a growing multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nation's largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 117 full-power television markets that collectively reach approximately 37% of US television households. The portfolio includes 80 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second highest-rated television station in average all-day ratings across 116 of such markets that were measured by Nielsen in 2025. We also own the largest Telemundo Affiliate group, with 46 markets, and Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies and the most advanced digital products and services. Our additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, as well as studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.

About WITN:

WITN News has been Your Breaking News and Weather Authority for Eastern North Carolina for 70 years. We produce 43.5 hours of news per week and deliver content on a 24/7 basis on our digital platforms. We're in the rapidly growing Greenville/New Bern/Washington DMA (100), with bureaus in New Bern and Jacksonville. We serve Beaufort, Bertie, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt, Tyrell, and Washington counties. WITN is the dominant station in the market.

Job Summary/Description:

WITN, Eastern Carolina's #1 news station, is seeking an experienced journalist to be a coach and leader as our next assistant news director. We are looking for someone who is determined to help our station win on every platform every single day. Our next assistant news director will be organized, detail-oriented, and driven. The assistant news director manages the day-to-day assignments of reporters, posts stories to WITN.com and our social platforms, advises the newsroom of any breaking news developments, provides feedback to our journalists, and works with the news director on assigned projects.

Duties/Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Help guide the newsroom’s daily editorial coverage across broadcast, streaming, digital, and social platforms.
• Support, coach, and develop producers, EPs, anchors, reporters, photographers, and other newsroom team members.
• Work closely with producers and EPs to strengthen rundowns, improve writing, elevate showcasing, and create newscasts that are urgent, clear, and compelling.
• Review scripts, rundowns, and digital content with a focus on accuracy, fairness, clarity, tone, and viewer impact.
• Lead or help lead editorial meetings that encourage strong ideas, thoughtful discussion, and a clear plan for the day.
• Help direct breaking news, severe weather, and major event coverage across all platforms.
• Champion the station’s First Alert brand by making sure weather and safety coverage is timely, useful, and trusted by viewers.
• Partner with the digital content manager to make sure important news reaches audiences quickly and effectively wherever they are.
• Encourage platform-specific storytelling so content is created thoughtfully for TV, streaming, web, mobile, and social audiences.
• Work with the assignment manager to develop story ideas, plan future coverage, and anticipate newsroom needs.
• Help prepare the team for elections, severe weather, community events, special coverage, and enterprise reporting opportunities.
• Maintain strong newsroom standards while creating an environment where people feel supported, challenged, and encouraged to grow.
• Communicate clearly and calmly during busy, high-pressure moments.
• Collaborate with news leadership and other departments on newscast style, coverage plans, audience growth, and station priorities.
• Help build a newsroom culture that values teamwork, urgency, accountability, creativity, and kindness.
• Identify, encourage, and develop future newsroom leaders.

Qualifications/Requirements:

The ideal candidate is an experienced newsroom leader who knows how to win the day while also investing in the people around them. We are looking for someone confident but approachable, competitive but collaborative, and committed to both strong journalism and a healthy newsroom culture.

You should bring:
• Significant experience as an Executive Producer, Assistant News Director, News Director, Managing Editor, Senior Producer, or similar newsroom leadership role.
• A strong background in producing, leading, coaching, and mentoring producers and executive producers.
• Your “show doctor” skills: A proven record of strong newscast production, editorial decision-making, innovation, and audience-focused coverage.
• Experience leading breaking news, severe weather, and major event coverage across broadcast and digital platforms.
• Excellent news judgment, strong writing and storytelling skills, and a solid understanding of journalism ethics and newsroom standards.
• The ability to teach best practices in writing, producing, showcasing, story selection, urgency, and multi-platform coverage.
• A steady, clear communication style, especially during breaking news or high-pressure situations.
• Strong people skills and a genuine desire to help producers, reporters, anchors, and photographers grow.
• The ability to motivate a team, set clear expectations, and hold people accountable respectfully and productively.
• A good understanding of digital platforms, streaming, social media, audience engagement, and digital-first content strategy.
• Familiarity with newsroom tools and workflows, including rundown systems such as ENPS, digital CMS platforms, live production basics, field workflows, and modern video formats.
• An understanding of the First Alert brand and how weather, safety, and breaking news can serve audiences across every platform.

Experience and Requirements:
• Minimum of 5 years of newsroom leadership experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field preferred
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record required

If you feel you’re qualified and want to work with a great group of people,  go to https://gray.tv/careers#currentopenings, you may type in the job title, station call letters, or click on "apply now", upload your resume, cover letter, and references

(Current employees who are interested in this position can apply through the Gray-TV UltiPro self-service portal)

WITN-TV/Gray Media is a drug-free company

Additional Info:

Gray Media provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Gray Media complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Gray Media expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Gray’s employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.