Local News Reporter
If you're a dedicated local news journalist eager to tell your readers what’s happening in the community around them, you may be the next Reporter to join the Bay Area News Group and The Mercury News. We’re looking for a passionate Local News Reporter to cover the suburbs of Silicon Valley, specifically Fremont and the Tri-Valley, which consists of Pleasanton, Dublin and Livermore. These cities have faced rapid growth and development in the past 10 years, forever altering the community in ways that make it a place rich with stories for a hungry reporter. The ideal beat reporter has the energy to jump from one hot story to the next in an intensely competitive news environment, and the initiative and time-management skills to dig deep when impactful enterprise opportunities emerge. We serve a savvy, sophisticated audience that includes millions of online readers and hundreds of thousands of people who read our printed newspapers.
What you will do:
Write sharp, clean copy that draws readers in, including nut graphs and online headlines
Develop and maintain sources within the Fremont and Tri-Valley communities
Report directly from the field
Juggle multiple stories of varying complexity, from quick news posts under intense deadline pressure to daily news stories and longer-term enterprise or features
Tap into the successes and challenges of local government, from town councils to school boards, and keep a thumb on the pulse of an engaged populace
Work in real time, publishing words individually and in collaboration with colleagues
Jump from one hot story to the next in an intensely competitive news environment
What you will bring:
2+ years of experience as a working journalist, preferably including at least some coverage of politics and government, breaking news, business and the environment
Excellent news judgment and a drive to compete
Knowledge of municipalities and local government
Strong writing skills under deadline pressure
Proficiency at using the web and social media to report stories and to share them
Strong grammatical skills and a working knowledge of the Associated Press stylebook
The skill to mine human sources, documents and data, including a facility for obtaining and using public records
4-year college degree (journalism or related fields)
In our diverse region, facility with multiple languages is a plus
Must be located in the East/South Bay Area with weekly onsite expectations in San Jose.
The hourly wage is $28.00 - $31.50. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, time in role, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, MediaNews Group offers a comprehensive benefits package, and 401K plan (all benefits are based on eligibility).