The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University is hiring three professors of practice, in digital sports journalism, sports tv/video journalism and sports strategic communication. These are full-time, benefits-eligible, 12-month appointments at ASU’s Downtown Phoenix Campus; they are not tenure-track appointments. Details on each position and how to apply are below. The application deadline is January 7, 2022.
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PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE IN DIGITAL SPORTS JOURNALISM
The Cronkite School is seeking a professor of practice to lead a student team of reporters that conceptualizes and produces digital sports journalism content in the daily news environment of the Phoenix Bureau of Cronkite News on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus.
This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, 12-month appointment in the Phoenix Sports Bureau of Cronkite News on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix Campus. This is not a tenure-track appointment.
Duties & Responsibilities
• Leading, editing, teaching, and mentoring a team of upper-level undergraduate and graduate sports journalism students in a full-time, daily news environment (typical hours are approximately 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday)
• Coaching students through the development and reporting of sports stories — especially emphasizing enterprise reporting techniques
• Editing written student work on deadline for national distribution through a network of publishing partners
• Teaching students to engage audiences through multimedia and social media content creation
• Working collaboratively with other professional program directors and media partners to plan, manage and produce innovative and professional news and information content across platforms
• Fostering a culture of innovation by harnessing fresh ideas and experimenting with new tools, technologies and techniques that enhance digital and social media storytelling
• Performing other faculty responsibilities, such as committee assignments and assisting in student recruitment, as assigned
• This position does not include teaching traditional classes. Leading student reporters in the bureau is the full-time teaching assignment
Required Qualifications
• At least five years professional sports journalism experience in a major-market or national media organization, or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated excellence in developing and producing deeply reported digital enterprise sports journalism
• Ability to edit according to AP Style
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in both professional practices and as contributor to an inclusive working and learning environment
- Bachelor’s degree
Desired Qualifications
• Experience producing and editing text stories for national audiences
• Experience leading and managing a team of journalists
• A successful track record of teaching or mentoring beginning journalists
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing social media strategy to grow and engage audiences
• Strong knowledge of local, regional and national sports teams and issues
• Ability to create and edit audio, photo and video storytelling
• Ability to edit content in Spanish
• Master’s degree
Applications
Application materials must include:
1. A cover letter stating qualifications
2. Curriculum vitae or resume
3. A link to work samples, with a written explanation of the role the applicant played in the creation and execution of each work sample
4. Contact information (name, address, email, telephone number) for three professional references
5. A diversity statement that addresses their experience and commitment to social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion over the course of their careers and outlines how they would advance DEI goals at the Cronkite School. The statement should be no longer than 500 words
The applicant’s name should appear in each uploaded file name. Cover letters may be addressed to the Search Committee Chair, Senior Associate Dean Rebecca Blatt. Questions about the position should be directed to the search committee chair at: sofia.lujano@asu.edu.
Applicants interested in this position must apply online at: https://apptrkr.com/2690252
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PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE IN SPORTS TV/VIDEO JOURNALISM
The Cronkite School is seeking a professor of practice to lead a student team that conceptualizes and produces sports video content for broadcast and digital platforms in the daily news environment of the Phoenix Bureau of Cronkite News on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus.
