Categories: Journo Jobs

Consumer Reports seeks electronics writer/editor

Technology is moving so fast that new developments can be confusing for consumers to understand. Our writers and editors need to be more than just tech savvy — they need the writing talent and passion for reporting to connect our readers to the most important stories in tech in ways that are both engaging and accessible.

Writers and editors at Consumer Reports conceive and execute written stories for our print and digital platforms, and work in close partnership with our social, interactive, and video teams. Our content creators can draw on internal testing, survey, statistical, and other resources that are unique in journalism.

And armed with those resources along with old-fashioned reporting and writing skills, our writers and editors are charged with presenting the consumer angle on technology news, writing product reviews, and most of all creating top-quality service journalism that is fast, accurate, and creative.

  • Under general supervision generates cross-platform electronics content campaigns that will be published across print, digital, and video platforms; works closely with counterparts in Advocacy, Survey, Communications, Design, and other key stakeholders to maximize resources and consumer impact.
  • Proactively follows and reports on electronics, ensuring content is relevant, timely, cutting-edge and addresses consumer needs in a proactive way. Attending trade shows and other industry events as needed.
  • Acts as both in-house electronics spokesperson and CR electronics representative for media outreach, trade shows and industry events.
  • Acts as on-camera electronics subject-matter expert for all CR video platforms; may be asked to execute rough drafts of video scripts.
  • Collects data, summarizes and interprets market information to make relevant content recommendations.
  • Assists digital editorial team to maintain specialty products such as Buying Guides, Product Pages and other regularly-updated content on Consumer Reports Online.
  • Coordinates information among Electronics, Product Testing, Advocacy, Survey, Social, Design, and other organizational teams that support assigned content areas.
  • Assists with the planning and scheduling process, creates sidebars, infographics that animates stories and reports.
  • Moves content through the production process, incorporating changes by related parties, copy-fitting, and conferring with art and production personnel.
  • Writes headlines, subheads, captions, cover lines etc., as necessary. Prepares sourcing for fact-checking.
  • Collaborates with electronics team to create multi-media content.
  • Actively participates as a member of the electronics product and content team, conferring with other team members as necessary to ensure objectives for quality and timeliness are met.
  • May write content, as needed, across all platforms.
  • Maintains high level knowledge of one or more product or service categories within the content group.
  • Performs other duties of the department as needed, but not those of a higher level.
  • Bachelor’s degree with at least five years of experience in multi-platform editorial for technology, business or consumer project journalism required.
  • Strategic creative skills essential.
  • Must be able to work in self-directed capacity and to conceive and execute compelling multimedia content.
  • Can translate complex technical electronics or computer related information into informative content across multiple platforms.
  • Ability to manage and lead in a cross-organizational capacity required.
  • A thorough knowledge of technology and the computer related industry are preferred.
  • Competent in all aspects of reviewing and creating accurate and compelling stories across all platforms.
  • Skilled in collecting and interpreting all data, internal and external, to create the most accurate and in context story possible.
  • Ability to smoothly transition writing styles from hard news to expository review to opinionated blog.
  • Competent in editing and writing display copy, generating ideas for infographics across all media.
  • Excellent organizational skills and ability to meet rigid deadlines.
  • Competency with page design software such as K4 and CQ as well as Microsoft Office and Google Docs highly beneficial.
  • On-camera broadcast experience, mass media training, and a daily journalism background are preferred.

Physical Demands: Must be able travel as needed, perform on camera, and work in an office environment.
Apply Here

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.

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