KPBS Freelance News Producer

Req No.: 2026-20194

Category: Radio/TV/Multimedia

Type: Part-Time
Contract

Salary: $25.00 – $30.00 per hour

Dept/Proj Name: KPBS

Close Date: 4/23/2026

Overview

The salary range for this position is $25.00 – $30.00 per hour depending
upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

This position is scheduled to close on 4/23/26 at 4:00pm (PST).

This position
is filled on an on-call, as-needed basis with no set schedule or guaranteed number of hours.

KPBS serves the greater San Diego
community with informative, cultural, entertaining and educational television, radio, and digital programming. KPBS TV/FM is the public
television and radio station for San Diego. Licensed to San Diego State University, KPBS supports and furthers the university’s educational
and community service mission by informing, enlightening and empowering its audience. It does so not only by presenting national and locally
produced programming of value to its San Diego audience, but also by producing programming about San Diego and its people for distribution
nationwide.

Perks you’ll enjoy as a member of #teamKPBS

• Working on a college campus & in public media: Access to campus
  facilities and staff perks, weekly farmer’s market, tons of eateries, community events, entertainment, etc.
• Hybrid schedule/ remote
  work flexibility options (varies by position)
• Enjoy a ‘beautiful day in the neighborhood’ with local employee
  discounts
• Opportunity drawings to attend SDSU basketball games, local concerts and events
• Free wellness classes &
  programs
• Staff pop-up events
• Sick leave accruals and paid leave options
• On-site childcare at a discounted rate
  (based on availability)
• Opportunities for continued learning and professional development
• Employee assistance
  program
• Voluntary retirement savings plan

Responsibilities:

The Freelance News
Producer supports radio newscasts and audio editing. KPBS’s newscasts aim to provide listeners with a deeper understanding of their
community while inspiring, informing, and engaging thoughtful conversation. This role requires strong news judgment, the ability to meet
daily or hourly deadlines, and proficiency, or the capacity to quickly develop proficiency, in audio editing. Success in this position also
depends on strong collaboration, communication, and interpersonal skills. This position may also contribute to digital and social platforms,
including KPBS.org.

This position reports to the Senior Producer of Audio and works closely with a cross-functional news team,
including producers, anchors, hosts, news editors, videojournalists, reporters, production assistants, and fellows across all platforms, as
well as the radio operations team. The Freelance News Producer may also be asked to repurpose segments for use across additional shows and
platforms.

Producing (80%)

• Coordinate and create content for radio newscasts, the San Diego News Now daily
  podcast and KPBS.org. This includes writing copy for broadcast, coordinating
  with student assistants to pull in outside content, and pitching, booking, and writing scripts for two-ways.
• Work closely with radio
  anchors on newscast rundowns for accuracy and timeliness.
• Track and update information in newscast platform Inception and Google
  Drive.
• Gather audio/video in the field on occasion and as needed.
• Edit audio using Adobe Audition. This includes editing
  two-ways with anchors, repurposing content from Midday Edition and web and social media projects.
• Work on content that falls outside
  of the regular newscasts, including assisting with Midday Edition, the San Diego News Now podcast or special programs like election shows
  and debates as needed.
• Help with coordination with field reporters during breaking news.

Planning
(15%)

• Assist in planning for upcoming shows.
• Read, listen, watch, and follow major developments on stories of
  interest to the public media audience in San Diego and Imperial counties.
• Maintain contact lists and files for continuing coverage
  and accumulation of knowledge.
• Brainstorms ideas with editors, hosts, reporters, and producers.

Other Duties and
Responsibilities: as Assigned (5%)

• Attend meetings, represent the station at
  community-building events, perform appropriate record keeping, manage correspondence, phone calls, supplies and equipment, may participate
  in on-air fundraising activities, and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of
  journalistic techniques, materials, and equipment used in news production.
• Ability to use programs for the creation of audio news
  content including software to organize newscast rundowns and audio editing software such as Adobe Audition.
• Ability to consistently
  write with AP/Broadcast style, structure and grammar.
• Ability to write on at least one platform (audio, video, or web) and the
  willingness to develop competence on one other or both platforms.
• Ability and willingness to work varied shifts, and to respond to
  breaking news as needed.
• Ability to perform moderately complex technical work and produce daily news content.
• Ability to
  interact/communicate effectively with co-workers and audience members on all relevant news mediums and collaborate with internal and
  external stakeholders.
• Ability to display organization and manage time efficiently, meet deadlines, display detail orientation, and
  possess good judgment.
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of cross-cultural sensitivity and strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to understand and follow posted work rules and procedures.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working
  relationships with other staff members and students.

Minimum Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work
  in journalism.

Minimum Experience

• At least 2 years of progressively responsible or related experience in
  journalism along with basic news judgment, understanding of journalism ethics and the ability to swiftly and accurately report or produce
  breaking news on all platforms.

Preferred Qualifications: and Special
Skills

• Broad knowledge of current San Diego regional issues.
• Ability to think creatively about topics and story
  angles.
• Ability to speak, read, write, and translate Spanish.

Additional Applicant
Information

• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job
  offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego
  State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU
  Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex,
  color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.
• Employment decisions are based on
  an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every
  employee has equal access to resources and support.
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights
  Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act,
  the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other
  applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities.
  Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation
  based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs,
  policies, and practices.
• SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant
  screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.

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