Web Editor

Title: Web Editor

Employment Status: Full-time

Department: Editorial

Reports to: Managing Editor

Compensation: $66,000-$72,000, commensurate with experience and the guidelines of the collective bargaining agreement between Public News Service and the Minnesota News Guild.

Job summary: The Web Editor ensures editorial, ethical, creative and technical standards for Public News Service 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 output by reviewing stories to ensure they provide accurate, fair and community-engaged coverage in keeping with the PNS mission. They also ensure the quality of content published on our public website. The Web 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.

This position provided the last set of eyes on an article before it is published. As such, evening shifts are required in order to accommodate deadlines for a team that works across multiple time zones.

This position is eligible to join the Public News Service bargaining unit, represented by the Minnesota Newspaper & Communications Guild TNG-CWA Local 37002.

Key Responsibilities:

Print Editing - 50%

• Ensures broadcast scripts are adapted accurately for print publication and the PNS website, using best practices based on AP Style and the PNS Style Guide

• Double-checks details: facts, spelling and pronunciation of names and titles, photo credits, live links, etc.

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

• When other news outlets’ articles appear on PNS homepage, ensures that these are correctly formatted for our site

Website Editing - 25%

• Reviews the public website content daily and corrects, and/or coordinates with respective producer/editor to correct, and update website as early as possible when a correction or update is needed

• Checks that links are correct, images are clear and correctly formatted, and headlines are appropriate, and edits as necessary

• Selects story order and featured stories on website homepage, prioritizing diversity of regions, reporters, topics and sources 

• Ensures that articles on the website are formatted correctly

Audio Checks - 10%

• Listen to producers’ wraps for accuracy, sound quality, pronunciations, correct signoffs and special crediting as needed

• Works with producers to correct any errors in soundbite transcriptions or audio – such as noise reduction, hiss reduction, etc. – as required 

Coordination with Producers - 10%

• Reaches out to a producer when necessary with questions about their story

• Prioritizes edits based on the order in which scripts arrive. This may include editing stories by time zone, scheduled airdate, and/or which stories require Spanish translation 

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

Other - 5%

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

• Attend editors’ quarterly Zoom meetings

• Other tasks as mutually agreed

Requirements:

• 5 years of detailed work experience as an editor in a fast-paced broadcast newsroom

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

• Familiarity with AI tools as they relate to journalism and newsroom operations

• Must be willing to work weekend shifts as needed

• Home or other remote office setup with audio editing ability and experience with various digital technologies

• Experience working successfully as part of 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  

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 30 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 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.