Assistant Professor of Broadcast and Documentary Film

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 gingerb@uark.edu.

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_R0091698-1?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.