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For breaking news and story ideas
Send news tips and story ideas to newstips@kcou.fm. Please e-mail in advance for upcoming events you’d like KCOU News to cover.
For general inquiries
If you want to know about how we cover the news or have comments about our news coverage, call 573.882.7820 or e-mail news@kcou.fm.
To join KCOU’s News Team
If you are a student at the University of Missouri interested in broadcast news, e-mail News Director Theo Keith at news@kcou.fm to learn how to join KCOU’s News Team! A list of our current job openings is below.
Live readers: KCOU News seeks individuals to fill 40 time slots from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. These staff members would be responsible for taking at least two shifts during the week. They will research local, state and national news stories, write them in a two-minute news update, then read them live on the air. Live readers will also be responsible for posting their own News Minutes to the Web. Experience in broadcast news writing, Associated Press style, and news Web sites is preferred, but training is provided. The job is unpaid.
General assignment, feature reporters: KCOU News seeks to fill five general assignment and two feature reporter positions. General assignment reporters must complete two stories per week. Feature reporters must do one story per week. Experience in broadcast news writing, reporting and editing is preferred, but training is provided. The job is unpaid.
Beat reporters: KCOU News seeks individuals to fill 10 beat reporter positions, focusing on the MU campus, student government, Columbia, and national news. There will be an additional application provided at the end of training for those wishing to be a beat reporter. Solid knowledge of Columbia and MU, as well as broadcast news writing, reporting and editing are a must. Candidates must produce at least two stories a week and be on-call should breaking news occur in their beat. The job is unpaid.
Anchors: KCOU News seeks individuals to fill 12 anchor positions. Of these, 10 anchors will cover the 5 p.m. weekday shows, and two others will host the Sunday newsmagazine. Anchors will be responsible for working with reporters and producers to write their shows. There will be an additional application provided at the end of training for those wishing to be an anchor. Weekday anchors will also be required to do one News Minute per week. Weekend anchors must find one interview subject each for their show. Strong broadcast writing and speaking skills a must. The job is unpaid.
Day Producers: KCOU News seeks individuals for eight producer openings. Five will work on the 5 p.m. weekday shows and one each will work on the Sunday newsmagazine, campus debate and political debate programs. There will be a separate application provided at the end of training for producer openings. Producers will be responsible for coordinating with beat reporters, anchors and Web editors for breaking news events. They will essentially control the news coverage for their assigned day. They will work with anchors to write their respective shows. Producers must also do one News Minute per week (likely on their scheduled work day). Strong broadcast news writing a must. Knowledge of radio equipment a plus, although training is provided. Producers will also be given first choice on anchor slots for the following semester. The job is unpaid.
Web editors: KCOU News seeks individuals for two Web content editor positions. They will be responsible for coordinating with producers and reporters to get breaking news onto the Web. They will also work with reporters to get a print story on the Web, and post each story’s multimedia package. Must have a keen sense of Associated Press style and newspaper experience. Prior work with Web sites a must. Training will be provided. The job is unpaid.
