The Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University supports the teaching and practice of historically informed investigative reporting in the service of multiracial democracy. Through academic and financial support, the Center empowers students, faculty, and journalism organizations at Howard University and across the nation’s HBCUs. The Center promotes the values of press freedom, racial justice, and public accountability through research, partnerships, and programming.

For nearly 200 years, the Black press has spoken, written, and delivered truth to power. Now, under the leadership of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Center for Journalism & Democracy and its students are writing the next chapter of this rich legacy. Housed at the iconic Howard University, the Center is training the journalists who will report on the most pressing issues of the day.

The Center for Journalism & Democracy  at Howard University seeks a strategic and creative Communications Specialist to shape how the Center’s work is shared with the world and ensure its impact reaches students, faculty, journalists, and the broader public. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role will serve as a key member of the Center, driving the development and execution of a strategic communications vision that elevates the Center’s profile, engages target audiences, and amplifies its mission.

The Communications Specialist will lead efforts to create and implement an integrated communications strategy that includes digital media, public relations, content creation, and brand development. This individual will manage messaging across platforms, produce compelling storytelling, and build relationships with media, influencers, and partners to strengthen the Center’s position as a national leader in pro-democracy journalism.

The ideal candidate is a creative, detail-oriented communicator who thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution. They will bring expertise in digital communications, media engagement, and audience growth while demonstrating the flexibility to work across channels and with multiple stakeholders.

Disney Entertainment’s eight-owned ABC stations are multiplatform leaders in local news and information. WABC-TV has been the leader in local news and entertainment programming in the New York City area for more than 60 years. Producing more than 45 hours of live, local news and weather each week, Channel 7 “Eyewitness News” is the most-watched local news in New York and the United States. Quality news and programming, groundbreaking technology, and ongoing community outreach are the hallmarks of excellence that have consistently kept WABC-TV New York’s No. 1 station and the most-watched television station in the nation!

The Director of Digital & Audience Engagement is a key newsroom leader responsible for developing and executing the station’s digital content strategy across all platforms, including website, mobile app, social media, streaming, newsletters, OTT, and emerging technologies. This role ensures that digital storytelling meets high editorial standards, reflects the station’s brand, increases audience engagement, and drives measurable growth in reach and revenue.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who blends editorial judgment, audience analytics, innovation, and leadership. They will work closely with News, Community, Marketing, Sales, and Technology teams to expand digital-first journalism and deliver content that serves the local community 24/7.

Responsibilities

Digital Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement a digital-first content strategy aligned with newsroom goals and audience growth targets.

• Lead and mentor a digital content team, providing coaching, feedback, and performance guidance.

• Create editorial calendars and coverage plans tied to key events, ratings periods, local trends, and viewer behavior.

• Drive innovation in storytelling formats (short-form video, live streams, explainers, interactive graphics, polls, AI tools, etc.).

Content & Editorial Oversight

• Oversee the creation, editing, and publication of content across all digital platforms.

• Ensure accuracy, timeliness, legal compliance, and editorial ethics, in partnership with News leadership and Legal teams.

• Prioritize breaking news, weather, investigative stories, and community impact reporting in real time.

• Work collaboratively with producers, anchors, and reporters to adapt on-air stories for digital and social.

Audience Development & Analytics

• Use various analytic tools to guide team on optimizing content and headlines, in addition to using tools to analyze posting strategy and growing audience engagement.

• Establish data-driven KPIs, including impressions, engagement rates, video views, subscriptions, conversion, retention, and monetization.

• Drive initiatives to grow audience segments, including Gen Z, bilingual viewers, and historically underserved communities.

Collaboration & Monetization

• Partner with Sales & Marketing to create sponsored digital content, branded storytelling, and OTT opportunities.

• Work with Promotions & Community Engagement teams to amplify station initiatives, town halls, and local partnerships.

• Align digital strategy with station revenue goals while maintaining journalistic standards.

Innovation & Emerging Technologies

• Identify and implement tools related to AI, SEO, CMS workflows, captioning, accessibility, automation, standard templates, and content tagging.

• Stay current on industry trends: streaming, personalization, vertical video, newsletters, text alerts, podcasting, etc.

• Evaluate new platforms and recommend expansion opportunities.

 Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Minimum of 7+ years of newsroom or digital content experience, including editorial decision-making.

• Strong leadership experience managing a fast-paced digital team.

• Demonstrated expertise across content management systems, analytics tools, social platforms, & SEO best practices.

• Proven track record of growing digital audiences and driving engagement.

Preferred Qualification:

• Experience in local news or broadcasting environment.

• Familiarity with AP Style and knowledge of FCC / legal standards.

• Experience working with OTT platforms, newsletter strategy, and subscription models

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, Digital Media, or related field.

KCRA 3, the news leader in Sacramento and a Hearst Television station, is looking for a full-time Digital Content Producer. You must be an excellent storyteller with a passion for creativity. Breaking news and dynamic weather are important in Northern California and our digital producer must know how to maximize our content and create compelling videos. You will report to the Digital Content Manager.

Responsibilities

• Write/edit and publish breaking news and weather, daily news, sports and feature stories for our station website, app and social media platforms
• Write compelling headlines and craft push notifications, including for breaking news and severe weather
• Edit dynamic and engaging video for digital and social platforms
• Work with Reporters and Assignment Editors to ensure content is posted quickly and accurately
• Work with Producers, Assignment Editors and Managers to ensure promotion of content across all platforms
• Develop interactive multimedia and data visualizations for daily news and special projects
• Manage livestreams of news events and developing stories
• Contribute ideas to help grow our station's multiplatform reach

Requirements

• At least two years of experience in a professional television newsroom or digital publishing environment
• Strong news and editorial judgment
• Excellent AP writing skills
• Knowledge of video editing
• Experience with social media best practices
• Flexibility to work different shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays
• Proficiency in photo editing and creating social graphics
• Related military experience will be considered
• Bilingual experience is a plus

Salary

The estimated base salary range for this role is between $55,000 and $65,000. The actual base pay offered is dependent upon many factors, such as transferable skills, work experience, business needs, market demands and conditions, including geographic location where the work will be performed, and other factors permitted by law. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Values in Action

At Hearst Television we tell stories every day. Stories about people of all cultures, backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. That's why, behind the scenes, we believe in being an organization as diverse and varied as the audience we reach, ensuring that the content we create is more compassionate, and more representative of the Northern California communities we serve.

Benefits

Hearst's benefit programs are modern, flexible and designed to focus on you. As a Hearst employee, you and your spouse or partner or dependents would have access to the following benefits.

• Medical | Dental | Vision
• 401(k) matching
• Emotional Wellness Support
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• LGBTQ+ Health Services
• Additional benefits to meet your and your family's needs

About Us

Hearst Television (HTV) owns and operates 33 television and two radio stations serving 26 media markets across 39 states reaching over 21 million U.S. television households. HTV is recognized as one of the industry's premier broadcasting companies and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service.