Senior Counsel, Standards & Practices

Job Description

Senior Counsel, Standards & Practices (Hybrid)

Senior Counsel, Standards & Practices (Hybrid)

Department: Standards & Practices

Corporate Area: Office of the Chief Legal Officer

Status: Full-time/Regular/Exempt

Supervisor: Head, Standards & Practices and Associate General Counsel

Position Overview:

The PBS Standards & Practices department is responsible for administering the PBS policies that support PBS national programming, ensuring that content meets the highest standards of editorial integrity, appropriately identifies funding sources, and complies with regulatory requirements.

The Senior Counsel, Standards & Practices will work collaboratively with PBS member stations, PBS content producers, and across PBS departments to ensure compliance with PBS editorial and funding standards, as well as legal requirements.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
• Advise PBS staff, national producers, and PBS member stations in support of television, digital, and social media content-including news, documentaries, arts and culture, science, and lifestyle programming.

• Administer the PBS editorial and funding standards to protect the editorial integrity of PBS content and to ensure that program funding is transparently identified and complies with all regulatory requirements.

• Conduct periodic review of the PBS editorial and funding standards with input from PBS staff, national producers, and PBS member stations. Draft any necessary amendments.

• Conduct pre-broadcast and pre-publication review to ensure compliance with the PBS editorial and funding standards and to evaluate legal and regulatory risks.

• Research, analyze, and provide guidance on a broad range of regulatory issues, including indecency, product placement, closed captioning, and political candidate appearances, among many other issues.

• Draft and deliver trainings, interactive case studies, and articles on issues related to the PBS editorial and funding standards, and regularly update the PBS Standards public website at pbs.org/standards.

• Interface with the PBS Board of Directors as needed with respect to policy amendments and other departmental matters.

• Monitor FCC rulemaking activity on issues affecting the department's work and draft memoranda and filings as needed.

• Help manage the department on daily basis, ensuring timely and clear decisions and the highest levels of customer service to PBS departments, PBS member stations, and PBS producers.

Requirements for success:
• 5 - 8 years of experience in journalism ethics, editorial standards, FCC policy, or other regulatory compliance

• JD or LLM and strong academic credentials from an ABA-accredited law school and Bar admission

• Attention to detail and pride in high-quality execution of work

• Exceptional analytical skills and strong collaboration skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Highly organized with the ability to multi-task and prioritize

• Deadline-oriented, flexible, and self-motivated

• Strong diplomacy and proactive, solution-oriented problem-solving skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, assisting with special projects on an ad hoc basis

• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex issues, while working effectively both as a team player and independently

• Keeps abreast of latest trends in media, telecommunications, and related industries

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office

• Must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered. Proof of vaccination required.

PBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with the EEOC and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rjxkz1-18-226-187-199-42 in your application.