Senior Producer, Live Programming (LA Times Studios)

The Senior Producer, Live Programming, plays a central role in shaping the content, structure, and execution of the company's livestream programming. This role partners closely with on-air talent, programming leadership, and production teams to identify compelling stories, determine appropriate framing, and support high-quality live conversations. The Senior Producer combines strong content judgment with hands-on production expertise and oversees assigned production staff, both locally and remotely. Using livestream and broadcast tools, this role ensures programming is accurate, intentional, engaging, and delivered seamlessly across platforms. The Senior Producer exercises independent judgment in a live environment and directly supports on-air talent, internal stakeholders, and audiences across live and digital platforms.

Responsibilities:

• Identify daily stories, trends, and discussion opportunities that drive meaningful and relevant audience engagement.
• Align daily content priorities with on-air hosts by determining angles, framing, pacing, and key context.
• Develop and deliver segment notes, background research, talking points, and clarifying guidance to effectively prepare on-air talent.
• Partner with hosts to prepare for complex or sensitive topics and provide real-time content guidance during live programming.
• Exercise independent judgment during live programming to adjust segments, pacing, or content flow in response to real-time developments.
• Maintain broadcasting journalism integrity by ensuring all programming adheres to established standards for accuracy, fairness, quality, and company guidelines.
• Proactively identify potential content or reputational risks and escalate sensitive or high-impact issues to programming leadership as appropriate for immediate resolution.
• Program live feeds into the Zype Playout System and manage basic stream configuration as required.
• Use OBS or similar livestream production tools to prepare scenes, route feeds, and initiate basic live segments as needed.
• Support the integration of remote guests, clips, visuals, graphics, and contextual elements into live programming.
• Coordinate with technical staff to escalate and resolve production or transmission issues.
• Communicate with internal content and production teams to maintain alignment and accuracy.
• Coordinate with social and short-form teams to identify and plan strong moments for clipping and downstream distribution.
• Plan live segments with on-demand, short-form, and social distribution in mind to create content that can be efficiently repurposed, expands audience reach, and increases engagement across live, digital, and social platforms.
• Review available performance metrics, audience feedback, and engagement data to inform programming decisions and continuous improvement.
• Maintain run sheets, segment outlines, and daily planning documentation to ensure alignment across teams, support smooth live execution, and reduce the risk of on-air errors or miscommunication.
• Support long-term programming development in partnership with the Director of Programming.
• Responsible for providing day-to-day direction, coaching, performance feedback, and workflow oversight, and may participate in hiring decisions, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions in partnership with management.
• Contribute to ongoing improvements in content planning, communication, and production efficiency.
• Follow all company policies, standards, and applicable guidelines related to content, production, and workplace conduct.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• 9+ years of experience in live content production, livestream programming, or digital media environments.
• 3+ years of experience supervising or leading production staff in a live or digital environment.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound content judgment and synthesize complex information quickly and accurately.
• Proven experience supporting and preparing on-air talent.
• Strong writing, framing, and verbal communication skills.
• Working knowledge of OBS or equivalent livestream production systems.
• Proven knowledge of journalistic ethics, editorial integrity, and broadcast content standards.
• Ability to work effectively in a deadline-driven environment with shifting priorities.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, or holidays, as programming needs require.

preferred qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Media Studies, Film/Television Production
• Experience with live programming, streaming formats, or digital broadcast operations.
• Proficiency with Adobe Premiere or similar video editing tools.
• Experience curating or programming live channels or continuous streams.
• Familiarity with social and short-form video workflows (e.g., YouTube, TikTok, Instagram).
• Experience collaborating with programming leadership and cross-functional content teams.
• Knowledge of multi-source routing, live ingest systems, or broadcast signal workflows.