State Government Reporter
The Herald-Leader is looking for a versatile, audience-focused reporter to help coordinate and execute breaking and in-depth coverage of Kentucky state government in a player/coach role. This journalist will be part of a 2-person full-time state Capitol bureau in Frankfort that will work closely together and with other reporters across the newsroom and in Washington DC on coverage of state government generally, legislative sessions, elections, Kentucky’s federal legislative delegation and more. That bureau will grow during state legislative sessions and elections.
This journalist will work with the managing editor and executive editor to help coordinate and produce statehouse coverage in a highly competitive news environment with a goal of preserving and expanding the Herald-Leader’s reputation as the place to go for aggressive and authoritative coverage of Kentucky state politics and government. This journalist will work closely with the political writer to map out coverage. While helping coordinate coverage, this journalist’s primary function will be as a reporter, tasked with covering the governor’s office, the legislature and state government.
We’re looking for a journalist who can break news but also dig deep to develop enterprise stories and investigative reporting on state government. Components of the beat involve breaking news, building sources, poring through public databases, uncovering trends and talking to real people.
We’re seeking a journalist who understands the audience for these stories, including politicos, state government employees and the public at large, and who has experience with SEO, social media, visuals and data.
Responsibilities:
- Regularly write news and enterprise stories that are clear, accurate, engaging and of high interest and relevance to local readers.
- Work with editors to assure that stories are complete, fair and in context.
- Coordinate coverage within and across teams and handle deadline demands on breaking news when appropriate.
- Learn to develop a broad range of sources on the beat and build strong relationships with key people to identify stories relevant to them and important for our broader readership to understand.
- Use audience metrics to help determine which stories are resonating with readers and which are not. Work with editors to mine this data for takeaways about how we can build our audience.
- Produce basic video and photos in the field. Work with the visuals team to add more sophisticated visuals as a fundamental storytelling tool.
- Write and report on a continuous-news cycle, publishing to digital platforms as well as print.
- Use judgment in determining best digital tools for conveying news to readers in varying circumstances and formats
- Use social networks to seek story ideas, report in real time and connect with the community.
Qualifications:
- College degree.
- 2-3 years of reporting experience, preferably on local or state government or politics.
- Must have reliable transportation.
- Must have valid driver’s license
- Must have vehicle insurance (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).
- Strong writing skills, excellent news judgment and a demonstrated ability to “see the story” that is going to matter to readers.
- Commitment to ethics.
- Ability to build source networks and bring a constant flow of story ideas.
- Ability to work collaboratively to aggressively tackle stories.
- Comfort with a job that will be demanding, fast paced and constantly evolving.
- Facility with data, public records, and business reports.
WHEN APPLYING: Please include a link to your online portfolio or samples of your work.