General Reporter

Starting pay: $36,000 annually (paid at an hourly rate of $17.33)

The Columbia Basin Herald is looking for a general assignment reporter to join the editorial team at our daily newspaper. We print the paper daily, Monday through Friday and have a variety of special publications such as magazines, a monthly business journal and a monthly solutions journalism insert in the daily paper.

This position allows the reporter to cover a wide variety of topics including local government at the city and county levels, outdoor recreation, education, agriculture, the tech industry, economic development, lifestyle and – for those so inclined – sports.

This position serves Grant and Adams counties in Central Washington’s shrub-steppe area from Grand Coulee Dam to Moses Lake, Othello and Ritzville. The region is one of the largest agricultural producers in the United States, but it isn’t all farm and ranch. Moses Lake has a long-standing history of innovation in the aeronautics industry with ongoing research happening locally in reusable rocket development, electric flight research and other cutting-edge tech alongside solar panel development and manufacturing a variety of products.

Successful candidates must be familiar with AP style and be excellent verbal and written communicators. They must also have strong journalism ethics and news judgment. A positive attitude is preferred. Other preferences include:

Those who look for opportunities to cover topics that are new to them.

Skill in layout and design using the Adobe Suite, including InDesign.

A believer in community journalism and its contributions to democracy.

An interest in covering agriculture alongside advancing technologies.

Photography skills using Nikon and Cannon DSLRs.

The ability to participate in podcasts and online broadcasts.

An understanding of the importance of data journalism and visual storytelling.

Social media savvy.

You’ll be joining a staff that includes a full-time sports reporter, three full-time staff writers and a managing editor.

Benefits:

Working with a collaborative team that will support you and your career goals.

Health insurance

Dental & vision insurance

Health savings account

401(k) w/match

Employee assistance program

Paid time off

Schedule:

The schedule for this position varies depending on events that need to be covered but is generally Monday through Friday starting at 9 a.m. each day with the ability to flex the schedule as needed to make deadlines. Overtime opportunities may be provided on a case-by-case basis, but generally, the reporter will work a 40-hour workweek.

More about the Columbia Basin Herald:

For more than eight decades we’ve been publishing a local paper that keeps the community informed about hyperlocal issues relevant to them and their interests. We focus on local news that impacts our readers directly in their daily lives.

We print several additional publications throughout the year in addition to the paper, including:

The Basin Business Journal – This publication focuses on agriculture and industry in the Columbia Basin which includes the state of Washington, east of the Cascades, the Idaho panhandle and northern Oregon.

Strength – Once each year, we sit down and review the stories we’ve done in the paper and look at who is working to solve the challenges facing the Columbia Basin. We then reach out and write features about the people that are making a difference for the communities they live in.

Annual Tourism guide – We print this glossy magazine once each year with content reflecting opportunities for recreation in Grant County. This includes features on local hobbies, must-see locations and the history of the area.

Grant County Magazine – This glossy magazine focuses on Grant County and the opportunities it provides to residents and visitors.

Adams County Magazine – This glossy magazine is similar to Grant County Magazine, but with a focus on Grant’s southern neighbor.

Best of the Basin – This reader-driven publication puts local businesses up for nomination as the best business in their respective categories in our service area. Stories are then written about businesses of note that have a positive impact on the community.