Reporter — KCUR — Covering Race And Culture

Here in Kansas City — a sprawling, tech-friendly metro with remarkable potential — the journalists at KCUR 89.3 are committed to telling the stories of diverse and underserved communities. Recent reporting projects such as ‘Beyond Our Borders’ and ‘30/30 Vision’ hint at the possibilities. As the local NPR affiliated public radio station, we need you to help us dig even deeper into the forces that are shaping our future in the Midwest and the nation.

And here’s the perfect opportunity: KCUR 89.3 is part of a unique project committed to telling the stories of people living at the intersection of race, ethnicity and culture. From the advent of #BlackLivesMatter to the election of Donald Trump as president, the dialogue around race is changing in this country. Public media needs to change too if it’s to accurately reflect all segments of our communities.

This groundbreaking project, led by St. Louis Public Radio, is funded by a two-year grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Reporters will work collaboratively from St. Louis, Hartford, Conn., Portland, Ore., and Kansas City. Focusing on race, ethnicity and culture, our journalists will look with fresh eyes at issues and concerns being raised by diverse — and passionate — voices throughout the country. We want to give voice to those who are overlooked.

The team will produce an ambitious body of work that offers a blueprint for public media journalists who seek to serve their communities more profoundly. The work itself – based in honest, difficult communication – is intended to resonate with national, regional and local audiences.

We’re looking for an accomplished multimedia reporter who is passionate about covering all manner of issues with an eye toward race, ethnicity and diversity. We want a team player who will be a force in our newsroom, leading all our work (newscasts, talk shows, reporting, and events) toward a better understanding of our community.

This reporter will be welcomed into an ambitious yet flexible workplace. KCUR employs journalists with a wide range of backgrounds – print, TV, radio — from all over the country. We’re also the hub of Harvest Public Media and the Kansas News Service, so we’re incredibly supportive of collaborative reporting.

A background in radio is not necessary, but a passion for public radio style storytelling and a commitment to the mission of public radio is essential.

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.

In your cover letter, please tell us what kinds of stories you believe this team should cover and how you would approach these topics differently from what you hear currently on public media. What is missing or overlooked?

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES

• 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 other outlets.
• Collaborate with project editors and reporters on daily work and projects.
• Participate in news planning meetings to suggest story ideas and help focus story angles
• Contribute segment ideas and appear as a guest or host on local talk shows, podcasts and community events, as needed.
• Edit features and spots for other reporters.
• Participate in all assigned fund-raising and outreach activities, on air and off.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a related field required; or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience; and at least three years of experience that provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• More than five years of reporting experience.
• One year of work experience in a radio, news, or public media organization.
• Experience in collaborative reporting.
• Excellent writing skills, proven news judgment and journalistic integrity.
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills with both internal and external audiences.
• Ability to multitask and work on diverse projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment. Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to take direction and work collaboratively with various personalities.
• Ability and willingness to work a varied schedule.
• Enthusiasm for the role of public media in a changing journalism environment.
• Familiarity with cross-platform storytelling.
• Familiarity with the variety of issues likely to come up in Kansas City.
• Strong social media skills.

SUPERVISION

This position reports to a KCUR editor.

SALARY

Salary is commensurate with experience.

HOW TO APPLY

Review of applications will begin on August 7, 2017. This position will remain open until filled.

Apply online: www.umkc.edu/jobs. Applicants must combine all 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. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.).

In your cover letter, please tell us what kinds of stories you believe this team should cover and how you would approach these topics differently from what you hear currently on public media. What is missing and overlooked?

If you are experiencing technical problems, please call 855-524-0002.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

UMKC is an equal access, equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that is fully committed to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. 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, sexual orientation, gender identify, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information, call the Vice Chancellor – Human Resources at 816-235-1621.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Affirmative Action at 816-235-1323.