Title: Reporter, Arts & Culture
Schedule Format - Location: Hybrid - San Francisco
Pay Information: Hourly Rate: $44.71 - $52.88
Position Summary
This position requires an experienced reporter who is capable of reporting daily news and feature stories in an authoritative and conversational manner that connects with audiences. KQED reporters are expected to produce journalism across all platforms, including audio and text, as well as social and other media.
Reporters must be proficient at spots, features, cut-and-copy, voicers and live on-air debriefings for broadcast and must be equally proficient at writing text stories and producing other online news content. Reporters are expected to produce content for relevant platforms, such as video, email newsletters and apps.
Reporters at KQED are also expected to contribute to news planning, staying atop daily local and national news through multiple sources. A KQED Reporter must also be capable of working across a number of different departments, with colleagues of varying experience levels, and complete their work under deadline pressure.
Reporter, Arts & Culture Addendum
The Arts & Culture Reporter is part of a team that is responsible for comprehensively and accurately reporting on the arts and culture that shape life in the Bay Area. This reporter is expected to develop beats, sources and areas of expertise, and to break news, pursue ongoing coverage and provide analysis.
Coverage areas for this role include but are not limited to visual arts, music, film, theatre, literature and the performing arts. Reporting will prioritize coverage of presenting institutions, arts funding both public and private, social issues and notable figures in the Bay Area arts landscape, with the goal of ensuring a healthy, accountable arts community.
Reporters on the Arts & Culture desk are digital-first, and must be capable of writing in an authoritative and conversational manner, working across a number of different departments and completing their work under deadline pressure. The arts are vast, and consequently, the Arts & Culture Reporter’s coverage may vary, whether taking the form of features, explainers, artist profiles, performance or exhibition reviews, obituaries, event preview picks or zeitgeist stories.
Importantly, the Arts & Culture Reporter will also be experienced in filing regularly for radio newscasts, and in adapting stories for social video.
KQED envisions a public media organization with a culture that centers on human dignity, equity, and belonging. This will enable us to better serve and reflect the Bay Area through diverse and inclusive storytelling.
We value the contributions of marginalized people in society — including Black, Indigenous, and all people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people — and we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, and we strongly encourage members of these communities to apply.
KQED Code of Ethics https://www.kqed.org/about/code-ethics
The mission that drives us:
KQED provide citizens of Northern California with a community-supported alternative to commercial media. We provide citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions; convene community dialogue; bring the arts to everyone and engage audiences to share their stories. We help students and teachers thrive in 21st-century classrooms, and take people of all ages on journeys of exploration- exposing them to new people, places and ideas.
This role will work hybrid between working in KQED's newly renovated headquarters and working remotely.
The successful candidate will be required to join The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
- Researches, reports and writes daily arts news stories for the website, and files regular spots for radio newscasts.
- Appears regularly on various other KQED platforms (social video, podcasts, panel discussions) to bring arts coverage to a wider audience.
- Assists editors and KQED News team in developing coverage strategies and daily assignments.
- Files stories online, adhering to protocol in regard to images, captions and other content management concerns.
- Participates in special editorial series, live events and other projects designed to meet the evolving needs of KQED’s audiences.
- Keeps a directory of sources, and attends arts events and performances.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Knowledge/Experience Required:
- 3–5 years of professional experience as a broadcast, print and/or online journalist, including news reporting, editing and production.
- Excellent reporting skills.
- Excellent news writing skills; the ability to write quickly and accurately, with an understanding of tone and style across platforms; proficiency using correct spelling, grammar, punctuation and pronunciation.
- Ability to accurately communicate facts and verify information.
- Excellent news judgment.
- Good editing skills.
- Strong time management skills.
- Thorough command of journalistic principles, ethics and standards.
- Strong command of radio production techniques.
- Strong fluency in web, mobile and social media editing and publishing.
- High proficiency in on-air voicing skills.
- Ability to interview and communicate with a wide variety of individuals.
- Ability to research and communicate through a variety of mobile and digital tools.
- Ability to meet deadlines and goals while working under pressure.
- Proven collaboration skills — which are essential in working with fellow KQED staffers across departments and with partner organizations.
- Ability to stay organized and prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects at once.
#LI-hybrid
Skills Required
- 3-5 years professional experience as a broadcast, print and/or online journalist
- Excellent reporting skills
- Excellent news writing skills; ability to write quickly and accurately across platforms
- Ability to accurately communicate facts and verify information
- Excellent news judgment
- Good editing skills
- Strong time management skills
- Thorough command of journalistic principles, ethics and standards
- Strong command of radio production techniques
- Strong fluency in web, mobile and social media editing and publishing
- High proficiency in on-air voicing skills
- Ability to interview and communicate with a wide variety of individuals
- Ability to research and communicate through a variety of mobile and digital tools
- Proven collaboration skills working across departments and with partners
- Ability to stay organized and prioritize multiple projects under deadline pressure
- Willingness/ability to join SAG-AFTRA (union membership required)
What We Do
Your Northern California NPR and PBS stations, offering a community-supported, non-profit alternative to commercial media. Through Public Television, Public Radio, Interactive, and Education, KQED provides citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions; convene community dialogue; bring the arts to everyone; and engage audiences to share their stories. KQED helps students and teachers thrive in 21st century classrooms, and takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration—exposing them to new people, places and ideas. KQED celebrates diversity, embraces innovation, values lifelong learning and partners with those who share our passion for public service.
