Director of News

Vista Radio prides itself on a fresh vision of broadcasting and an unparalleled commitment to its community involvement. We are privileged to operate in 49 radio stations (and growing) broadcasting across 70+ transmitters located in three Provinces and the Northwest Territories. We are also connected to our communities with 37 MyTownNow websites.

At Vista Radio, we're not just in the media business; we're in the business of connecting with our local communities through exceptional content, both on audio and digital platforms.

With over 250 employees, across 52 radio stations, 39 community websites and an ever-expanding digital footprint in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories - the Vista team is passionate and committed to the communities we serve. It’s the cornerstone of our success and the reason why we can continue to grow.

Director - News

Vista has embarked on a plan to expand our news operations, firmly rooted in small-to-medium sized markets in Ontario, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, where our recent announcement to acquire 21 Bell Media radio stations in British Columbia signals our belief and commitment to that plan as we extend our presence into a total of 82 communities in the province, covering the province from north to south, and west to east like no one else.
As the Director of News at Vista Radio, this key leadership position will be instrumental in shaping the company’s news strategy and content across all platforms, setting the standard for journalistic excellence and innovation.

You will lead a talented team of journalists to deliver compelling, relevant, and timely news content across all platforms. You are dedicated to understanding and addressing what matters most to our communities, through dynamic local journalism, recognizing its profound impact on our daily lives.

Leveraging your proven leadership in news operations, deep understanding of digital news trends, and ability to drive engagement across both traditional radio and digital platforms, you will serve as the strategic leader of news operations at Vista.

**Location**: Hybrid or Remote

**Duties & Responsibilities**:

- Evaluate, define and set the course for the company’s success in reaching its multi-platform News objectives
- Manage all News personnel and allocate resources effectively - this includes but is not limited to managing the department budget, hiring decisions, establishing performance goals and guidelines, and overseeing the evaluation and performance review process across the News organization
- Support, guide, engage and motivate News teams to generate and develop relevant and impactful content for local audiences
- Work with local management teams in the effective use of resources and synergies in managing News operations
- Ensure the work of Regional News Directors and Reporters aligns with the editorial vision, and compliance with Canadian journalistic ethics, standards and practices
- Promote a digital newsroom culture with News staff; one that embraces industry trends and technological advancements in news programming and delivery, as well as strategies to increase audience engagement and metrics

**Requirements**:

- Minimum of 15 years of progressive journalism experience, including at least 10 years of team management experience - planning, organizing, directing and scheduling
- Superior knowledge of journalistic processes, newsgathering methods as well as production of content for radio and digital platforms
- Experience in developing and implementing news content content across conventional and digital platforms, and a progressive view of the use of technology in news and content gathering
- A deep understanding of digital audience behavior including experience using tracking, analytics, and content management systems
- Superior editorial judgment and thorough understanding of Canadian journalistic ethics, standards and practices
- An agile and creative mind, with the ability to develop innovative solutions, workflows and create new processes
- Results driven and adept at inspiring others to work towards goals, while also encouraging a healthy work life balance
- A natural inclination to interact with a wide variety of people using diplomacy, tact and discretion
- Flexibility and willingness to travel

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