WCQS Seeks Morning Edition Host and Reporter

Job Title: Host/Reporter - Morning Edition      
Department: Programming
Functional Area: News
Reports To: News Director

WCQS is a community licensed public radio station located in vibrant downtown Asheville, NC and serves 11 counties in Western North Carolina.  Asheville is often cited as one of the nation’s most livable cities and residents throughout the region enjoy year round outdoor activities and a lively arts and music scene.

To Apply: All applications must include: cover letter, resume, and references.  Demo MP3 files: to contain at least one newscast, two breaks, one daily newscast spot and one sample of feature reporting.

Send these as an attachment to your email to dhurand@wcqs.org  "WCQS Morning Edition Host Search" as email subject with your name in the body. Or by mail with CD air check.

Deadline for application is EOB Aug 22, 2012.                

SUMMARY
Hosts daily weekday morning broadcasts of news, promotional, and underwriting content for the regional portions of “Morning Edition” on WCQS. Shift begins at 5:00 am. Host is the show’s in-person compass each morning. Leads interview discussions of important community and regional issues. Integrates NPR and WCQS content seamlessly.

ESSENTIAL ROLES

• Hosts daily Morning Edition.

• Writes, records, and edits interviews.

• Reports news and feature stories.

• Special projects

• Represents WCQS to the community.

• Participates in Membership Drive, substitutes for other hosts, other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Hosts daily regional Morning Edition program, providing continuity between WCQS and NPR.

• Maintains and reinforces WCQS's role as an essential community service by relaying relevant, important, and timely information to the audience.

• Serves as voice and compass of the morning, providing in-depth regional news, interviews and sound for broadcast.

• Researches daily topics.

• Generates ideas for interviews and stories.

• Prepares interview questions.

• Operates studio and recording equipment.

• Interacts with listeners outside of the program and conducts oneself with professionalism and integrity.

• Anchors other live broadcasts and special events.

• Knowledge of broadcast rights and libel.

• Contributes to the overall mission of WCQS

• Strong broadcast voicing skills

• Assures journalistic standards are upheld.

• Meets the required WCQS standards for all Board Operators, including but not limited to: competently operating the control board; maintaining legal FCC logs and any other engineering/administrative data; airing and logging Emergency Alert System tests and activations; navigating between local and externally-originated programming elements; ability to use studio equipment and Content Depot to download and air programs and related materials.

• Participates in on-air fundraising.

• Establishes engaging presence on air.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
None

POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree and relevant experience in public radio or related fields. Hosting experience required. Knowledge of Western North Carolina.

Essential Skills: Strong organizational, communications (written and verbal), and interpersonal skills required. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively.  Ability to work under strict deadlines and pressure, ability to deal with breaking news as it emerges. Experience in live radio. Radio voice skills essential. May be required to work holidays or evenings.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly to talk, hear, walk, sit for extended periods, travel, and occasionally stand, use hands to feel and hold, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. The work environment is usually an office and is usually quiet. (The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

Please note: This is not an all-encompassing statement of this position’s responsibilities. While it attempts to be comprehensive, new responsibilities may be assigned to this position at any time.
 
WCQS is an EOE/AA employer.