The Oregonian seeks a reporter to tackle real estate news, trends in housing and the pressing issue of housing affordability, holding state and local leaders accountable to years of promises to make inroads on a crisis that disproportionately impacts Oregon’s most vulnerable.
The Housing/Real Estate reporter will help Oregonians understand and navigate the state’s housing crisis, point to solutions for policymakers and shed light on the enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on commercial real estate in Portland.
The reporter will work on the newsroom’s Business & Economy team, made up of journalists with decades of experience covering the state’s largest employers and industries with a focus on accountability.
What you’ll get the opportunity to do:
- Dig into public records and data from various sources to glean new insights into the homeownership and rental housing markets
- Develop deep sourcing in the construction, real estate, affordable housing and commercial real estate industries, as well as organizations that advocate for consumer and housing rights
- Build a can’t-miss body of work that explores the latest emerging trends and issues in housing and commercial real estate
- Create and promote resources to help readers navigate some of the biggest and most consequential financial transactions of their lives
- Explore how access to affordable housing affects other aspects of Oregonians’ lives, such as safe and reliable transportation, employment or education
- Contribute to general business and economic coverage, including collaborations with journalists throughout the newsroom
The ideal candidate will have:
- Degree in Journalism or Communications or related field
- Minimum of 2 years of journalism experience with a proven ability for clear, engaging writing, fresh story framing and diverse sourcing
- Excellent time management skills with ability to work under tight deadlines when needed
- Skill at using social media and digital platforms to drive traffic and engage readers, including experience with search engine optimization practices
- Ability to take photos, video and audio on assignment as needed
- Proficiency analyzing data using spreadsheet software or more advanced tools
- Proficiency in Spanish or another world language spoken widely in Oregon (such as Mandarin, Vietnamese or Russian) would be a great additional skill
- This job requires reliable transportation to meet with sources or cover events
- Deadline to apply: 05/17/2024
To apply, go here.
Chris RoushChris 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.