Weekend Video Producer/Programmer, News

Weekend Video Producer/Programmer, New

Location: Remote (U.S. only, excluding Alaska, Hawaii) and Wyoming) 
Schedule: Five days/week, including Saturday and Sunday; morning shift (ET) with flexibility for breaking news.

USA TODAY is seeking a fast, accurate and creative news video producer/programmer who is just as comfortable producing and editing videos as distributing and programming them. This is a position in our Video Production Center (VPC) that creates short and mid-form digital video content for USA TODAY as well as the USA TODAY Network of local properties nationwide. The VPC focuses on the “news of the day,” with a particular emphasis on breaking news. A deep interest in news, politics, current events, pop culture and social media trends is essential.   

The successful candidate will have demonstrable experience pitching daily story ideas for news sites and social media platforms. This candidate should also be capable of suggesting visually compelling ways to tell stories. Strong interviewing skills and familiarity with standard editorial style guidelines is a must. This person will be expected to produce and edit multiple types of videos — from fast, social-driven viral moments to longer, interview-based videos, to explainer videos with voiceovers, and should be comfortable using AI-supported editing platforms and other digital tools to streamline production workflows. This person should also have experience with livestreaming — including setup and execution. Experience writing meta data and an understanding of SEO strategies is vital to this role. Familiarity with Adobe Premiere is preferred. Prioritization and multi-tasking are second nature to this role.

This role will also be heavily involved in programming and distributing video for the USA TODAY Network’s national and local properties. They will ensure live and on-demand video content is programmed in articles, video playlists and on social platforms. This position will be expected to monitor digital analytics for trends and make programming and optimization decisions using Google Analytics, Parse.ly and other analytics tools. The candidate needs to have a keen eye for quality control and the ability to monitor multiple video platforms including desktop, mobile web, apps and social media. This person will program and promote original and third-party video content in articles, section fronts, social media and on other platforms. They should have experience with Content Management Systems and the ability to identify technical issues related to video distribution.

This position requires a self-starter who is motivated and competitive. Thorough communication with the team and the ability to collaborate across teams is important. The candidate should have the flexibility to work a morning shift (East coast time) and occasional overtime as news events require. 

This position will work five days a week, with two of those days being Saturday and Sunday. This position is remote and can be based anywhere in the US, except for Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming. The candidate should have schedule flexibility with the ability to work breaking news. 

Responsibilities:  

• Work alongside current production staff to pitch, write, edit, publish, program, and share news videos across all USA TODAY NETWORK’s digital platforms.   
• Track updates and new developments on assignments. 
• Maintain communication with the local and national video team leaders, National News Desk, USA TODAY editors, writers and reporters and local USA TODAY NETWORK properties.    
• Edit and produce videos for nationally significant news stories, buzzy/trending stories, explainer videos, and social video content.   
• Obtain video and information from USA TODAY NETWORK properties for production.   
• Live-streaming experience is a plus.    
• Monitor social media and third-party content providers to identify viral moments.   
• Write meta data to drive high audience engagement.   
• Conduct remote interviews compatible with short-form storytelling. 
• Handle other essential tasks as assigned.    

Requirements:   

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in journalism or any other subject, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.   
• 2-4 years of local or national newsroom experience in television or digital newsroom and/or equivalent video news experience.   
• Experience with social media and creating videos for platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and FAST channels.  
• Strong journalism skills; detail-oriented, strong editorial judgment, time management skills and the ability to work independently.  
• A motivated self-starter who can multi-task and communicate effectively across multiple groups.   
• Knowledge of widely accepted editorial style guidelines and ability to write engaging headlines and other video metadata.   
• Understanding of SEO requirements for video metadata.   
• Some experience with video analytics from a platform such as Google analytics or Parse.ly.   
• At least 2 years of experience on Adobe Premiere and the Adobe Creative Suite.   
• Basic technical understanding of video systems and operations.   
• Comfortable with video rights management.  
• Excellent communications skills, online and in person, with the community and fellow journalists. 

Application Instructions 

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, submit:   

1. Your resume – one to two pages.   
2. A cover letter detailing your related experience and information explaining why you think you are the right person for the job. If you do not include a cover letter, you will not be considered.  
3. Links to 5 online samples of digital storytelling. Show us what you’ve produced and programmed or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.  

Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest level of consideration. 

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The annualized base salary for this role will range between $49,687.50 and $77,636.72. Base compensation is reflective of many factors, including, but not limited to, the market in which one lives/works, individual education level, skills, certifications and experience. Note: variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable.