LOOKING FOR A GIG RUNNING A PUBLIC MEDIA NEWSROOM? MOVE TO WICHITA, WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Last August we published a post about KMUW, Wichita’s search for two reporters. Apparently the good folks at KMUW [link] received some applications from our publicity because they have asked us to get the word out about another opportunity at the station: Director of News and Public Affairs.

News Directors have become increasingly important at public radio stations in mid-sized markets that are not often covered by national media. Such is the case with Wichita, Kansas.

For many years Wichita was known as a “Cowtown” because it was literally the end of the trail.  Cattle drives choose Wichita as the place to get beef to market. Then, in the 1920s and 1930s, the leading business people in Wichita did something that transformed the city forever. Wichita became the Air Capital of the World – the place where aviators experimented and built better ways for people to fly. News made in Wichita travels around the world.

Beechcraft, Cessna and Stearman Aircraft led the move to Wichita. Over the subsequent decades, the city attracted Textron Aviation, Airbus and Learjet. McConnell Air Force Base kept growing and growing after World War Two and the cold war. Business news is a vital news beat in Wichita.

Wichita is an internationally known hub for agriculture and energy. David and Charles Koch, owners of Koch Industries, run a huge privately owned mega-company that is a leader in both fields. As you may have heard, the Kock brothers sometimes get involved with national politics.  More news originates from Wichita than many people think. So, becoming Director of News and Public Affairs at KMUW is filled with opportunities.

You can count on eating a good steak in Wichita. The quality of life is notable. According to the city of Wichita, the cost of living in Wichita is far below the national average. As of 2013, the median home value in the city was $117,500. Mortgage payments in Wichita  are affordable.

I’ve saved the best reason to move to Wichita for last: KMUW is based there.

KMUW is on its way up. There is nothing more exciting than working with a a team of like minded people as the impact of their work becomes greater. KMUW has a real sense of purpose. 

The management is hip and strong. The station just moved to new headquarters in one of the grooviest part of town. And, there is plenty of news here waiting for you to report it.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS JOB

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

KMUW, Wichita’s NPR station, is hiring a Director of News and Public Affairs to lead our award-winning News Department. This position will set the editorial agenda for local and regional coverage daily and plan enterprising feature coverage of local news for broadcast and digital platforms.

The Director of News and Public Affairs will oversee a news team of five, work closely with another three cultural features producers, as well as the statewide collaborative Kansas News Service which includes another ten reporters and an editor.

Development of a successful internship program is also key. This position will corral these content resources to provide exceptional journalism for the communities we serve.

The deadline for applications is next Wednesday, 11/8/17.

 

Downtown Wichita and the Arkansas River sparkle in the evening