What are the responsibilities and job description for the NEWS ANCHOR (EVENING) - WEAU position at Gray Media?
About Gray Media:
Today, we are a growing multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nation's largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 117 full-power television markets that collectively reach approximately 37% of US television households. The portfolio includes 80 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second highest-rated television station in average all-day ratings across 116 of such markets that were measured by Nielsen in 2025. We also own the largest Telemundo Affiliate group, with 46 markets, and Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies and the most advanced digital products and services. Our additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.
About WEAU:
WEAU News is the dominant news organization serving western Wisconsin. We are committed to earning and keeping the public’s trust through accurate, transparent, and unbiased journalism. We deliver essential local news across every platform our audience uses — digital, mobile, streaming, and broadcast — and we take that responsibility seriously.
Job Summary/Description:
WEAU News is hiring an evening anchor to help lead a digital-first newsroom serving Eau Claire, La Crosse, and western Wisconsin. Our goal is to be the premier multi-platform news organization in the state, putting streaming, on-demand video, mobile alerts, and social media at the center of how our audience connects with us.
The most valuable trait for this role is ownership. When news breaks, we expect our anchors to ensure WEAU owns the story with speed, accuracy, and strong news judgment across all platforms. This is a high-visibility role that demands excellence, adaptability, and unwavering editorial integrity.
Duties/Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Storytelling & Digital Execution (Primary Focus):
(Current employees who are interested in this position can apply through the Gray-TV UltiPro self-service portal)
WEAU-TV/Gray Media is a drug-free company
Additional Info:
Gray Media provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Gray Media complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment at every location where the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Gray Media expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with Gray’s employees' ability to perform their job duties may result in discipline, up to and including discharge.
Today, we are a growing multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nation's largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 117 full-power television markets that collectively reach approximately 37% of US television households. The portfolio includes 80 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second highest-rated television station in average all-day ratings across 116 of such markets that were measured by Nielsen in 2025. We also own the largest Telemundo Affiliate group, with 46 markets, and Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies and the most advanced digital products and services. Our additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.
About WEAU:
WEAU News is the dominant news organization serving western Wisconsin. We are committed to earning and keeping the public’s trust through accurate, transparent, and unbiased journalism. We deliver essential local news across every platform our audience uses — digital, mobile, streaming, and broadcast — and we take that responsibility seriously.
Job Summary/Description:
WEAU News is hiring an evening anchor to help lead a digital-first newsroom serving Eau Claire, La Crosse, and western Wisconsin. Our goal is to be the premier multi-platform news organization in the state, putting streaming, on-demand video, mobile alerts, and social media at the center of how our audience connects with us.
The most valuable trait for this role is ownership. When news breaks, we expect our anchors to ensure WEAU owns the story with speed, accuracy, and strong news judgment across all platforms. This is a high-visibility role that demands excellence, adaptability, and unwavering editorial integrity.
Duties/Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Storytelling & Digital Execution (Primary Focus):
- Write for Different Platforms: Write clear, accurate, and engaging copy adapted specifically for each platform, seamlessly shifting styles between broadcast scripts, in-depth web articles, quick-strike push alerts, and social media.
- Digital-First Storytelling: Commit to immediate digital delivery, including creating platform-native vertical videos, mobile-optimized clips, and real-time text updates during active news events.
- Audience-Focused Engagement: Publish stories, video clips, and breaking developments to the station website, app, and social channels with compelling, attention-getting framing that avoids clickbait and maintains our high standards of trust.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Apply strong SEO best practices, including keyword optimization, clear headline writing, and metadata tagging to maximize the reach and searchability of our local reporting.
- Collaboration: Work closely with digital producers and editors to ensure accuracy, speed, and editorial integrity online.
- Anchor afternoon and evening newscasts, breaking news cut-ins, and streaming segments with consistent quality.
- Conduct compelling, live interviews with newsmakers, experts, and community leaders across both broadcast and digital platforms.
- Pivot seamlessly during breaking news, delivering timely updates for streaming, mobile alerts, and social media feeds.
- Maintain a professional, credible, and engaging on-air presence tailored to each distribution platform.
- Collaborate with producers on story selection, rundown stacking, and digital-first coverage plans.
- Pitch and develop unique local stories that resonate in mobile, social, and streaming environments.
- Participate in daily editorial meetings with a sharp focus on multiplatform distribution.
- Review and approve copy, ensuring all scripts meet strict standards for accuracy, clarity, and digital optimization.
- Produce newscasts and assist with video editing when necessary.
- Contribute original reporting, including special in-field coverage and digital-exclusive projects.
- Engage with viewers across on-air, streaming, social media, and in-person channels.
- Represent WEAU at community events, station partnerships, and public appearances.
- Monitor and respond to audience feedback to help shape coverage based on local needs and emerging digital trends.
- Digital Audience Engagement: Skilled at writing high-performance, attention-getting headlines and social copy that drive traffic while strictly upholding traditional editorial standards and avoiding sensationalism or clickbait.
- Multiplatform Writing: Expert ability to pivot writing styles, structure, and length to fit the specific constraints and audience expectations of web, social, mobile app, and broadcast.
- Digital Video Strategy: Fluent in the use and optimization of digital video, including horizontal streaming formats, platform-native vertical video, and social teasers.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Strong understanding of search trends, Google News ranking factors, and keyword placement to increase the digital footprint of local stories.
- Leadership: Sets the tone for digital-forward coverage and positively influences newsroom culture.
- Adaptability: Thrives under the pressure of breaking news, rapid updates, and shifting multiplatform demands.
- Collaboration: Works seamlessly with producers, reporters, photojournalists, and digital teams.
- News Judgment: Makes sound, ethical editorial decisions with strong digital instincts.
- Integrity: Upholds strict ethical standards, never compromising accuracy for speed.
- Resilience: Successfully manages a demanding evening schedule and the fast pace of live television and digital news.
- Previous anchoring and/or reporting experience in a professional, multiplatform newsroom.
- Proven track record of digital content creation, including writing for the web and producing native social media videos.
- Strong writing and copy-editing skills with a complete mastery of AP Style.
- Demonstrated experience with SEO best practices and digital analytics tools.
- Excellent on-camera presence with a natural, conversational, and authoritative delivery.
- Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field.
- Deep knowledge of journalism ethics, public records laws, and source verification practices.
- A valid driver’s license and a clean driving record.
(Current employees who are interested in this position can apply through the Gray-TV UltiPro self-service portal)
WEAU-TV/Gray Media is a drug-free company
Additional Info:
Gray Media provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Gray Media complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment at every location where the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Gray Media expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with Gray’s employees' ability to perform their job duties may result in discipline, up to and including discharge.