Job Opportunities

News Director

KRBD Ketchikan is seeking a news director to lead our southern Southeast Alaska news coverage. The news director is the leader, manager, and chief editor of the KRBD newsroom, overseeing news staff, story output, and journalistic standards.

About the Position

You are responsible for editorial supervision, coordination, development, and implementation of KRBD news content, including over-the-air and online. You report directly to the general manager. You will cover a wide range of community-focused news stories. Your work will help fulfill our public service journalism mission of delivering news whether it is fisheries, forestry, local government, education, or in-depth enterprise stories. We strive to keep our community informed, engaged, and enlightened.

Our ideal candidate has strong management skills and the ability to produce high-quality news and public affairs programming. Someone curious by nature, innovative, creative, collaborative, and solutions-oriented with the ability to see the big picture while juggling multiple tasks. We do not have a story quota in our newsroom but you must have excellent time management skills and comfort writing and producing on daily deadlines.

Core Responsibilities

● Report, assign, develop, and edit stories while cultivating reporters’ story ideas

● Collaborate with news directors and reporters across Alaska to cover regional stories with statewide significance

● Plan and host news broadcasts, special events, assembly meetings, call-ins, live streams, and other news coverage as needed

● Update and manage web-based news content

● Share news content with the wider Alaska Public Media network

● Create, edit, and distribute a monthly news digest email newsletter

● Assist staff, volunteers, and the public as needed in a professional and collaborative manner

Qualifications

● A Bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field, or equivalent experience in radio journalism

● A minimum of two years experience reporting in a newsroom

● Strong judgment and understanding of journalistic standards, practices, and ethics are required

● Desire to tell audio stories for diverse communities

● Previous supervisory experience preferred

● Demonstrated skills in radio including solid writing, interviewing, production/editing, and photography

● Knowledge of Alaska and local issues, interests, and trends preferred

● Ability to work under deadline pressure with minimal supervision

● Exceptional organizational and time management skills

The Station and the Community

KRBD-FM has a strong commitment to local news, cultural outreach, and inclusive programming. We serve southern Southeast Alaska island communities on Revillagigedo, Prince of Wales, and Annette Islands with a total population of about 18,000 people. The station is in Ketchikan, a community known for its interesting history, thriving arts scene, and diverse culture. Ketchikan is a regional hub for other rural communities and a cruise tourism hotspot with daily direct flights to Seattle. Situated in the Tongass National Forest it is a fairly remote and wild place, with mild temperatures and significant annual rainfall.

Deadline: Open until filled and screening applications immediately. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply right away.

Salary: Range D, $55,022 to $63,695 annually, depending on experience, with a competitive benefit plan.

To apply: Send your resume, cover letter, three references, and at least three work samples you reported or edited to ApplyKRBD@krbd.org with the subject line: “NEWS DIRECTOR APPLICATION”

The news director position is a salaried, exempt position with health care benefits, paid sick leave, and paid vacation leave. KRBD contributes to the 403(b) retirement plan for all employees participating in the program. KRBD observes 11 work holidays throughout the year as well as three floating holidays.

KRBD broadcasts from the traditional lands of the Saanya Kwáan and Taant’á Kwáan. KRBD is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building a culturally sensitive staff and creating a working environment of respect and a sense of belonging.

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Development Director

The KRBD Development Director is responsible for working with the General Manager to create and implement a plan and strategies to provide financial support for the station by meeting fundraising goals. We’re looking for a motivated, community-minded individual who has a passion for KRBD’s mission. Our goal is to have a work environment where people collaborate, share ideas, support one another, and otherwise lift each other up.

Position responsibilities

Develops an annual fundraising plan. Create and implements a yearly development/fundraising plan and timeline with the General Manager.

Coordinates KRBD’s membership program. Organizes and coordinates communications with KRBD’s member donors. Drafts direct mail and email solicitations. Creates branding and messaging for On-Air Membership Drives. Partners with CoastAlaska Membership Director

Solicits business support through underwriting sales. Solicits and secures on-air and online underwriting from businesses, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. Prepares and maintains underwriting contracts. Records, produces and schedules on air announcements.

Coordinate fundraising events. Organizes, oversees, and coordinates special fundraising events that meet KRBD’s mission, revenue, and community health needs. Creates sponsorship opportunities for local businesses.

Oversees KRBD’s retail items and thank you gifts. Promotes and strategizes retail sales, including in-town and partner opportunities. Maintain inventory and fulfill membership premium distribution.

Required Skills

Familiarity with KRBD and Southeast Alaska: We’re looking for someone who understands some of the history and programming of KRBD and knows about the region we serve.
Teamwork: The Development Director works with the staff on programming adjustments, donations, and volunteers.
Service-oriented: you like to help others. You feel comfortable working with people of all skill levels, across a whole spectrum of accommodations.
Organized: you can keep track and work on many projects and follow through on deadlines. You also can ask for help when you see a need for it.
Willing to grow: you are open to different ideas and ways of working, and accept meaningful feedback.
Represent KRBD positively in the community·

The Station and the Community

Deadline: Open until filled and screening applications immediately. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply right away.

Salary: Range D, $49,900 to $66,800 annually, depending on experience, with a competitive benefit plan.

To apply: Please submit a letter of interest and your resume with three professional references by e-mail to ApplyKRBD@krbd.org

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News Reporter

This is a general assignment local news reporter in a small newsroom in Ketchikan, Alaska. Areas of reporting include municipal government, fisheries, tourism, mining, climate and environment and the local arts scene.

Position responsibilities

Research, write, and produce radio and digital news stories for broadcast and web
File stories for statewide network and pitch to national news shows
Regularly host news broadcasts, special events and meetings, call-in programs and live news coverage
Post web versions of every story and share to social media
Fill in for Morning Edition host as needed
Travel to surrounding communities for coverage (i.e. Metlakatla and Prince of Wales)
Work with students and other news volunteers or interns as needed

Required Skills

Demonstrated journalism skills, including interviewing, writing for broadcast, audio production, and on-air delivery
Ability to produce high quality stories under daily deadline pressure
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues
Knowledge of the legal and ethical aspects of news reporting and AP Style
Demonstrated news judgement
An understanding of the necessary sensitivity to cover communities that aren’t your own
Contribute to on-air fundraising drives via live pitching and other activities
Represent KRBD positively in the community

Preferred Skills

Photography or videography experience
Social media journalism or other social media experience
Knowledge of Alaska, Southeast, or Ketchikan issues
Experience with any regional beats like fisheries, tourism, Native communities, education
Familiarity with the ethos and mission of public media
An enthusiasm for adventurous, unique storytelling

Deadline: Open until filled and screening applications immediately. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply right away.

Salary: Range C, $50,700 to $55,900 annually, depending on experience, with a competitive benefit plan.

To apply: Please submit a letter of interest and your resume with three professional references by e-mail to ApplyKRBD@krbd.org with the subject line “KRBD REPORTER APPLICATION”

KRBD broadcasts from the traditional homelands of the Taánta kwaan and Saánya kwaan Tlingit. KRBD is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building a culturally sensitive staff and creating a working environment of respect and a sense of belonging.

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About KRBD

KRBD is a pillar of Southeast Alaska community radio. We have a strong commitment to local news, cultural outreach, and inclusive programming. This is a small station with a close-knit staff, an active board, and many volunteers.

Ketchikan is a town of about 14,000 people, city and borough combined. Our base of operations and the primary listening area is the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, consisting of the cities of Ketchikan and Saxman and surrounding island communities. KRBD’s listening audience also extends to several communities throughout neighboring Prince of Wales Island and includes Alaska’s only federal reservation, the Tsimshian community of Metlakatla on Annette Island, plus an entire maritime fishing and shipping fleet. That total listening area covers roughly 18,000 residents.

KRBD is part of CoastAlaska, a regional news collaborative that shares support and resources with its members, including KTOO in Juneau, KCAW in Sitka, KFSK in Petersburg, KSTK in Wrangell, and KUCB in Unalaska. CoastAlaska provides administrative, financial, development, engineering and technical support services to member stations. KRBD is locally owned and operated by Rainbird Community Broadcasting, Inc., with support from CoastAlaska. KRBD is a member station of National Public Radio and Alaska Public Media, a statewide network of public radio stations with which we share reporting.

About Ketchikan

Ketchikan is located among the forested islands and mountains of Alaska’s famed Inside Passage. Ketchikan is known as the “First City” because of its position as the first stop for travelers venturing north, but it’s also a place with rich history. The ancestral land of the Taánta kwaan and Saánya kwaan Tlingit, it’s also a cultural home of the Haida, Tsimshian, and Aleut peoples. Ketchikan Indian Community is a sovereign nation and one of the largest tribes in Alaska. Ketchikan has been designated a top small town for arts, with a strong music and theater scene. Live entertainment venues include Creek Street Cabaret, the Saxman Tribal House, local bars, and pop-ups for art and music events.

We’re located in the heart of the Tongass National Forest, the world’s largest temperate rain forest. The moderate temperatures of the Tongass produce lush foliage and allow for fantastic outdoor opportunities in fishing, hunting, kayaking, and hiking nearly year-round. The lushness comes from, on average, 150 inches of precipitation per year. (Seattle averages about 40 inches, for reference.) If you don’t mind getting a little wet, there is endless natural beauty to explore. There’s also somehow plenty of sunny days to soak in, especially in the summer.

Ketchikan has a booming tourism industry, welcoming about 1.5 million annual visitors, mostly from seasonal cruise ships. We also have a U.S. Coast Guard base protecting the waters of the Inside Passage, and a world-renowned fishing industry that supports commercial, charter and sport fishermen. Ketchikan is a shipping hub for many surrounding communities, as well as a regional medical hub for southern Southeast Alaska. This is a unique opportunity in a beautiful small town with a community radio station that plays an integral part in the culture and fabric of the city.

Transportation is mainly by sea or air. Ketchikan is off the North American road system, but has an international airport with daily flights to Seattle and surrounding Southeast Alaska communities. The Alaska Marine Highway System also offers ferry service throughout the region, allowing you to bring a vehicle and enjoy the “scenic route” through the Inside Passage.

Want to learn more about our dynamic community? Check out the websites of the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, City of Ketchikan or Ketchikan Gateway Borough.