News/Sports Reporter

Job Description

Job Description

WDAY, the number #1 station located in the Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN metro area, broadcasts across the entire state of North Dakota, Western Minnesota, and Eastern South Dakota. WDAY is an award-winning station, taking home multiple Emmy awards as well as regional and national Edward R Murrow awards in recent years. They produce more live, local sports coverage than anyone in the region, and are the proud home of North Dakota State University Athletics and North Dakota High School Activities State Tournaments. WDAY is part of Forum Communications Company, a 5th-generation family-owned media company, and produces over 40 hours of local news, weather, and sports content each week, making them the most watched news station in the state of North Dakota and Western Minnesota. 

Job Summary 

As a News/Sports MMJ, you’ll cover the stories that matter to our community, from breaking news and major events to local sports. You’ll develop story ideas, conduct interviews, write scripts, shoot video and edit compelling stories for our newscasts and digital platforms. You’ll also report live from the field and have opportunities to develop your anchoring skills and fill in on both news and sports broadcasts.

Essential Functions

• Research, investigate, and report on assigned topics, events, and issues of public interest
• Develop story ideas, evaluate news leads/tips, and determine appropriate angles and story focus
• Gather, verify, and analyze information from multiple sources to ensure accuracy and credibility
• Conduct interviews with a wide range of sources, including officials, experts, and community members
• Write clear, concise, and compelling scripts and stories that align with broadcast style, tone, and formatting standards
• Produce and deliver content for live and recorded broadcasts, including stand-ups and field reporting
• Collaborate with producers, photographers, and others to create engaging visual and audio elements that enhance storytelling
• Respond quickly and effectively to breaking news, delivering accurate information under tight deadlines
• Maintain a strong on-air presence and communicate information in a confident, professional manner
• Utilize digital platforms and social media to share news content and engage with audiences in real time
• Ensure all reporting adheres to journalistic ethics, standards, and legal guidelines
• Stay informed on current events, industry trends, and community issues to inform coverage decisions
• Build and maintain a network of reliable sources to support ongoing and future reporting
• Represent the station professionally at community events and in public interactions
• Drive audience engagement and loyalty by producing timely, relevant, and impactful content
• Embrace a creative, collaborative approach with other team members and with other FCC departments and locations.
• Maintain prompt and reliable attendance.

Non-Essential Duties and Functions

• Perform additional duties as assigned.

We’re looking for someone with strong writing, communication and organizational skills who is eager to learn,

collaborate and deliver impactful journalism. A college degree in journalism or a related field is preferred, but

we’re willing to train the right candidate who brings the right attitude, curiosity and work ethic.

Join a newsroom that values strong journalism, teamwork and professional development while continuing to

expand its local news, weather and sports coverage.

Why WDAY?

• A collaborative newsroom: Work alongside a great mix of experienced journalists and emerging
• professionals. We’re committed to helping our team members sharpen their skills, take on new
• challenges to reach their professional goals
• A proven path for career growth: WDAY has a strong track record of developing talented journalists
• who have gone on to advance their careers in Top 20 television markets across the country.
• Time to recharge: Generous PTO and holiday benefits, with up to 23 paid days off in your first year.
• Competitive benefits: Comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance, plus a 401(k) plan.
• Onsite workout room: Convenient fitness facilities available to employees.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Mass Communications, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant work experience will be considered
• Prior experience in broadcast journalism, reporting, or multimedia content creation preferred (internships and student media acceptable)
• Strong news judgment with the ability to identify compelling stories and prioritize coverage based on urgency and audience impact
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clearly, accurately, and concisely under deadline pressure, and while managing multiple assignments
• Experience using digital analytics tools and social media platforms to inform and engage audiences preferred
• Ability to shoot, edit, or collaborate effectively on video production is a plus
• Comfortable delivering live reports and appearing on camera with professionalism and confidence
• Strong research, interviewing, and fact-checking skills with a commitment to accuracy and fairness and excellent attention to detail
• Willingness and flexibility to work varied schedules, including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as news coverage requires
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is insurable by the company. 
• Must carry an acceptable level of vehicle insurance as required by the company. 

Expected compensation for this role is between $18.26 - $19.23.hr, based on qualifications and experience.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Forum Communications Company is a family-owned media and technology leader with more than a century of delivering trusted, quality journalism and innovative business solutions. Storytelling is at the heart of who we are, but today, we’re so much more than a newspaper. As one of the Upper Midwest’s leading media organizations, we’re driving the future across print and digital news, sports streaming, technology, broadcasting, commercial printing, and full-service agency advertising.

Forum Communications Company offers the following to all Full-Time and 32-Hour Benefited employees:

• Health, dental, and vision packages
• Paid maternity and parental leave
• Company-paid short-term disability and life insurance
• Additional options for critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity coverage
• Retirement benefits with company match
• Generous PTO and paid volunteer hours

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. FCC currently does not offer employer sponsorship.

Notice of AI Use in Job Application Review

As part of our commitment in creating a fair, efficient, and consistent hiring process we may use artificial intelligence (AI) to help our recruiting teams organize, summarize, and analyze information provided by candidates, including resumes, application responses, and other materials submitted during the application process.AI may be used to identify patterns, highlight relevant skills, and experience, and assist in comparing a candidate’s qualifications with the requirement of a specific role. These tools are to improve efficiency and consistency while supporting more informed hiring decisions, which will ultimately be made by the hiring team.