Audience Editor
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Job Category: Online | New Media,Radio
Job ID: 73247
Employment Type:
Salary: per year
Posted: 09.18.2025
Occupations:
Job Description:
Are you a thoughtful, digital-savvy editor who wants to make a difference in southern and Appalachian communities? The Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom (AMSN) is hiring an Audience Editor to lead our digital publishing and engagement strategy, anchoring our flagship newsletters, on-demand audio and vertical video strategies while helping stations grow.
This is a great opportunity for a person experienced in journalism, editing or public media who knows how to reach people where they are and wants to help shape the voice of one of public media's newest regional news collaborations. Another great candidate would be someone without a traditional journalist background but is a strong digital marketer with experience reaching and engaging regional audiences.
About the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom
The Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom (AMSN) is a collaboration among West Virginia Public Broadcasting, WPLN and WUOT in Tennessee, LPM, WEKU, WKMS and WKU Public Radio in Kentucky, and NPR.
We cover the issues that matter most in our region — economy, environment, health, culture, politics — and tell stories that often go unheard locally and nationally. Our purpose: to bring people across Appalachia and the Mid-South smart, deeply rooted reporting that reflects their lives, culture, economy, and future in a voice that's neighborly, honest, grounded, warm and observant.
About the Role
As Audience Editor, you'll lead AMSN's audience strategy, ensuring our reporting is not only excellent but also accessible, engaging, and trusted.
You'll:
- With the Managing Editor of Collaboratives and the Deputy Managing Editor, create an audience engagement strategy to deepen engagement with existing audiences and reach new audiences.
- Manage flagship products including a regional newsletter and audio broadcast, shaping them into reliable, habit-building vehicles for audiences.
- Curate our presence on social platforms, homepages and newsletters.
- Collaborate with stations across the region in a role that blends editing, marketing, strategy and mentorship.
This position is based at Louisville Public Media in Louisville, Kentucky, with the possibility for hybrid work. It reports to the Managing Editor of Collaboratives and works closely with the Deputy Managing Editor. The salary range is $60,000–$70,000, depending on experience. This role is grant-funded through June 2028.
What You'll Do
- Lead and execute audience engagement strategy across web, newsletters, social platforms, and distributed networks.
- Edit and optimize stories for digital platforms, tailoring them for core audiences (ages 30–50) and experimenting with formats to reach younger and rural audiences.
- Manage and grow digital and text newsletters + audio as the anchor for regional engagement.
- Build and track audience metrics, translating them into actionable newsroom insights.Foster an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion that upholds LPM and AMSN's values.
- Coach reporters and editors on digital best practices, audience engagement, and storytelling techniques.
- Stay current with digital tools, trends and audience behaviors.
Job Requirements:
We're looking for an experienced journalist, editor or digital marketer who thrives at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and community; and knows how to reach people online in ways that build trust and interest in public service journalism.
Required qualifications:
- Five to seven years of journalism or digital marketing experience, including editing or equivalent leadership
- Experience publishing stories online using CMS tools (like WordPress or Grove)
- Strong grasp of social media strategy, social scheduling tools, email platforms and content planning
- Familiarity with digital analytics tools like Google Analytics
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines
- Experience designing or running audience engagement campaigns and tailoring content to fit different platforms
- Access to reliable transportation for occasional travel
- Willingness to work some evenings or non-standard hours
Preferred qualifications:
- Proven success growing and retaining loyal audiences through newsletters, podcasts, or social platforms.
- Demonstrated ability to create engagement strategies that drive membership and sponsorship growth and revenue.
- A passion for audio storytelling and basic production/editing skills.
- Knowledge of the Appalachia and Mid-South region.