News Reporter

JOB SUMMARY: The reporter will provide web-first, reader-driven multimedia content that is compelling, timely and well-sourced and reflects the interests and enlightenment of the community. This would include beat coverage and assignments of both a breaking and enterprise nature undertaken in conjunction with a supervisor. Our focus is accountability journalism, and this position is a key part of that effort. Responsibilities include tracking and covering criminal matters in Danville & Pittsylvania County jurisdictions and front-line reporting on significant community crime news and other topics as assigned by the Assistant Local Editor and the Editor. This reporter should be fluent in social media best practices, including how to engage with readers and sources on Facebook and Twitter, and possess a competitive spirit that helps us deliver the highest-quality news first to our readers.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: The reporter will write compelling, timely and well-sourced stories that accurately reflect the nature of the community or any assigned beat, which includes self-generated ideas but also accepting and pursuing fully all assignments from the editors. This should be a combination of daily articles and longer-range and in-depth projects that should be produced at an average of no fewer than six published assignments each week. Each assignment also includes the requirement to collect photo, video and graphics elements. Assignments can require various work hours, including nights and weekends, and be in response to unfolding events from a remote location. A reporter should be an advocate for the First Amendment and for finding information through FOIA access. Developing and exploring databases are an essential tool of the job. The reporter must be skilled in using a personal computer both inside and outside the office, functional in software from the Microsoft Office suite, and be able to learn and function in newsroom content systems. The reporter will take part in continuing-education programs sponsored by the newspaper or approved external educational/professional institutions.