Social Services Reporter – Kansas News Service – KCUR 89.3

KCUR 89.3, NPR in Kansas City
Topeka , KS

Application Deadline: Sunday, Jun 13, 2021

Description

The Opportunity

Do you want to tell personal stories and hold people of power accountable? KCUR is seeking a full-time reporter to cover criminal justice and social services – with a strong emphasis on foster care – for KCUR’s Kansas News Service in Topeka. The news service, a collaboration of public media stations across the state, offers a remarkable opportunity for an ambitious reporter to dig deeper on significant local, regional and national issues.

This reporter will brainstorm, research, write, report and produce spot news, digital reports and long-form audio features. They also will create social content to accompany stories, will participate in community engagement efforts, and will appear on talk shows, podcasts and community panels, as needed.

The successful candidate for this position will be able to work on diverse projects simultaneously and across platforms in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment; take direction and work collaboratively with editors and reporting colleagues; and produce to the highest journalistic standards

KCUR 89.3 is the NPR affiliate in Kansas City and is an editorially independent community service of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. See www.kcur.org/jobs for the complete job description and information about KCUR and Kansas City.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of public media newsrooms delivering critical reporting of sound and substance. Their work is broadcast every day to virtually all of Kansas, and shared online and in newspapers in every corner of the state. The Kansas News Service is directed by KCUR 89.3 in Kansas City, in partnership with KMUW in Wichita, Kansas Public Radio in Lawrence and High Plains Public Radio in Garden City. For more information about Kansas News Service, visit https://ksnewsservice.org/.

Characteristic Duties include:

  • Identify, research, pitch, write, report, edit and voice a wide variety of spots, two-ways, and feature stories for morning and afternoon newsmagazines, local talk shows, and national programs (as appropriate).
  • Create news reports, features and research ­– including graphics, interpretive charts and photos — for website, social media platforms and newspaper partners.
  • Stay abreast of daily developments and develop broad geographic knowledge, sources, and topical expertise in regard to Kansas to produce stories that serve the Kansas News Service mission.

Minimum Qualification: A Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 3 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

Preferred Qualifications include:

  • Two years of experience producing news content for digital and social platforms.
  • Experience in a radio, news, or public media organization.
  • Ability to cover breaking news as well as report through long-form, innovative storytelling.

Location: This is a full-time position, based in Topeka, Kansas. The reporter can work remotely from another part of Kansas, but some time in Topeka will come with the job.

Salary: Annual $47,476 – $55,200, commensurate with experience and education.

How to Apply: Application deadline is June 13, 2021. KCUR 89.3 is the NPR affiliate in Kansas City and is an editorially independent community service of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Please apply online at UMKC’s website: https://info.umkc.edu/hr/careers/  Select “Staff Positions,” then “View Jobs,” then “View All Jobs.”

For additional information about this position, please contact: