Title: Daily News Editor (Broadcast and print copyediting)

Employment Status: PT (flexible shifts available)

Location: Remote

Department: Editorial

Reports to: News Director

 

Public News Service is a national newswire for public interest and social justice reporting. PNS is a multi-platform distribution network that reaches a wide geographic and ideological audience, with more than 4,000 outlets regularly featuring our reporting to an average audience of 70 million weekly. We are a partly employee-owned Certified B Corporation consciously working to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive news company. PNS is committed to maintaining an internal Diversity, Inclusion and Equity team. PNS is also the first newswire member of the Trust Project, which demonstrates the highest standards of journalistic transparency and ethics.

 

Job summary: The Daily Editor ensures editorial, ethical, creative and technical standards for PNS news stories and helps manage the news published on our website. They must have a solid understanding of news reporting, editing, fact-checking and production. They edit and oversee daily news assignments by reviewing stories to ensure they provide accurate, fair and community-engaged coverage in keeping with the PNS mission. The Daily Editor may receive editorial direction from the senior editorial team, but is also encouraged to take opportunities to teach and uphold journalistic standards as appropriate.

 

Major Areas of Responsibility & Duties:

Print/Broadcast Copy Editing - 75%

  • Cleans up all facets of scripts, from “punching up” the headline to copy editing to formatting corrections; makes broadcast copy read well, look sharp visually and be useful to other media outlets

  • Double-checks details, including facts, names and titles, pronunciations, photo credits, links, etc.

  • Reviews the public website content from that morning and fixes, and/or coordinates with respective producer/editor to fix, correct and update to website as early as possible when a correction or update is needed

  • Checks photo quality and attributions and edits photo captions and credits per PNS format

Audio Checks - 10%

  • Listens to the soundbites and works with producers to correct any errors in transcriptions or audio, such as noise reduction, hiss reduction, etc. as required. 

Coordination with Producers - 10%

  • Communicates regularly with producers throughout the editing process

  • Prioritizes edits based on the order in which scripts arrive, time zones, scheduled airdates, and which ones require Spanish translation. Attempts to get to every edit within an hour of when the script was filed

  • Addresses any editorial issues/problems that arise during the course of the news day. If necessary, be available when another editor on duty asks for help

Other - 5%

  • Sends the nightly editor’s report as soon as all the written copy is checked off and manages the verification process for all stories at the end of an edit shift

  • Contribute or make suggestions as needed to our PNS Editors’ Style Guide

  • Other tasks as mutually agreed

 

Requirements:

  • 5 years of detailed work experience as an editor in a fast-paced broadcast newsroom (Print-only applicants: There is the possibility for PT shift work for print-only candidates)  

  • Priority will be given to candidates with experience transforming broadcast scripts to print 

  • Must be willing to work weekend shifts as needed

  • Attend quarterly meetings (on Zoom) of the editing staffHome or other remote office setup with audio editing ability and experience with various digital technologies

  • Experience working successfully within a virtual editorial team

  • Excellent news writing and communication skills and problem-solving habits

  • Proven digital/computer skills. Ability to edit audio before starting is a big plus  

 

Compensation 

This works best for a multi-tasker, as the amount of stories to edit per shift varies and engagement can be on and off with various journalists. Currently, a standard 4-hour shift pays $215.00; shifts generally occur in the afternoon/early evening or morning/mid-afternoon. Shifts are coordinated in advance and do not change without editors’ agreement.

 

Additional Information 

Public News Service (PNS) is a newswire for public interest and social justice news. Though primarily focused on radio, our multi-format content reaches an average of 60 Million people per week through thousands of other media outlets. Innovating at the juncture of national, state and local news for 26+ years, we’re unique in the independent media space as a sustainable Public Benefit (Certified B) Corporation. We partner closely with other media organizations and rely on grants, gifts and memberships to support coverage of critical issues. We are not dependent on clickbait: our most direct audience is news directors who also have bottom lines and care deeply about local news.

 

Public News Service is a News Guild union workplace; this is a 1099 contract position and not eligible for union representation.

 

Public News Service is deeply committed to fostering a transparently inclusive workplace environment, and we are focused on developing, engaging and retaining a diverse workforce. People of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We strive to have teams and leaders that reflect the diverse audiences and communities we aim to reach. 

This position has been filled. Would you like to see our other open positions?