Morning Edition Host

About Augustana College:

Augustana College is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Morning Edition Host. 

About WVIK: WVIK is the most listened-to public radio station in the Quad Cities area, broadcasting to over 40,000 listeners each month with thousands engaging online and on the WVIK App.

WVIK offers audiences in its 75-mile listening radius access to a wide variety of music, including classical and jazz selections, all curated by beloved local hosts. WVIK’s award-winning newsroom is the only local radio news department in the Quad Cities. WVIK also produces a variety of podcasts that explore arts, culture and entertainment in the region. In addition to these services, WVIK maintains translators in Dubuque, Iowa, (95.9 FM) and Moline, Illinois (105.7 FM).

WVIK also serves Quad Citizens with visual impairments or other difficulties reading via Augustana Public Radio Information Service (APRIS). More than a hundred volunteers visit the WVIK studios every month to record readings of local papers and periodicals, which are then broadcast on sub-band radios and streamed online. WVIK is also designated a lead station for disaster response communications by numerous local and regional disaster response teams, a critical community service given WVIK’s listening area is situated along the Mississippi River.

Committed to maintaining its position as an indispensable community organization for years to come, WVIK expanded its news and classical programming. WVIK by creating a 24/7 news and information station on 90.3 FM while also having a 24/7 classical music station dedicated to supporting local arts and culture on its HD2 and 105.7 FM translator. As part of this ongoing expansion, WVIK is upgrading its production tools and processes and is building an innovative and energetic team dedicated to serving the community both over the air and digitally.

About Augustana College:  Augustana College is a selective liberal arts and sciences college of 2,400 students, including 18 percent first-generation college students, 22 percent Pell Grant students, 23 percent students of color, and 13 percent international students.  Our beautifully wooded and largely residential campus is located in Rock Island, IL, a diverse Illinois-Iowa Quad Cities metropolitan area along the Mississippi River with 400,000 residents about three hours west of Chicago.

Strengthening our diverse and inclusive community is central to the college’s mission and strategic plan. We seek applicants with an interest in fostering rigorous, inclusive, and high-impact work environments.

Job Description:

Job Title:  Morning Edition Host    

Status:  Part-Time, with full time work available   

Wage Grade: 735

Reports To:  News Director

Overview:  WVIK, Quad Cities NPR, is seeking a new Morning Edition Host.  As producer and host of WVIK’s daily broadcast of NPR’s Morning Edition from 5 AM to 9 AM, responsibilities include collecting, hosting and sharing a wide variety of local news and information and communicate it in a clear and engaging manner. It will also be this person responsibility to maintain online presence during this program, help with marketing, participate in online and in-person fundraising activities, work with colleagues to advance WVIK’s mission.

Full-Time work may be available to those candidates who so desire and have strong skills in the areas of journalism, audio production, digital technologies, or broadcast engineering.

Job Duties:

• Responsible for preparing materials for each break, including local news, station information and promos, weather, community calendar items, and traffic.
• Assisting in the coverage of breaking news during Morning Edition and online, including extensive coverage as the situation develops.
• Record interviews on-air and in person for inclusion in the daily broadcast, along with the production of original content and repackaging of other station content for presentation during Morning Edition.
• Also acts as fill-in host for All Things Considered or wherever needed.
• Work in coordination with Marketing and Development to maintain a consistent station social media voice and leverage multimedia tools and techniques to help tell the station’s story.
• Represent the station at live events, local committees, public events, and sponsorship activities.

Requirements:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, a related field, or equivalent experience.

Skills & Experience:  Professional experience in broadcast journalism and radio hosting preferred, as well as familiarity with public radio news standards and values. A broad knowledge of local and regional issues would be of benefit. Demonstrated proficiency in electronic news gathering, audio editing, news writing, and broadcast production strongly desired. Effective on-air communication and interpersonal skills required. Preferred office skills include online research, word processing, spreadsheet use, and operation of light office equipment. Demonstrated familiarity with new media techniques and a commitment to following and embracing advances in technology; comfortable with and a champion of experimentation. Knowledge of Adobe Audition, Audiovault, or other audio or video editing platforms a plus.

Physical and other Requirements: Must be able to lift 10 pounds on a frequent basis. Must be able listen, hear, speak, read, and write. Must be able to work in a variety of environments for long periods of time including radio studios and production rooms, out of doors under a variety of conditions, drive a motor vehicle, carry and manipulate broadcast recording equipment, use computers, basic office software, and standard broadcast equipment. As news events frequently occur on an unscheduled basis, this candidate must be able to accommodate breaking news or emergency broadcasts. As Morning Edition host, their work day will begin before 5 AM.

Physical Requirements:  Must be able to lift 10 pounds on a frequent basis.  Also required is the ability to listen, hear, speak, climb stairs, bend, stoop, and stand for intermittently long periods of time.  Must be possess or be able to acquire a valid driver’s license.

Special Requirements:  The ability to speak and read clearly in the English language.  All prospective employees must pass a criminal background check.

Note:  This job description is subject to change and is not designed to be a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required by the employee. 

Additional Information:

Augustana College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Augustana College provides equal opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants should forward a cover letter including salary requirements, resume and audio submission to [email protected].  For more information on benefits, please go to www.Augustana.edu