ITHACA -- With so many people out of work -- in radio, and in general -- it's not the kind of story we'd expect to be running. But three weeks since Saga's News-Talk 870 WHCU announced an opening for a news reporter/anchor, APD Dave Vieser reports, "we are a little bit surprised to see a lack of response to our search."
The job opening was announced on June 17, when current staffer Todd Messer revealed plans to exit the market when he gets married this month. Anyone who's ever worked in a shorthanded newsroom (your editor included) knows it's not much fun. Vieser says, "we want to interview candidates and offer the position to someone by the end of the month."
Vieser goes on, pitching all the benefits of the job and life in Ithaca:
At a time when major radio groups are talking about cutbacks, here is a chance to get a full-time job with great benefits, and very nice place to live. Sure, it doesn’t pay as well as a bigger city, but we are market competitive, and the cost of living around here is more reasonable that a major market. The ability to learn and grow and advance within this company is tremendous. I came in four years ago as a DJ on Q-Country [WQNY], and moved quickly to WHCU and wouldn’t think of leaving this show anytime soon.
Some of our previous news anchors/reporters have gone on directly to cities like Albany, Jacksonville and Rochester, and others make the jump to television in markets like Binghamton, Rochester or Syracuse.
Bottom line—this is a rock solid place for someone who is behind the scenes at a TV station, but has the radio “pipes” and wants to be on-air rather than just being a news producer. It is also the right job for someone who wants to eventually host a talk show, but understands the best talk show hosts should have a solid background in journalism. The candidate may be asked to fill in for me at times when I take vacation.
So—do you think we have the right person somewhere in upstate New York who wants to make the move?
Here's the original job posting, with the details on how you can apply:
WHCU is now looking for Todd’s replacement. The right candidate will have a minimum of one year experience in a newsroom. Along with anchoring and hosting news programs, Todd’s replacement will do nighttime reporting, live on-scene reporting, and website management. Strong writing skills are a must as well as the ability to handle a deadline-driven environment. There is plenty of opportunity for advancement. Cayuga Radio Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and interested candidates should send resume, writing samples, and audio to:
News Director
1751 Hanshaw Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850Or email: gdunn@cyradiogroup.com
Keep mp3’s under 10 megabytes. No phone calls.
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