City/County Government Reporter
Req #19348
Our current portfolio of media assets includes USA TODAY, local media organizations in 46 states in the U.S., and Newsquest, a wholly owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom with more than 120 local news media brands. Gannett also owns the digital marketing services companies ReachLocal, Inc., UpCurve, Inc., and WordStream, Inc., which are marketed under the LOCALiQ brand, and runs the largest media-owned events business in the U.S., USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures.
To connect with us, visit www.gannett.com.
City / County Government Reporter
USA TODAY NETWORK’s Kinston newsroom Kinston.com is hiring an entry-level reporter who wants to learn and grow in our company. This reporter will focus on local government and be responsible for covering the city of Kinston, Lenoir County government and some general assignments.
The reporter will work independently but will have access to one-on-one meetings and regular coaching to grow and develop into the role. Coaching is part of our newsroom culture, and we want to hire reporters who expect to be challenged to grow, learn and work collaboratively. This reporter will get the chance to do work on enterprise reporting.
The Kinston reporter will work on a team with the New Bern, NC newsroom staff. This is a position for someone who wants to grow within our larger North Carolina team of newsrooms and newspapers.
Lenoir County has a population of 60,000 people and is found centrally in eastern North Carolina. There are deep societal issues, such as poverty, that are impacting the daily lives of many residents and we need a reporter to tell the stories of the entire community.
A successful reporter should strive to go beyond daily coverage of events and meetings and connect the dots to the struggles of the community and the solutions.
Daily stories, beat coverage, profiles, reporter visuals and high comfort with digital are all part of the job. This reporter will find and tell compelling stories that hold government and institutions responsible to our readers.
Responsibilities:
- Creates storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms.
- Works toward becoming the community’s leading voice in area of expertise.
- Connects with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.)
- Promotes personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
- Provides great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
- Performs other duties as necessary.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 1+ years of professional experience; strong internship will be considered.
- Experience with public records is required. Database or computer-assisted reporting skills will set applicants apart from others.
- Understanding how to use social media and how to tell multimedia stories is a must.
- Innovative thinker with a passion for keeping on top of evolving trends and technologies in digital media.
- Fast writer who takes coaching well.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize, self-start, contribute under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- Highly organized, creative and critical thinker. Self-motivated and results-oriented with a high regard for details.
- 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, motor vehicle record check & urinalysis drug screen (for driving roles only).
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Other details
- Job Family Frontline Journalists
- Job Function Consumer
- Pay Type Hourly