ABC-7 Weekend Sports Anchor / News Reporter position
We seek an articulate weekend sports anchor/news reporter who knows how to sniff out and tell a great story, and can multitask during stressful situations.
The current weekend sportscaster is in the running for the sports director job, so his position MAY open. This position is a sports/news hybrid. You are expected to report to the newsroom on weekdays to cover general assignment news. If you`re passionate about sports and can dig up interesting stories, you`re more likely to cover sports more of the time. You will fill-in for the sports director when he is off. In a two-person department, you cover for each other a lot of the time.
You need the skills typically acquired after a couple of years in the business, and the knowledge of journalistic principles typically found in someone with a bachelor’s degree. You should expect a full multimedia experience: you’ll have to pick up a camera and shoot, edit, interact with our Twitter/Facebook followers plus maintain the sports section at www.kvia.com. And here’s the best (or worst) part: the general manager, the managing editor, the news operations manager and our main anchor are all former sportscasters (see a pattern?). The general manager is a sports nut and still shoots sideline video at college football games. Expect constant critique and oversight.
We cover two NCAA Division I universities -UTEP and NMSU- and we don’t hesitate to lead our newscasts with sports when something big is going on. We often follow local teams to regional meets, the NCAA tournament and a bowl game if either college can produce a winner. El Paso has a brand new Triple-A baseball team (you`ve heard of the El Paso Chihuahuas, haven`t you?) and new stadium. The sports scene is vibrant. El Paso is the 19th largest city in the country. We host the annual Sun Bowl each December. We also cover about 40 high schools and produce the Borderland Blitz, a 30-minute Friday night high school football show. This really is a premium job for a middle market station. As such, I expect the person I hire to commit to a 3-year contract, at least. No exceptions.
I`m looking for a very strong writer who consistently develops interesting local stories that appeal to people who usually can’t stand sports. Reels that show an actual INVESTIGATION into a sports-related topic and memorable storytelling will bubble to the top of my list. Be ready to prove you’re well-rounded and conversant about topics beyond the world of sports, as news reporting will be part of your job. The ability to speak Spanish is not a requirement, but it could give you an edge in story development since it’s the primary language of many of the people you would be covering.
Please send a link of your work, along with a resume, salary requirement (this is really important because it shows you`ve researched the market) and a cover letter that tells me why I should pick you over everyone else. Write “WEEKEND SPORTSCASTER/REPORTER“ on the subject line, since I`m screening candidates for multiple vacancies. My email is andkvia@yahoo.com.
Good luck!
Brenda De Anda-Swann
KVIA-TV News Director
