Senior Editor, NESN.com, New England Sports Network (Boston, MA)

Application link: http://careers.nesn.com/departments/new-media.html

POSITION SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Director of New Media, the Sr. Editor will manage the editorial team producing NESN’s online content, including written content for NESN.com, video content of NESN’s on-air highlights, and NESN’s accounts on social media websites. The Editor will be responsible for copy editing NESN’s online editorial content. She/he will also help define the New Media team’s editorial strategy in pursuit of company goals on generating Web traffic and digital ad revenue.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Manage the New Media editorial team, including career and performance management, mentoring and skill development, and employee relations
· Serve as NESN’s online copy editor
· Develop and train the New Media editorial team on best practices in copy editing, quality control, and content production
· Develop and manage work plans and timelines, with minimum to no managerial guidance; implement projects through delegating, overseeing and guiding the work of others.
· Develop and manage work schedules to ensure a healthy balance between work/life and meeting business objectives
· Work with the Director of New Media to define, communicate and implement the online editorial content strategy that will help NESN to meet its company goals for digital media, including generating Web traffic and digital advertising revenue
· Ensure that the editorial staff maintains proficiency in appropriate areas; assesses training needs, recommends and assist in developing and implementing training curriculum
· Regularly identify and work with senior management to develop, implement, and enforce new processes, standards, and procedures
· Represent the New Media team in discussions with NESN’s on-air production team, sales team, and operations team
· Research new opportunities for NESN’s online content growth in an evolving media landscape

Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree preferred
· Minimum five years online content production
· Minimum two years managing a team of online content producers including: conducting performance appraisals and managing performance, developing skills through coaching and training, and employee relations.
· Eager to work with junior editors on copy editing, quality control, and online content best practices
· Strong track record as a producer of blog content
· Strong interest in the developing world of digital media, focusing on the intersection of content and technology
· Experience in using Web analytics to evaluate online content
· Experience in implementing content for online advertising campaigns preferred
· Experience in managing and publishing curated content from around the Web
· Experience in managing online video content preferred
· Working knowledge of HTML and CSS preferred
· Working knowledge of the world of sports, with a focus on New England’s professional sports teams
· Working knowledge of NESN’s online competitive landscape preferred

Application Link: http://careers.nesn.com/departments/new-media.html

 

Does anyone know about this job or about NESN? We are moving to Boston in September.

 

NESN is a pretty good regional sports network. They do the Bruins and Red Sox games and, I think (not sure) the Celtics.

They also do some college sports (most of college sports in New England is smaller colleges) plus hockey. They also have a glut of news and coaches shows. It's a huge market with a lot to cover all year round. This would be a killer job.

When stuff like this comes open, there is often a decent chance they could promote from within and create an opening further down the chain.

 

NESN's site is an interesting mix of aggregation and somewhat original content mixed with plenty of slides. NESN is owned by the Fenway Sports Group (owners of the Red Sox, a NASCAR racing team, and Liverpool). I applied for a lower level position there a few years ago. It was an interesting interview process. I did have to take a sports and spelling test (learn to spell the difficult hosts' names). It has good benefits for sports journalism and is highly competitive and numbers (CLICKS) driven. The office is in Watertown near the Armory Mall.

The mix of TV and online media is good for original content and boosting numbers. Someone, however, needs to get the site to do more original content if it can and move away from glamorous tabloid stuff at time it would be a pretty reliable site. Also, the site needs some work -- it is super busy.

 

They don't like to spend money and do a poor job of retaining people. Lot of writers get clipped before they reach "full-time" status (they start them on temp contracts). Not much emphasis on beat coverage. Many of the complaints people have on the dot com side were about the person who once held this position.

The television station is nothing great. It's basically become a home for infomercials and Red Sox games. Comcast is miles ahead.

 

Agreed on the tv aspect. I understand its owned by the Red Sox and Bruins but I can only take so much pr news shoved down my throat. CSNNE is much better on TV and web side.

 

CSNNE is way better and has more backing/components to it being that its part of the bigger Comcast network of stations.

That said, NESN isn't great. And the way it makes positions a temp position at first is a bit shady. If you like someone hire them. Don't be scared.

Whoever gets in there should push for more original content and beats. Rehashing of news isn't a wonderful thing to read.

 

I'd agree with all of this. I have friends who work there right now who will be working under this hire. The place is 100% guided by hits. Quality content and editing take a backseat - way, way in the back.

The site and network also take on an incredibly annoying (at least to me) homer bent. I understand that the teams own the networks, NESN is among the worst at being shameless shills for the hometown team. (These are the folks who employ Jack Edwards.)

Peruse the website right now, you will doubtlessly find obvious editing mistakes, and a cheap and obvious grab at clicks with their headlines.

Maybe the person who takes this position can mitigate that, but your job in this position will be to get a bunch of temps and part timers with little to no experience to bang out keywords as fast as possible. They can dress up the description all they want, but that is the job.

 

NESN.com's Insistence On Capitalizing The First Letter Of Every Word In Its Headlines Drives Me Fucking Crazy