Description

About Gray Media:

Gray Media, or Gray, is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, formally known as Gray Television, Inc. The company is the nation's largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 36 percent of US television households. The portfolio includes 77 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second-highest-rated television station, as well as the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 43 markets totaling nearly 1.5 million Hispanic TV Households. The company also owns Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Gray's additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.

About WDBJ:

WDBJ7, WZBJ, and WDBJ7.com are a Gray-owned dominant CBS-affiliated media powerhouse in beautiful Roanoke, Virginia. Known as "Your Hometown Station®", WDBJ7 and WZBJ serve 26 counties across the Blue Ridge Mountain region and produce more than 55 hours of award-winning local news coverage, more than any of its competitors in the Roanoke/Lynchburg market.

Headquartered in a state-of-the-art digital broadcast center in Roanoke, Virginia, the station also operates Virginia bureaus in Lynchburg, Blacksburg, Lexington, and Danville. For 70 years, WDBJ7 has been the number one station of choice for viewers from Roanoke to Lynchburg and across the New River Valley.

Job Summary/Description:

WDBJ7 is looking for a Sports Director to lead and guide our coverage on the most dominant television and digital platforms in the market. This person will, above all, understand that sports stories are people stories.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Anchor sports segments in a clear, energetic, and informative manner
• Gathers and provides news and information in the most accurate, appealing, timely, and creative way
• Plan, produce, report, write, shoot, and edit stories and sports segments
• Oversee daily sports assignments
• Responsible for organizing and producing Friday Football Extra, other sports specials
• Lead, train, and schedule the sports team
• Maintain contacts and knowledge of local area sports
• Conduct interviews in the field and on-set, cover live sporting events
• Coordinate with the news director, assignment editor, and chief photographer for special sports coverage and events in advance
• Enterprise compelling, creative local sports stories that go beyond the highlights and are highly personalized
• Interact with the show producer and news management to integrate all sports coverage into the overall news product, determine the best presentation of reports, and ensure story accuracy
• Post and update stories on the web
• Responsible for overseeing and creating a unique approach to all digital elements for the sports department, including OTT Desk, mobile, social media, website, etc.
• Participates in the story selection process through meetings; attendance at editorial meetings is required
• Respond to phone calls and emails received concerning sports coverage
• Post extended interviews, raw video, and photo galleries to the station website
• Communicate with the web staff during breaking sports-related news
• Maintain sports library
• Interact with viewers through social media such as Facebook and Twitter
• Attend/host/speak at community service, schools, and community events; meet and greet viewers
• Substitute sports anchor when needed
• Follow clothing and appearance guidelines
• Critique, feedback, and training are part of the job
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned

Qualifications/Requirements:

• 2-5 years of experience as a sports anchor
• Experience with television photography
• Experience shooting and editing video

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Computer knowledge, including newsroom software, office applications, and Internet use
• Strong knowledge of sports, especially local
• Must be able to develop relationships with coaches, athletes, and school administrators for breaking news
• Must be able to report "live" and ad-lib during breaking sports news
• Commanding and personable anchor presence, sound news judgment
• Excellent interview and conversational speaking skills
• Clear, concise, and accurate writing skills
• Strong research skills, including familiarity with online search engines
• Maintain strong journalistic ethics and professional and ethical conduct
• Strong initiative and attention to detail
• Ability to operate cameras and edit video, use non-linear editing equipment
• Basic knowledge of web posting software, able to produce and post content to the web
• Intermediate level knowledge of social media to engage viewers
• Willingness to work as part of a team
• Ability to stay current with national and local sports news
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and work well under pressure
• Ability to work independently with little supervision
• Demonstrate leadership through training and mentoring a sports team
• Ability to remain positive and foster a positive work environment
• Plan, organize coverage, and maximize resources
• Must be willing to travel
• Follow clothing and appearance guidelines

Education:
• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, or related field

Licensing/Certifications:
• Valid driver's license with a good driving record

If you feel you're qualified and want to work with a great group of people, go to https://gray.tv/careers#currentopenings, you may type in the job title, station call letters, or click on "apply now", upload your resume, cover letter, and references

(Current employees who are interested in this position can apply through the Gray-TV UltiPro self-service portal)

WDBJ-TV/Gray Media is a drug-free company

Additional Info:

Gray Media provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Gray Media complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Gray Media expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Gray's employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.