Job Title: Assistant Professor of Broadcast and Documentary Film
Department/School: School of Journalism and Strategic Media
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Start date: August 16, 2027
Position Summary: The School of Journalism and Strategic Media in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at
the University of Arkansas invites nominations and applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in
Broadcast Journalism and Documentary Film to start August 2027. This is a standard nine-month faculty
appointment.
The successful candidate should have the ability to teach broadcast news courses such as TV news reporting, TV
news producing, sports production, video news production, long form video and live studio productions as well
as proficiency with necessary software and equipment. The instruction of broadcast courses will be joined by a
demonstration and commitment to producing creative works of national recognition in documentary, broadcast
news, sports production, multimedia storytelling, or other contributions that reflect the national research and
creative profile of a Research 1 university.
The School of Journalism and Strategic Media values experience in—or the potential for—building a strong
scholarly environment in teaching, mentoring, creative activity, life experiences, and service for all. The school’s
ideal candidate aligns with the faculty cluster of Democracy, Ethics, and Immigration, demonstrating an
understanding of the importance of visual media’s contribution to press freedoms, democracy, ethics, and
transparency.
Faculty hired in this position will have an opportunity to be a part of Fulbright College’s multidisciplinary
Democracy as a Public Good cluster hire at the University of Arkansas. Through its Democracy as a Public Good
Initiative, the College will advance the University’s land-grant mission by expanding capacity to generate
knowledge that informs public understanding, contributes to policy and practice, and connects Arkansas to
national and international conversations about societal good. Building on existing campus expertise in issues
ranging from norms of democratic communication, free speech, media ethics and literacy, humanitarian
governance and civil society, risks that AI poses to democratic governance, immigration, and public law, new
faculty members participating in the cluster will advance their research agendas through mentoring and
opportunities for collaboration—both with other scholars and with communities in the state—that may result in
peer-reviewed publications, external funding, and new approaches to the pressing challenges that democracy
faces. The successful candidate for this position will have an opportunity to join a community of scholars
committed to confronting major issues, generating new knowledge, and providing research-based solutions that
investigate and strengthen democratic culture for people living in Arkansas and beyond.
The successful candidate will be an active contributor to the School of Journalism and Strategic Media, Fulbright
College of Arts and Sciences, and the University of Arkansas with the proven ability to mentor undergraduate,
honors, and graduate students including serving on and directing thesis committees and thesis-level video
projects (or research papers), as well as other related duties in both masters and honors programs.
This is an in-person position. Most university classes are offered face-to-face, and extensive in-person
engagement in such activities as office hours, student advising, and departmental, college, and university
committee meetings is essential to advancing student success and departmental effectiveness.
Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain
collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.
About the Department:
The School of Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Arkansas is fully accredited by ACEJMC,
offering a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with concentrations in Broadcast Journalism, Journalism, and
Multimedia Storytelling and Production, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Public Relations. SJSM
also offers a Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media – in total serving about 1,000 undergrads and
grads in AY25-26. To learn more visit https://journalism.uark.edu.
Duties will include:
40% Teaching or Professional Performance
40% Research/Scholarly and/or Creative Activities
20% Academic Service Activities
Minimum Qualifications:
A terminal degree in mass communication, broadcast, journalism, film, or a related area from an
accredited institution of higher education conferred by the initial start date.
A proven ability to teach broadcast news courses to service and expand a program that includes TV
news reporting, TV news producing, sports, production, video news production, and documentary film.
Three years of relevant professional experience in TV news reporting and producing, documentary
production, live studio productions, and/or related courses.
Preferred Qualifications:
Five years or more of professional experience in TV news reporting and/or news producing, live sports
reporting and/or production, and/or experience in non-fiction film or video and multimedia storytelling.
One year of experience with undergraduate instruction in journalism or related field.
A demonstrated ability to produce high-level peer-reviewed documentary work or peer-reviewed
scholarly work related to journalism, media or related topics.
A demonstrated ability to seek and generate external funding as needed to support creative production.
Demonstrated proficiency with broadcast and documentary equipment and software.
Active participation in national professional and academic organizations related to documentary and/or
broadcast production.
Experience managing equipment needs and upkeep while staying within budgetary limitations.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
Evidence of the ability to design, launch, and oversee a possible M.F.A. documentary film program.
Evidence of the ability to teach in related nonfiction media areas such as podcasting, multimedia
storytelling, social media, or digital storytelling.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Completed applications received by October 28, 2026, will be assured full consideration. Late applications will be
reviewed as necessary to fill the position.
For additional inquiries, please contact the search committee chair, Ginger Blackstone at [contact details available in the full listing].
For a complete position announcement and information regarding how to apply, visit
https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UASYS/details/Assistant-Professor-of-Broadcast-andDocumentary-Film_R[contact details available in the full listing]?q=R0091698&locations=17a66cdad98201f7890cfb48ca00e249.
Applicants must submit:
a curriculum vitae
a cover letter/letter of application
a list of three professional references
examples of documentary and/or broadcast works
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Annual Salary/Benefits Package: Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.
As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that
promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental,
life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate
leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of
employee salary.
EMPLOYER INFORMATION
The University of Arkansas: Founded in 1871 as a land grant institution, the University of Arkansas is classified
by the Carnegie Foundation among the top two percent of universities in the nation with the highest level of
research activity. Ten colleges and schools serve more than 27,100 students with more than 200 academic
programs. University of Arkansas students earn nationally competitive awards at an impressive rate and
represent 50 states and more than 120 countries. The University of Arkansas is committed to providing an
educational and work environment in which thought, creativity, and growth are stimulated, and in which
individuals are free to realize their full potential.
Fulbright College: The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is a vital public good. We provide a
transformational education that prepares all students to lead and thrive in a complex world. Our research,
scholarship, and creative expression address society’s great challenges and push the boundaries of human
understanding. As the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus, with 3 schools, 16 departments,
and 43 academic programs and research centers, Fulbright College brings the world to Arkansas and Arkansas to
the world.
The Community: Fayetteville is home to the University of Arkansas campus and is known for its spectacular
views and ample green spaces. Fayetteville is considered one of the country’s finest college towns, and the
surrounding northwest Arkansas region is regularly ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. Some of
the nation’s best outdoor amenities and most spectacular hiking trails are within a short drive of campus.
For more information, visit: https://diversitynwa.com/
Culture in Northwest Arkansas
About Fayetteville
About University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its
education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status
protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military
service, genetic information, sex, sexual preference, or pregnancy. Federal law prohibits the University from
discriminating on these bases. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits
discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University's Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S.
Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United
States on the first day of employment. All application information is subject to public disclosure under the
Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
