Weekend Anchor - WFTV

Position Overview

WFTV Channel 9 Eyewitness News is seeking a dynamic, credible, and enterprising journalist to serve as our Weekend Anchor/Reporter. This position requires a strong newsroom leader who can confidently anchor weekend newscasts while also producing impactful, original reporting during the week.

The successful candidate will anchor Saturday and Sunday newscasts and report in the field three days per week. Reporting is a critical component of this role. We are looking for a journalist who can uncover stories through source development, document research, public records requests, and relentless newsgathering.

The ideal candidate is an enterprise-driven journalist who consistently generates original story ideas, develops exclusive content, and turns meaningful enterprise stories on the same day they are pitched, bringing forward investigative and accountability-focused story ideas that matter to Central Florida viewers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Weekend Anchor Responsibilities

• Anchor live Saturday and Sunday newscasts with authority, credibility, and strong storytelling.
• Lead breaking news and severe weather coverage during weekend broadcasts.
• Collaborate with producers, reporters, meteorologists, and newsroom leaders to shape editorial content and presentation.
• Write, edit, and review scripts to ensure accuracy, fairness, and journalistic excellence.
• Serve as a newsroom leader who reinforces WFTV's standards of journalism and storytelling.

Reporting & Investigative Responsibilities

• Report in the field three days each week for broadcast, digital, and streaming platforms.
• Pitch original enterprise story ideas in the morning editorial meeting and execute those stories the same day.
• Develop and maintain a robust network of sources across government, law enforcement, business, education, and the community.
• Generate exclusive content through public records requests, database research, source cultivation, and document analysis.
• Pursue accountability journalism that uncovers information viewers would not otherwise know.
• Identify investigative angles to daily news stories and develop them into deeper enterprise reports.
• Deliver compelling live reports from the field, particularly during breaking news and major community events.
• Write accurate, impactful, and visually compelling stories under daily deadline pressure.
• Collaborate with photographers, producers, and digital teams to maximize storytelling across all platforms.
• Produce digital content and supporting materials related to enterprise and investigative stories.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstrated success developing enterprise stories.
• Exceptional live reporting and ad-lib skills.
• Strong on-air presence with the ability to connect with viewers.
• Excellent writing, storytelling, and interviewing skills.
• Strong news judgment and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and maintain an acceptable driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of three to five years of television news reporting experience; anchoring experience strongly preferred.