Reporter/Sports - Content
Req #37534
To connect with us, visit www.gannett.com
The Southwest Times Record/swtimes.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, seeks a dynamic reporter to cover University of Arkansas sports and Fort Smith area high school sports. The candidate will be expected to live in Fayetteville, Arkansas, home of the University of Arkansas, and commute roughly an hour to Fort Smith on a regular basis for high school coverage.
University of Arkansas coverage will focus on Razorbacks football and basketball, with spot coverage determined by audience interest on baseball and other sports.
High school coverage will center on sports teams of two local high schools in Fort Smith, especially football and basketball, with spot coverage and features on other area teams.
The ideal candidate will lead the conversation on Arkansas football and Fort Smith high school sports by developing broad expertise and delivering news with impact and analysis year-round. The writer will also tell compelling human-interest stories and identify interesting trends for enterprise stories that go beyond what happened on the court or field or during an athlete's commitment ceremony.
This position requires multimedia skills, the ability to produce and edit video and engage audience on social media. The best candidate will have dynamic writing ability and the knowledge to write about football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer and other sports.
We want someone who is ambitious, thinks big, writes with authority and has a passion for storytelling and for breaking news before our competitors.
Responsibilities:
- Be a leading voice on University of Arkansas coverage, especially football and basketball.
- Be the Fort Smith area’s leading voice in high school sports and on area prospects being recruited by major colleges.
- Connect with the community through social media, including Instagram.
- Craft coverage based on historical success and adapt approach based on digital metrics and audience needs.
- Capture basic photos and video as needed. Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
- Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- This can be an entry-level position, but 1-2 years' reporting/newsroom experience is preferred.
- Adept at taking photos and video and the ability to file quickly across platforms: mobile, desktop and social media.
- Strong command of grammar and AP style.
- Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and "publication ready."
- Passionate and enthusiastic about news and content that will work well with audiences on social platforms.
- Comfortable in fluid, fast-breaking, stressful situations.
- A desire to grow and develop a key beat in our newsrooms.
- Comfortable using social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to enhance reporting and promote stories.
- Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
- Excels in a fast-paced news environment and understands the digital first mission.
- Collaborates well with others and can work with a team on the biggest stories.
- Able to work occasional late nights or weekends as needed by the news cycle.
- This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
- Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check and a motor vehicle record check & drug screen (for driving roles only).
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
1. Your resume in one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.
It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.
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Other details
- Job Family UNION
- Job Function Consumer
- Pay Type Hourly