Duties & Responsibilities
• Leading, editing, teaching and mentoring a team upper-level undergraduate and graduate journalism students in a highly energized daily sports newsroom environment, Monday through Friday (hours are generally 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Provide hands-on coaching for students through the full story process, from conception to completion, including evaluating and assigning video story pitches, with a focus on issue-based sports reporting with strong writing and compelling visuals
• Editing scripts and critiquing student video content on deadline to ensure content meets professional sports broadcast video standards and can be distributed to regional and national video partners
• Coordinate video coverage of local and regional professional, collegiate, and high school sports teams and issues as well and regional and national sporting events held in Arizona
• Fostering relationships with local and professional sports teams, as well as regional and national sports events held in Arizona, to enable students access to cover stories related to these teams and events while teaching students how to interact with professional and collegiate sports organizations and athletes
• Cultivating partnerships with local, regional and/or national sports media outlets to showcase student work
• Working collaboratively with other Cronkite professional program faculty to plan, manage and produce innovation and professional sports content across platforms
• Fostering a culture of innovation by harnessing fresh ideas and experimenting with new tools, technologies and techniques that enhance video storytelling
• Performing other faculty responsibilities, such as committee assignments and assisting in student recruitment, as assigned
• This position does not include teaching traditional classes. Leading student reporters in the bureau is the full-time teaching assignment
Required Qualifications
• Five years of major-market regional or national experience planning and producing sports video content, or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated excellence in developing and producing deeply reported sports video storytelling
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in both professional practices and as contributor to an inclusive working and learning environment • Bachelor’s degree
Desired Qualifications
• Demonstrated excellence in developing and producing deeply reported enterprise video sports journalism
• Exceptional script writing and editing skills
• Exceptional video storytelling skills
• Strong knowledge and experience working in Adobe Premiere, or equivalent non-linear video editing experience
• Knowledge of videography
• Knowledge of ENPS
• Ability to edit according to AP Style
• Experience leading and managing a team of journalists
• A successful track record of teaching or mentoring beginning journalists
• Strong knowledge of local, regional and national sports teams and issues
• Experience editing digital copy and working with audio
• Ability to edit content in Spanish
• Master’s degree
Applications
Application materials must include:
1) A cover letter stating qualifications
2) Curriculum vitae or resume
3) A link to video work samples, with a written explanation of the role the applicant played in the creation and execution of each work sample
4) Contact information (name, address, email, telephone number) for three professional references
5) A diversity statement that addresses their experience and commitment to social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion over the course of their careers and outlines how they would advance DEI goals at the Cronkite School. The statement should be no longer than 500 words
The applicant’s name should appear in each uploaded file name. Cover letters may be addressed to the Search Committee Chair, Brett Kurland. Questions about the position should be directed to the search committee chair at sofia.lujano@asu.edu.
Applicants interested in this position must apply online at: https://apptrkr.com/2690414
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PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE IN SPORTS STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
The Cronkite School is seeking an experienced professional to teach within its award-winning PR Lab and Digital Audiences Lab, focusing on strategic communication campaigns for sports clients. Holding the rank of professor of practice, the successful candidate will perform a unique role that includes teaching in two of the school’s immersive agency environments: In the Digital Audiences Lab, the instructor will lead students in sports campaign work across paid/organic social media, SEO and paid search advertising, analytics and other digital marketing concepts; in the PR Lab, the instructor will lead students in public relations and integrated communications work for sports clients.
Duties & Responsibilities
• Lead, teach and mentor upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in two highly energized agency environments, Monday through Friday
• Develop and strengthen relationships between sports clients and the Cronkite School’s strategic communications agencies
• Set data-driven client goals that meet their strategic communications needs
• Provide hands-on coaching for students through the full campaign process (e.g., research and data analysis through execution and measurement)
• Provide hands-on training for agency technologies and techniques (e.g., setting up Google Ads campaigns, crafting and making media pitches)
• Lead client reporting (e.g. campaign, budget and analytics reporting) and meetings (e.g. weekly check-ins, final presentations).
• Edit, critique and nurture student work to ensure it meets professional standards and client goals.
• Support students’ employment pursuits by fostering networking connections, job/internship opportunities and professional development.
• Manage PR Lab and DA Lab budget, together with other Lab directors.
• Work collaboratively with other professional program directors and partners to plan, manage and produce innovative and professional campaigns across platforms.
• Foster a culture of innovation by harnessing fresh ideas and experimenting with new tools, technologies and techniques that enhance digital storytelling and audience connection
• Perform other faculty responsibilities, such as committee assignments and assisting in student recruitment, as assigned.
• This position does not include teaching traditional classes. Leading students in the PR Lab and DA Lab is the full-time teaching assignment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
• Professional experience working in marketing, integrated communications, digital strategy, social media, audience growth or a related field for sports clients or organizations
• A bachelor’s degree
Desired Qualifications
• Demonstrated experience launching and leading successful integrated communications campaigns, including crisis communications, event planning, media relations, community outreach, multimedia content and storytelling, social media content, website design, and/or influencer campaigns
• Demonstrated experience launching and leading digital marketing campaigns, including paid social, search, paid media, display and/or audio campaigns
• Demonstrated knowledge of sports communications strategy, integrated strategic communications, paid and organic social media, SEO, digital advertising and/or strategic content creation
• Fluency in media measurement (e.g., Cision) and monitoring (e.g., Muck Rack) technologies
• Fluency in Google Analytics, Google Ads and social media ad platforms
• Knowledge of AP style
• Experience supervising a team
• Experience working with undergraduate and/or graduate students in a university or agency setting
• Strong knowledge of local, regional and national sports teams, issues, stakeholders and opportunities
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in both professional practices and as a contributor to an inclusive working and learning environment
• Bilingual (English/Spanish)
• Master’s degree
Applications
Submission materials must include:
1) A cover letter stating qualifications
2) Curriculum vitae or resume
3) Contact information (name, address, email, telephone number) for three professional references
4) A diversity statement that addresses their experience and commitment to social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion over the course of their careers and outlines how they would advance DEI goals at the Cronkite School. The statement should be no longer than 500 words
The applicant’s name should appear in each uploaded file name. Cover letters may be addressed to the Search Committee Chair, Jessica Pucci. Questions about the position should be directed to the search committee chair at: sofia.lujano@asu.edu.
