DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER - WKYT

About Gray Media:

Gray Media, or Gray, is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, formally known as Gray Television, Inc. The company is the nation's largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 36 percent of US television households. The portfolio includes 77 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second-highest-rated television station, as well as the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 43 markets totaling nearly 1.5 million Hispanic TV Households. The company also owns Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Gray's additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.

About WKYT:

WKYT-TV is home to the CBS and CW affiliates in beautiful Lexington, KY. The station sits amongst picturesque horse farms in the Thoroughbred Capital of the World.

The Lexington DMA (#63) provides a competitive news environment, and WKYT has emerged as the news leader, producing over 65 hours of news per week. Our team of award-winning professionals thrives in a fast-paced, yet fun, environment.

Lexington is home to a thriving downtown scene, phenomenal restaurants and breweries, and, of course, Keeneland Race Course, the most beautiful horse track you'll ever visit. For outdoor enthusiasts, Red River Gorge and the Appalachian Mountains are calling your name. And in the summers, Lake Cumberland is just a short drive south to get your boating fix.

Lexington is home to the University of Kentucky, where basketball is a way of life! Once you see a game at historic Rupp Arena, your life will never be the same!

Job Summary/Description:

WKYT and WYMT are searching for a digital news leader and innovator to grow audience and direct creation of local news content across digital, mobile app, OTT, and social media platforms. We are looking for a talented and experienced Digital Content Manager to join our team focused on transforming our stations' brands into 24/7 digital news operations.

The Digital Content Manager works with other newsroom leaders in WKYT in Lexington and WYMT in Hazard to oversee daily news editorial decisions while also setting strategic goals for the newsrooms. This includes managing breaking news coverage, special project content, franchise support, and developing a strategy for WKYT.com and WYMT.com, as well as our mobile apps, social media, SEO, OTT/streaming, push alerts, voice platforms, and more. This person will play a key role in charting the stations' news audience growth strategies. We are looking for a people-focused leader with experience in digital journalism, accountable for growing audiences on multiple platforms while focusing on creating quality, impactful, and informative news content. You will use your exceptional journalism ethics while serving as a member of the newsrooms' management teams and coaching teams to create engaging and compelling local news content. Analyzing data and disseminating information to the entire newsroom rounds out this role, always providing the context needed to understand the metrics. This role requires chief editorial digital leadership in the newsroom, a creative storyteller with a strong understanding of digital marketing, SEO best practices, analytics, and video production for digital and social media. The ideal candidate will be passionate about creating engaging content that resonates with our target audiences and drives business objectives, ensuring our digital presence is as strong and engaging as our on-air product.

Duties/Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Manage the digital content team and lead digital strategy to grow digital and streaming audiences and engagement.
• Be the voice of innovation in the newsroom and inspire others to follow your lead.
• Lead our content teams to develop workflows that deliver our content 24/7 across current and future platforms with storytelling that is optimized for each screen.
• Provide a sharp focus on our streaming platforms and develop best practices for both content and producing the screen to grow awareness and audience.
• Champion the creation of vertical short-form videos as a reporting tool for our mobile app.
• Analyze and actively use data and metrics to inform editorial and strategic decisions and to create accountability for results.
• Actively partner with the News Directors and other station leaders to lead a cohesive cross-platform strategy.
• Oversee all station social media, including Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and other emerging platforms.
• Lead the content team in identifying new content types and innovative technologies that help us reach and serve new audiences.
• Create unique, engaging, and shareable content.
• Teach, coach, and mentor our content teams in best practices for writing and SEO.
• Skillfully use social media and digital tools to research, discover, and distribute content.
• Collaborate with content leaders across Gray Media to maximize the sharing of our content and leverage innovation and best practices among stations.
• Hold newsroom employees accountable to established ethical and editorial standards.
• Lead the digital response during breaking news, ensuring immediate and accurate online updates, push alerts, live streams, and social updates in coordination with the newsroom.
• Ensure all content is on-brand, consistent in terms of style, quality, and tone (AP style), and optimized for search engines.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest digital marketing trends, content creation tools, and industry best practices, and evangelize digital best practices throughout the newsroom.
• Manage content calendars and ensure timely delivery of all content, especially during breaking news.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or equivalent experience in the field.
• Proven track record of digital news experience.
• Solid journalistic judgment and a news philosophy that emphasizes accurate, fair, and unique local content, along with community engagement.
• Ability to calmly handle live, breaking news situations and the ability to deal with the rapid pace of news.
• Knowledge of content management systems and news production systems, along with social newsgathering tools.
• An eye for detail and strong journalism writing skills, and proficiency in AP style.
• Experience analyzing audience data and identifying behavioral trends. Knowledge of Google Analytics is a major bonus.
• Passion and vision for emerging media.
• Strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills, both verbal and written, and collaborative communication with other newsroom managers.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to be flexible with schedule when needed.
• Ability to be on weekend on-call manager rotation.

• You must be a team player dedicated to continuous improvement, keeping staff engaged and performing at a superior level. You must love to lead and provide feedback. • We are looking for a leader who is open to new ideas and the pursuit of excellence.

• The winning candidate brings a news hound sensibility, a proven track record of driving results, a collaborative spirit, and is an excellent problem-solver, highly organized, and comfortable multitasking and prioritizing.
• Skilled at video production for digital and social media platforms, both live and VOD.

If you feel you’re qualified and want to work with a great group of people, go to https://gray.tv/careers#currentopenings, you may type in the job title, station call letters, or click on "apply now", upload your resume, cover letter, and references

(Current employees who are interested in this position can apply through the Gray-TV UltiPro self-service portal)

WKYT-TV/Gray Media is a drug-free company

Additional Info:

Gray Media provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Gray Media complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Gray Media expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Gray’s employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.