BROADCAST JOURNALIST: MORNING EDITION HOST & EDUCATION REPORTER

Description

BROADCAST JOURNALIST: 

MORNING EDITION HOST & EDUCATION REPORTER

Experienced broadcast journalist, with a love for public radio and morning light, needed to join a seven-person local news team as Morning Edition host and reporter covering education at Aspen Public Radio in Aspen, CO.

Aspen Public Radio is celebrating 45 years of service this year, as a leading public media organization with a vibrant local media ecosystem, located in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado, nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. We seek a sharp, curious, and team-oriented person with a healthy sense of humor. Our culture is friendly and familiar, but we are professional broadcasters with high standards. 

Who We Are Looking For

Aspen Public Radio is seeking to hire an experienced broadcast journalist with a strong skill set that includes hosting, writing, reporting and producing. We are looking for someone who is excited to be the local voice of Morning Edition and our live newscasts. Beyond just relaying the local news of the day, the Morning Edition host will be an engaging storyteller who provides a connection for listeners to what is happening in our community. Along with being a good reporter and a strong writer, you should have solid broadcast production skills and be comfortable conducting live on-air interviews. You care deeply about connecting with our unique community and improving our public service to diverse stakeholders. 

Hosting Morning Edition is the primary focus of this position, but the job requires a journalist who can write broadcast copy and produce quality audio under tight deadlines. You will have a primary reporting focus on education, covering the many school districts of the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys, as part of a growing team of local broadcast journalists at the station who cover arts & culture, climate, women’s issues, social justice and local government. 

As an education reporter, you’ll be responsible for covering the region’s diverse school district and nonprofit educational programs between Aspen and Parachute, whether that’s reporting on strategies to boost teacher retention, local bond measures, or program cuts. You’ll be comfortable sifting through achievement scores and writing eloquently about the results. You’ll be adept at finding sources who represent and can speak to issues affecting the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys. Our education reporter will understand how education policies affect public safety and local economies, and how they reflect the community’s values. 

Duties:

• Host Morning Edition and anchor morning newscasts, Monday through Friday

• Produce high-quality, accurate, and ethical reporting

• Write and produce daily spot news, features and interviews, as assigned, primarily focused on a newly created, dedicated education beat

• Cultivate a pool of sources throughout the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys

• Produce digital content for aspenpublicradio.org

• Host and produce live remote broadcasts and public events

• Work with the news director and regional NPR editors to nationalize local stories

• Participate in trainings and workshops

• Attend donor and station events and participate in on-air fundraising drives

• Contribute to breaking news and election coverage

Required Qualifications:

• Appreciation for the purpose and mission of public broadcasting

• Experience as a live on-air announcer/host, broadcast writer, radio reporter, and audio producer, preferably at another NPR-member public radio station 

• Deep knowledge of the ethics and practices of journalism

• Good understanding of the issues facing Colorado’s Western Slope

• Strong time management skills and ability to meet deadlines on a regular basis

• Well-practiced collaboration skills

• Enthusiasm for the Rocky Mountains

To Apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, 2-3 references, and 3 audio samples (including at least one reporting and one hosting; airchecks are fine) to [email protected] with “Morning Edition/Education” in the subject line. Application review will begin as soon as April 20, 2026, with a preferred start date of June 1, 2026. Position open until filled. No phone calls please.

This is a full-time, salaried position reporting to the Aspen Public Radio news director, requiring availability for day, evening, weekend, and holiday shifts. It is required that this employee be a year-round resident in the Roaring Fork Valley. APR offers full-time staff benefits, including 100% employer-paid health insurance, 403(b) match opportunities, and paid vacation. Ski pass financing and rapid transit bus pass financing are available. Relocation support is available. Salary is $70,000-80,000 based on experience. 

Aspen Public Radio is an equal opportunity employer.