PRODUCTION ASSISTANT (P/T) – WLIO

Gray Television is hiring a part-time Production Assistant at WLIO-TV in Lima, Ohio. This role sits in the broadcast studio environment, supporting live local news telecasts as a floor director responsible for technical setup and on-air talent coordination. It suits someone early in their television production career who wants hands-on experience inside a working broadcast newsroom.

About the Role

The Production Assistant works within the studio operations side of WLIO’s morning news programming, reporting to work Monday through Friday from 5:00 am to 9:00 am for a total of 20 hours per week. Each shift centers on preparing the studio before air and managing the live broadcast workflow from the floor. This is the kind of ground-level broadcast television experience that builds the technical instincts needed to move up in local or network production.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare the studio before each morning newscast, including checking and charging all wireless microphone battery packs to ensure zero technical failures on air.
• Set lighting positions and confirm camera placement across multiple set configurations prior to the start of the broadcast.
• Serve as floor director during live news telecasts, cueing anchors and on-camera talent for in and out of segment transitions.
• Manage show timing and cut-in timing throughout the broadcast, keeping the rundown on schedule in real time.
• Reposition studio cameras between segments as the set configuration changes during the newscast.
• Coordinate closely with the control room to execute director notes and keep the live television production running to time.

What You Bring

• High school diploma or GED required, with a minimum age of 18.
• Basic math skills sufficient for live broadcast timing and cut-in calculations.
• Physical ability to stand for extended periods and move heavy studio equipment including cameras and lighting gear.
• Some familiarity with broadcast studio operations, live television production, or local news workflows is a plus.

Why This Role

Gray Television is the largest owner of top-rated local television stations in the country, reaching approximately 37% of US television households across 117 markets, which means a Production Assistant here is working inside a major broadcast infrastructure, not a small independent operation. WLIO gives someone new to broadcast television production genuine daily reps on a live newscast, which is difficult to find at the part-time level.

Apply now for the Production Assistant position at Gray Television and take a concrete first step into local broadcast television production.