Job Title: Kansas News Service, Political Reporter – KCUR, 68233
Location: UMKC Volker Campus
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Job ID: 35244
Hiring Department

KCUR Public Radio

Job Description KCUR 89.3 is seeking a Political Reporter to join the Kansas News Service, a reporting collaboration of public media stations throughout Kansas. This is a chance to work with reporters on a range of statewide stories in an organization that’s becoming increasingly important in the Kansas news universe.

The reporter will cover campaigns and politics, produce in-depth reporting on the power dynamics for the news service, and play a key role reporting on the Kansas Legislature.

We seek a reporter who is passionate about diving deep into issues and working collaboratively with talented reporters producing top-notch journalism. The ideal candidate can identify, research, propose, write, report, record, voice and produce feature radio stories about Kansas politics for a statewide audience. The political reporter would help cover the Kansas Legislature while directing campaign and political coverage to establish KNS as a reliable, reasoned and thoughtful source of information about the power dynamics across Kansas.

The ability to work cooperatively with the KNS managing editor, news director, reporters and news directors across the collaborative defines the position. You’ll find your colleagues eager to learn and to share their expertise on the issues that matter in Kansas. While the KNS aims to be nimble in covering breaking news, the emphasis is on enterprising stories that would otherwise go uncovered – or that other news organizations would tackle with less analysis. The reporter should possess a keen understanding of what makes public media journalism special, but also have ambitions to help drive public media forward.

Preferably, this job will be based in the KNS Topeka office, but the reporter could work from the KCUR offices in Kansas City, Mo., or remotely elsewhere in Kansas. It will require spending significant time in Topeka.

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 information about KCUR and Kansas City.

Characteristic Duties

Produces a steady stream of radio features and companion online stories.Regularly works on deadline to produce short radio spot stories and online stories for a general audience heard on public radio stations across Kansas and on their news websites and carried by commercial stations and newspapers or other online news sources.Available for work on the KNS podcast and appearances on KNS partner talk shows.Collaborates with KNS editors and reporting colleagues on investigative reporting and in-depth reporting projects.Identifies and captures photographs.Promotes own work and that of other KNS colleagues on social media.Develops a wide range of news sources within state government, political, activist and analytical organizations that inform the understanding of power dynamics in Kansas. Develop a steady pattern of sources of broad diversity in demographics and world views. Participates in KCUR community engagement events, including preparation of materials both for and after events.Participates in station fund drives.Performs other job duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications 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

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in journalism, communications, education or a related field.Five to 10 years experience as a reporter for a news organization, radio experience a plus. Experience covering politics or a legislature are also plus.Excellent writing skills, proven news judgment, and journalistic integrity.A demonstrated ability to identify in-depth news stories with context and impact.A demonstrated ability to develop a diverse selection of news sources from a differing demographic and political backgrounds. A strong devotion to accuracy and journalistic ethics. Ability to work on diverse projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment, oftentimes collaborating with editors and reporting colleagues.Experience in operating a variety of broadcast equipment including digital editing systems (e.g. Adobe Audition), field recording units, and other production equipment. Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills with both internal and external audiences.Ability and willingness to work a varied schedule.Enthusiasm for the role of public media in a changing journalism environment

Full Time/Part Time This is a full time, benefit-eligible position

Salary

$19.47 - $27.38/hr

Application Deadline

February 4, 2021

Application Instructions

Applicants must combine all application materials (cover letter, resume, and list of three references with contact information) into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment.

Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.).

If you are experiencing technical problems, please call (800) 488-5288.

Comments

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 information about KCUR and Kansas City.

Comments

Preferably, this job will be based in the KNS Topeka office, but the reporter could work from the KCUR offices in Kansas City, Mo., or remotely elsewhere in Kansas. It will require spending significant time in Topeka.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy shall not be interpreted in such a manner as to violate the legal rights of religious organizations or the recruiting rights of military organizations associated with the Armed Forces or the Department of Homeland Security of the United States of America. For more information, call the Vice Chancellor - Human Resources at 816-235-1621.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties and functions of this job. If you believe you may have difficulty performing any of the duties or functions of this job, please contact the Office of Affirmative Action at (816) 235-1323.

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