Associate Producer, News & Politics

At Crooked, we believe the answer to a rising authoritarian movement is a democratic movement powerful enough to fight it and (fingers crossed) defeat it. That means using all the tools at our disposal as a media company to help build a massive, diverse coalition united behind a core set of democratic values: freedom, equality, compassion, and the rule of law.

Job Summary:

Crooked Media is looking for a Los Angeles-based associate producer who will work on our news and politics podcasts. The ideal candidate must have a clear idea of the Crooked brand, a strong interest in news and politics, and experience writing snappy copy and producing podcasts from soup to nuts. The candidate must work well with small groups and be flexible and hands-on throughout the production process. We’re looking for someone who relishes the daily news cycle and can maintain a sense of humor and optimism, even when it feels bleak. This person will work across a number of shows and will need to balance the needs of multiple teams.

This role is based out of our Los Angeles office, and follows a hybrid schedule based on the job’s needs. We are ideally looking for Los Angeles-based candidates or candidates willing to relocate before the start date. 

How You’ll Spend Your Time:

Technical execution of podcasts 

• Working with team on the audio and technical aspects of our shows 
• Working with our production team to book studio time / arrange remote sessions
• Cutting and editing clips and sound elements that run within podcasts
• QC-ing each show and communicating changes with production team
• Uploading and scheduling episodes and ensuring delivery across listener platforms 
• Publishing episode pages and supporting the show’s presence on Crooked’s website. 

Editorial and creative support of news and politics podcasts

• Tracking news and jumping in when news breaks
• Writing accurate and clear copy
• Pitching creative story ideas and guests
• Pre-interviewing and booking experts 
• Looking ahead to prepare for major news events
• Developing briefing materials for interviews and episodes
• Working with hosts and producers on identifying and gathering elements to complete episodes (including audio and video assets)
• Participating in daily and weekly editorial meetings 
• Maintaining rigorous editorial standards on deadline

Collaborate across shows and across the company 

• Coordinating with video producers and social media teams to maximize audience for the show across all platforms
• Working with Sales team to ensure ad copy has been delivered to hosts and ads have been recorded
• Coordinating cross-departmental efforts to build and publicize the show and other shows on the Crooked network through video, social, design, business development, and marketing efforts
• Assisting in planning and execution of live events/recordings as needed
• Contributing to other Crooked projects and properties as needed

What You’ll Bring To The Table:

• At least 2 years of experience in news, digital media, or politics. 
• Enthusiasm for political news
• Ability to quickly digest the news events in context 
• Exceptional broadcast writing and research skills 
• A sense of humor 
• An understanding of journalism and journalistic ethics
• A curious and collaborative approach
• Ability to juggle multiple projects at once and work under pressure
• Strong communication and organization skills
• A self-motivated, proactive, creative, accountable, and kind attitude
• Editing skills (Descript, Pro Tools, Premiere, or Audition)

Pay and Perks:

This is a position covered under the Writers Guild of America East Collective Bargaining Agreement and the starting salary for this role is $80,000. 

In addition to your salary, we also offer full-time employees excellent benefits including:

• Paid healthcare, with most individual plans paid fully by the company 
• 401k match 
• Generous vacation and paid leave including, sick, bereavement, pregnancy loss, and disability leaves 
• 20 weeks of paid parental leave 
• Commuter reimbursement or paid parking 
• A monthly communications stipend 
• Professional development opportunities 
• And did we also mention our offices are closed at the end of the year?