ABC Looks to Staff Up With New Brand of Digital Journalists

Following reductions, news division puts out call for multitaskers

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/12/2010 1:15:17 PM

ABC, which two weeks ago announced major staff reductions in a restructuring of its news operation, is already looking to staff up again with its new brand of digital journalists.

According to a couple of internal job postings e-mails, ABC has "multiple openings" for digital journalists who will need to be able to shoot their own video, produce, write and deliver stories on-air and online.

An ABC source says that while some will be working as one-person operations, the plan is usually to work in teams of two or three.

The new digital journalist will also need to be the point person for news in various regions, which include domestic and international locations and will need to have strong booking and tech skills.

An ABC spokeswoman confirmed the job postings, but could not say how many slots there were. Some will be replacing old positions while some will be new posts. They will be open to all ABC staffers, though not those who decide to take the buyouts the company has offered.

In a job description that suggests the pace of digital journalism, the posting says candidates must be "capable of prioritizing and handling multiple projects simultaneously, under tight time constraints."