Hearst seeks a sports reporter, Manistee News Advocate

The Manistee News Advocate is looking for a digital-minded reporter with innovative ideas for delivering quality and engaging local sports coverage for Manistee and the Benzie County Record Patriot. You will write for both online and print publications with several deadlines throughout the day. We’re looking for a reporter who can provide on the ground coverage in our communities, collaborate with a diverse team and build authentic relationships with the community.

The position demands strong writing and reporting skills and good news judgment. A reporter needs to be able to self-assign, re-prioritize in real time and keep digital production first.

Reporters must strive to present an accurate, well-balanced explanation of the stories they cover, build an arsenal of contacts and make themselves known in the community for both breaking news items and more in-depth, enterprise stories.

The reporter submits stories daily and enriches stories with multimedia assets.

A reporter creates content to attract digital subscribers and to optimize content for digital audiences across web and social media platforms. A reporter is also responsible for finding news leads and further developing professional skills through company training.

Extensive knowledge of AP style writing is necessary in addition to trending style changes. Time management and basic knowledge of photography are a plus to the success of the position.

A reporter should have knowledge of social media platforms and ongoing events in addition to working in content management systems. Training available.

Staff meetings and communication for content planning purposes will occur.

Candidates interested in the reporter position should submit a cover letter, resume and samples of written work and photography. 

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Write a minimum of 8-15 bylines a week, at least one a day, enriched with multimedia assets.
• Write a variety of stories, including content for newspaper subscribers and non-subscribers.
• Write a minimum of one, well-researched enterprise story a quarter.
• Attend at least one staff meeting or equivalent discussion a day for content planning purposes.
• Shoot or attain photos or create other multimedia assets. Prepare and package content for online and print publications.
• Ability to learn content management systems quickly and effectively with appropriate internal training and external knowledge.

What are the measures of success for this position? 

• Gather information, write and deliver news stories for print and online publication by seeking out leads, capitalizing on external knowledge and accepting assignments from the editor or associate editor.
• Build a loyal digital subscriber base by engaging with readership online and in the community. Explore alternate publishing strategies to enrich content and presentation (i.e., images, slideshows, specialized web templates, embedded content, timelines, hyperlinks, SEO writing and other multimedia assets).
• Write effective digital headlines that help attract audiences. Write engaging social posts that attract audiences and encourage readers to interact with social content.
• Revise work to meet editorial approval for publication-readiness, including clarity, fairness, legality, spelling, grammar, punctuation and style.
• Participate in internally offered training and other development opportunities.
• Use metrics to monitor real-time traffic, identify patterns and make informed content decisions.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest current events and trends.
• Communicate effectively with the newsroom and leadership both in-office and in the field.
• Manage workflow to meet deadlines and work collaboratively with team to find solutions.

Qualifications: 

• The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s in communications, journalism or equivalent in experience and/or education.
• Strong news judgment, knowledge of AP style and SEO best practices.
• Understand written sentences, paragraphs and headline writing in work-related documents to communicate effectively as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Follow the law, especially regarding the confidentiality and privacy of the people they interview or write about.

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