Gulf States Newsroom seeks a senior reporter – justice, incarceration & gun violence

The Gulf States Newsroom – a collaboration among public radio stations in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, plus NPR – is hiring a tenacious and empathetic journalist to report powerful stories about the profound impacts of the criminal legal system on our local communities. We’re looking for an investigator who can uncover and tell compelling stories about how incarceration and gun violence affect those communities.

This reporter will probe beyond crime statistics and law enforcement narratives to focus on communities at the heart of these issues. You will spotlight the reform efforts underway and the stakeholders striving to change these bleak narratives. Your stories will illuminate the human impact of the criminal legal system, elevate the voices that often go unheard and spark conversations that can drive change.

This reporter will join a team of award-winning editors and regional reporters whose beats include wealth and poverty, environmental justice and health equity. The reporter will occasionally pitch in on local coverage of their beat and breaking news and will have the opportunity to file for NPR.

We are seeking a self-starter who can:

Center people over policy and cover trends and patterns in the three states
Push beyond crime statistics and law enforcement narratives
Cultivate connections with sources and researchers to stay on top of current events on the beat
Work collaboratively with other regional, local and national reporters and editors

We want someone who enjoys working as part of a team and is comfortable in an environment where local, regional and national needs may necessitate different approaches to storytelling. We’re seeking a journalist who listens and communicates well. Training is part of the mission of GSN and opportunities for professional development are built into this role.

Responsibilities:

Pitch, plan, report and produce audio and digital feature stories to air/publish locally, regionally and often nationally.
Develop a robust network of sources that reflect the diversity of the region.
Report local and regional news spots as assigned by the Gulf States Newsroom Managing Editor.
Occasionally travel to report stories across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Participate in regular meetings with the NPR criminal justice topic team.
Collaborate with editors and show staff at local stations to shape on-air two-way discussions.
Take photos for digital stories.
Use social media to share work and develop contacts.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
A total of at least five years of reporting and/or producing experience.
Ability to stay organized and meet deadlines for long and quick-turn assignments.

Desired Qualifications: