News Director - WRCB Local 3 News

News Director

Local 3, the Sarkes Tarzian-owned NBC affiliate in beautiful Chattanooga, seeks an experienced news director to lead its news division and develop its journalists.

This isn’t your typical news director role, and it doesn’t come open often. Local 3 is owned by a family-run broadcasting company with a proven track record of deep investment in local news and the people who produce it. This role offers a significant opportunity to help shape company-wide decisions about local journalism.

The News Director oversees all on-air and digital content operations and carries out research-based strategy. We want a hands-on teacher and mentor who can attract, hire, and train both beginning journalists and veterans with decades of experience.

We want someone with proven ability to own breaking news, win big weather coverage, and execute on our severe weather brand. We hold ourselves accountable to our community with fair reporting and the high-quality journalism the Tennessee Valley expects from us. Our News Director will be a leader who embraces storytelling and investigative journalism's crucial role in our community.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent years of experience in news leadership.
• Previous news director experience strongly desired. Minimum of seven years of newsroom experience and three to five years of experience managing journalists.
• Motivational leader with a proven record of developing journalists on and off camera.
• Ability to set a vision and carry it out in the newsroom in managing content and people.
• Unwavering journalistic judgment and commitment to maintaining station standards of fair reporting and newsgathering practices.
• Experience preparing and maintaining department budgets.
• Strong communication skills.
• A desire to continue learning and growing personal knowledge of industry technologies and managerial practices to improve workplace culture and efficiencies.
• Proven record of producing high-performing and engaging broadcast and digital content.
• Consistent presence on social media.
• Ability to calmly direct live breaking news and weather coverage.
• Proven track record of shepherding change as a newsroom evolves and develops.
• A competitive approach to winning the story of the day and the long-term loyalty of viewers.

Responsibilities

• Strategically lead and develop the news department of 60+ journalists.
• Oversee all on-air and digital news content with equal priority.
• Prioritize collaboration between other departments and station leaders to maximize station performance.
• Maintain a culture that puts people first and emphasizes accuracy and accountability across all platforms.
• Oversee story development, including short-form daily news and long-format investigative reporting.
• Inspire and coach all news team members consistently with feedback and in-person attention.

Benefits

A highly competitive benefits package, including health, life and vision insurance; 401k plan with contributions after three months of employment, and three weeks of vacation per year. Other benefits include performance-based bonus compensation and relocation assistance.

Local 3/WRCB is an equal-opportunity employer.

If interested, Local 3's job application form can be found online. Email your application and resume to Talent Acquisition Specialist, Elise Collins, at ECollins@SarkesTarzian.com.

About Local 3

Local 3 is one of two television stations owned by Sarkes Tarzian, Inc., an independent, family-oriented broadcaster dedicated to local news and information. Local 3 tells stories with compassion and concern for our community and its residents.

Local 3 is located just a few miles from the banks of the Tennessee River, the focal point of Downtown Chattanooga, a destination city and the centerpiece of a highly competitive mid-size television market. Chattanooga is known as “The Scenic City” for its breathtaking views of the Tennessee Valley from the surrounding Signal and Lookout Mountains.

Chattanooga is known for the fastest internet in the country, a walkable downtown, and a plethora of outdoor activities, live music, local cuisine, and family-friendly activities like the Tennessee Aquarium.

Just two hours from Atlanta, Nashville, and Birmingham, there is always a road trip to be had, though you likely will not need it with so much to do here at home.

Local 3 is the Tennessee Valley’s proud weather leader, investing in the market’s first mobile weather center. With the largest news and weather staff in the market, Local 3 continues to invest in local resources to serve local viewers.