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KDNK's Spring Membership Drive kicks off April 3rd at the Village Smithy. Join or renew early!

Job Posting: KDNK Hiring News Director

Raleigh Burleigh

KDNK’s mission is to provide public access radio that connects community members to one another and the world. Based in Carbondale, Colorado, KDNK reaches thousands of listeners across nine FM signals and online. We have built a reputation for funky vitality with over 100 volunteer DJs. We are a valued source for news, culture, emergency information, weather, road conditions, ski reports, river reports, lost and found pet reports, and community calendar listings.

KDNK seeks an experienced journalist, open to risk-taking and innovation, who will lead editorial decision making and digital content strategy. Are you ready to get to work amplifying local voices and evoking a strong sense of place? As News Director, you will produce daily broadcast news on deadline and lead investigative coverage to make meaningful impact.

KDNK’s News Director reports to the General Manager, sharing station operation duties with the Program Director, Music Director, Development Director, and Underwriting Manager. Adult and youth volunteers, as well as paid hosts all count on your leadership. Strong teamwork is essential, particularly during semi-annual Membership Drives and local elections.

KDNK values diversity. We collaborate with Rocky Mountain Community Radio coalition, Western Slope Resource Reporting, the Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment news team, Connecting the Drops, Sounds of the High Country, and other joint projects.

Responsibilities:

  • Manage 10 minutes of KDNK Local News stories each weekday

  • Exercise news judgment, define journalistic priorities, and build trust

  • Help lead KDNK’s digital initiatives and audience engagement efforts

  • Circulate scripts for hosts of NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered

  • Cover government, natural resources, health care, housing, and education beats

  • Monitor emergencies, weather, transportation, ski slopes, and river flows

  • Write headlines, shoot photos, and compose online stories

  • Provide editorial guidance to Spanish-language hosts, freelance producers, interns, the youth news team, and volunteers

  • Support public affairs hosts with on-air and online content

  • Host network news programming and live events

  • Participate in quarterly KDNK Community Advisory Board meetings

Necessary Skills and Experience:

  • Professional management experience

  • Training as a reporter, writer, editor, photographer, or producer

  • Familiarity with best practices for digital content and social media

  • Demonstrated commitment to accuracy, ethics, and transparency

Salary and Benefits:

$40,000-44,000 DOE. Full-time position. Eligible for partial health insurance and dental benefits. Paid time off includes escalating vacation time, personal leave, sick leave, and paid holidays. 

Email KDNK General Manager Gavin Dahl [gavin at kdnk dot org] with a letter of interest, resume, three professional references, and links to four examples of your reporting, editing, photography, or audio production work. Carbondale Community Acess Radio is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits harassment. All applicants will be considered for employment without discrimination on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, family responsibility, disability status, protected veteran status, or religion. Open until filled.

(PDF version of this job posting)

Gavin became one of the youngest station managers in public radio on February 1, 2017. He is a writer and producer with a passion for community media. Prior to starting at KDNK as news director in 2016, Gavin worked for national radio programs Alternative Radio with David Barsamian and Nonprofit Radio with Tony Martignetti along with local stations KGNU Boulder, KYRS Spokane, KRBX Boise, KAOS Olympia, and Air America Radio affiliate KPTK Seattle. His nonprofit management experience includes Open Media Foundation, where he led a government transparency team, and Common Frequency, where his policy advocacy supported dozens of noncommercial radio startups. Boulder Weekly, Raw Story, Austin American-Statesman, Boise Weekly, and The Sopris Sun have published his reporting. His TV credits include directing teams at Colorado Channel, crewing for Democracy Now!, and hosting on Free Speech TV. He graduated from the Evergreen State College in 2008 with a BA in media production and community organizing.