Digital Producer I

The mission of American Public Media Group (APMG) is to enrich the mind and nourish the spirit, thereby enhancing the lives and expanding the perspectives of our audiences and assisting them in strengthening their communities. We aspire to be the leader in creating trusted and meaningful listening experiences with and for curious people, and we seek to create a diverse, inclusive culture focused on growth and outcomes to serve our audiences.

APMG's primary operating divisions Minnesota Public Radio, Southern California Public Radio and American Public Media offer multi-regional FM broadcast channels, website, mobile and social media channels, live events, national content creation and distribution. Together, these divisions operate 49 public radio stations and 42 translators serving regional audiences in eight states from Minnesota, Michigan and the Upper Midwest to Idaho and California; distribute a portfolio of more than twenty national programs reaching nearly 20MM listeners weekly through 1,000 radio stations; serve rapidly growing audiences on digital, social and mobile platforms; and produce an increasing and diverse array of podcasts featuring the best in food, culture, entertainment, mental health, water, early brain development, business and investigative journalism.

Your Role:

We are looking for an energetic, skilled Digital Producer focused on video creation to join the team. The ideal candidate should be passionate about how video on social media platforms can serve the public and help newsrooms connect with new audiences. They should be so knowledgeable about video production as to be comfortable working alone and teaching it to others. They should be excited at the prospect of teaching other journalists – even those who do not use social media – how to capture video or write and deliver a script that hooks TikTok viewers. They should have the initiative and flexibility to pause their work on a feature video so they can pitch and create an explainer video about major breaking news ASAP.

Expected Compensation Range: $29.64 - $35.57/hour. Exact hourly rate determined by experience and education related to the role, organizational compensation structure and internal equity.

Application Deadline: Open until filled

Position responsibilities:

Create multiple videos per week for social platforms
Find and report original stories in multiple mediums (video, writing, and sometimes radio). Not all videos should be adapted into written stories, but some of your stories will likely work in written form, too!
Work with journalists across the newsroom to adapt their work into social video, whether that be reporting alongside them at the scene; directing fellow photojournalists on how to capture video for social at the same time they prioritize taking photos; or working with journalists to help them appear on camera including writing scripts for them, directing and recording them, and producing the videos
Establish and uphold best practices for production of social video
Help set strategy for TikTok
Keep up with daily news and content plans to inform whether you spend each workday creating a video about breaking news, initiating collaboration on an upcoming story, or focusing on your own projects
Brainstorm and execute video ideas for upcoming newsroom wide projects or key coverage topics, such as the 2024 election

Required education and experience:

At least two years of experience working in or with professional newsrooms

Required qualifications:

Demonstrated experience creating video for social media (this can be for personal or professional accounts)
Experience with post-production workflows and video-editing software
Robust knowledge about TikTok and Instagram Reels
Ability to condense a complex story or detailed information into a short, easy-to-understand video or article
Genuine interest in what makes audiences want to consume, engage with and share content
Genuine interest in keeping up with trends and best practices in news video for social platforms
Strong understanding of journalism ethics and standards, especially as they apply to visuals
Strong writing, reporting and interviewing skills
An opinion about what MPR News should and should not do on TikTok
Willingness to be on camera and build a personal brand as one of the faces of MPR News

Preferred qualifications:

Experience with DSLRs and basic sound/lighting equipment
Experience starring on camera
Knowledge about YouTube, including Shorts
Ability to manage multiple short- and long-term projects at various stages of production
Experience helping other people adapt their work in other mediums into social video
Experience using analytics tools to measure video success
Experience interviewing subjects on video and helping them shine