Public Safety/Local Government Reporter

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Public Safety/Local Government

The Abilene Reporter-News/reporternews.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking a public safety/local government reporter with experience across the board in newsroom assignments to cover West Texas.

Experienced, versatile reporter sought. Knowledge of Excel, and education and business coverage is a plus. Beat includes breaking news, features, hard news and more in-depth projects.

Abilene is a growing city with some 130,000 people and growing suburbs in the immediate area. Breaking news, crime, courts and city and county government will be your focus.

The reporter must hold local law enforcement and other government agencies accountable while providing fair, accurate coverage. Covering city and county governments will also provide ample opportunity to show how the area is weathering growing pains while officials push for economic development.

The reporter will need to dig deeper and seek a wider perspective for both public safety and government stories. The job will involve writing about rough-and-tumble West Texas crime and covering controversies and issues impacting the community in government and law enforcement. Major crime, breaking news and trends will be key. The reporter will supplement breaking news with enterprise stories that go beyond a single crime and in-depth stories that go beyond a meeting.

The ideal candidate will be conscientious and collaborative with a keen eye for detail, as well as skeptical and comfortable with conflicting views. Flexibility is key, as are compassion and creativity. You'll cover a protest one day, interview a victim's family the next, and end the week crunching crime statistics and exploring criminal justice trends.

This job requires getting out in the community to build a source network and conducting in-person interviews with people from all walks of life. It also requires video, photography and social media skills to enhance coverage.

Knowledge of Excel to mine data for both in-depth and quick-hit projects will be a big advantage for any applicant.

Like other reporter jobs, this includes whatever else develops locally with other Gannett journalists. A teamwork philosophy is key, and we are at times called upon to assist in some fashion with projects all the way up to the level of USA TODAY.

Flexibility is also important in the fast-moving world of digital news as we seek to adapt quickly to engage our audience.

Responsibilities:

• Create content (articles, videos, photos and social media posts) about local news that accurately informs, entertains and engages key audiences and platforms.
• Provide in-person coverage of events and meetings, as well as conduct in-person interviews.
• Provide thoughtful, in-depth coverage of complex issues.
• Work toward becoming the community's leading voice for news and issues in Abilene.
• Plan and execute engagement opportunities to reach audiences through content, community events and social media.
• Work with the editor to evaluate what's working and what's not and develop ongoing plans to better satisfy audience needs.
• Collaborate with the content team to provide all appropriate elements for stories (i.e., photos, videos, and graphics).
• Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
• Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, marketing or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 1-2 years' reporting experience, which could include freelancing, internships and college publication work.
• Adept at taking photos and video and ability to file quickly across platforms: mobile, desktop and social media.
• Strong command of grammar.
• Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and publication ready.
• Is passionate and enthusiastic about news and content that will work well with audiences on social platforms.
• Comfortable in fluid, fast-breaking, stressful situations.
• A desire to grow and develop key beats in our newsroom.
• Is comfortable using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Reddit to enhance reporting and promote stories.
• Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
• Excels in a fast-paced news environment and understands the digital first mission.
• Collaborates well with others and can work with a team on the biggest stories.
• News often requires employees to work extended hours, evenings, weekends and holidays, sometimes unexpectedly.
• This role requires a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Application Instructions

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don't limit your upload to a resume; show us what you've done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

1. Your resume - one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you've produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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