Applicants interested in this position must apply online at: https://apptrkr.com/2690321
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ABOUT THE CRONKITE SCHOOL
The Cronkite School is widely recognized as one of the nation’s premier journalism programs. Rooted in the time-honored values that characterize its namesake—accuracy, responsibility, integrity—the school fosters journalistic excellence and ethics among students as they master the professional skills they need to succeed in the digital media world of today and tomorrow.
Located on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus in the heart of the nation’s fifth-largest city, the School has 70 full-time faculty members and more than 100 full-time professional staff and annual resources of more than $40 million. The Cronkite faculty is made up of award-winning professional journalists, strategic communications specialists and world-class media scholars. Cronkite professors include five Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, digital media thought leaders, top TV producers and correspondents, major metropolitan newspaper editors and strategic communications experts.
Cronkite offers bachelor’s degrees in journalism and mass communication, sports journalism, digital audiences, mass communication and media studies, and digital media literacy. The School offers master’s degrees in mass communication, sports journalism, investigative journalism and digital audience strategy as well as a PhD program in journalism and mass communication.
Nearly 2,500 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students are enrolled at Cronkite, preparing for careers in journalism, strategic media and related communications fields. Of the undergraduate residential student population, more than 60 percent come from out-of-state and more than 37 percent are students of color. The retention rate consistently exceeds 90 percent, and Cronkite students regularly lead the country in national journalism competitions.
The school champions a “teaching hospital” model of journalism education, for which it has received international acclaim. Cronkite offers 13 full-immersion capstone programs in which students work in intensive, real-world settings under the guidance of top-flight professionals and in collaboration with research faculty. This position is based in one of them: the Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau. The programs enable students to put into practice what they have learned in the classroom, producing news, information and community engagement on critical issues for the state, region and nation.
ABOUT THE PHOENIX SPORTS BUREAU
The Phoenix Sports Bureau of Cronkite News is a multi-platform daily newsroom covering all five major sports leagues, two Pac-12 universities, two college bowl games, PGA and LPGA tournaments, NASCAR and other national sporting events (e.g. Super Bowl, NCAA men’s basketball Final Four) and spring training for half of the teams in Major League Baseball. The Sports Bureau is directed by award-winning sportswriter and professor of practice Paola Boivin.
Students pursuing sports journalism degrees produce content distributed by major metropolitan media organizations and national news outlets, including Baseball America, MLB.com, Pac-12 Networks, The Arizona Republic, the Denver Post, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and others. Students also have reported on the Super Bowl for Sports Illustrated and NFL.com and the Olympics for TeamUSA.org. Students leave the bureau with strong professional work samples and are fully prepared to enter today’s competitive sports journalism field in careers such as sports reporting and broadcasting, sports photography and videography.
ABOUT THE DIGITAL AUDIENCES LAB AND THE PUBLIC RELATIONS LAB
The heart of the Cronkite School’s teaching hospital model is its professional programs — 13 immersive work immersions where students get hands-on experience in mass communication under the leadership of professional faculty. The Digital Audiences Lab is a digital marketing agency that grows, engages and measures audiences for its clients through SEO, search marketing, paid social media campaigns, paid media campaigns, analytics reporting and strategy development. The Public Relations Lab is a full-service PR agency that helps its clients meet their strategic communications goals through corporate and crisis communications, event planning, media relations, community outreach, multimedia content and storytelling, research and more.
ABOUT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
ASU is one of the largest and most innovative public research universities in the country, undertaking a bold reinvention of higher education as a New American University. With four campuses in the Phoenix metropolitan area, it serves more than 127,000 students on campus and online. For the past six years, it has been ranked No. 1 for innovation by U.S. News & World Report.
Application deadline is January 7, 2022. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled.
