The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal is seeking an energetic and enterprising reporter to cover high school and college sports.
This position will have primary responsibility for covering high school sports and local recruiting targets, working alongside our long-time and award-winning senior sports writer. You will also provide back-up and additional coverage in college sports for our two SEC schools — Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
This is a great opportunity for a young journalist who wants to gain invaluable experience and work toward bigger beats.
Duties and responsibilities:
Your typical duties and responsibilities will include:
- Finding and breaking news as it happens.
- Going beyond the stale game stories to provide thoughtful analysis to those who saw the games but want deeper understanding of what happened and why.
- Providing entertaining briefs on trending topics as they happen.
- Writing features that look behind the Xs and Os to the players, coaches and personnel that make up the programs.
- Generating enterprise ideas that go deeper into important issues that affect athletics and the sports world in general.
- Working with a team of editors and reporters to collaborate on specific topics or bigger projects.
- Easily switching between fast-paced reporting and long-term projects throughout the season, including breaking news on multiple sports at any given time.
- Engaging with readers and fans via social media, providing not only insights but entertainment. Must feel comfortable in letting their personality and true self shine through.
- Work with editors to evaluate what’s working and what’s not, and develop ongoing plans to better satisfy audience needs.
- Promoting a personal brand, the brands of colleagues, and that of the Daily Journal other Journal Inc. properties.
Qualifications:
The successful candidate should have the following qualifications:
- College degree, in journalism preferred
- Strong writing, spelling and grammar skills; familiarity with AP style.
- Strong knowledge of effective use of social media, especially emerging platforms that may be more prevalent among high-school and college athletes
- Knowledge and understanding of how to use digital metrics to produce and promote engaging content
- Comfort building a beat in a competitive environment and communicating with athletes and coaches.
- Ability to collaborate with remote teams on stories and projects
- Flexibility to work odd hours and different days as game schedules demand
- Excellent news judgment
To apply:
Send resumes, clips and references to Executive Editor Sam R. Hall at sam.hall@djournal.com.
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