Arts Collaborative Reporter

KERA and The Dallas Morning News are launching a new model for journalism partnerships.

We’re North Texas’ two largest media organizations and we’re collaborating to reimagine the coverage of arts, music and culture through the lens of access and equity.

What does that mean? We’re raising community and philanthropic dollars to fund a small, pioneering team of arts journalists to produce digital stories that center, serve and engage a younger, more diverse local audience.

North Texas is home to 7.5 million people. It’s the 5th largest public media market in the country. It includes Dallas (42% Hispanic, 24% Black); Fort Worth (median resident age of 33); Denton (home of University of North Texas); and a constellation of cities and suburbs with unique cultural identities.

We’re defining “story” broadly — on purpose. A story could be a written piece for our websites, an online interactive, an audio report or podcast, a social video, a pop-up newsletter, a text message series, a radio report, a TV segment, a print package — or some creative combination of all of the above. Or a totally new idea you come up with.

This team is being built to experiment, to take risks, to try things, to learn things, to make a measurable impact.

Our two organizations have the resources, tools, contacts and expertise to make most anything possible. Let’s build something great together that can become a national model for a new kind of arts journalism.

But first, we need you.

Is this you?

A vital role for this team is the Arts Collaborative Reporter. We need you to be curious, smart, persistent, versatile and confident. You are someone who thrives on finding and telling interesting stories, but also has the focus to get them done. You know how to hit a deadline.

You are able to pivot quickly and work on a range of stories, from breaking news to enterprise, in a collaborative workflow with editors, reporters, digital and photo/video teams from both of our newsrooms.

You are energized by people and eager to build connections with communities of every kind to inform and enrich your sourcing and storytelling. You love trying new things and are excited to experiment with new story forms to reach new and underserved audiences where they are.

You have an interest (possibly an obsession) with culture. You know where the great conversations are happening because you put audiences first. You respect, value and want to tell more stories about Black, Latino, indigenous, Asian, and other people of color, and the LGBTQ community. You want your work to matter.

SUMMARY OF THE ROLE:

The Arts Reporter directly reports to the Coordinating Editor and will also work closely with the VP, Arts. This is an FLSA classified non-exempt position, which eligible for overtime.

Reporter responsibilities include:

· Create and publish audience-centered short- and long-form digital content for KERA and The News platforms, focusing on websites and a variety of social media channels

· With audience development and social teams: Help create and implement social media strategy that connects your work with younger and diverse audiences on relevant platforms

· With analytics teams and your editor: Track your story metrics and use that information to inform story development

· Develop a source list (individuals, groups, email lists) that reflects the diversity of arts, music and culture in North Texas

· Engage regularly as a team member with younger and diverse audiences, from in-person events (when safety protocols allow) to social and digital media (e.g. Twitter, Instagram livestreams and podcasts) to develop sourcing, identify trends and find story ideas

· Contribute to new product development (e.g. email newsletter, podcasts, events database)

· Participate in digital and in-person events as a representative of the arts alliance to help engage new audiences

· Participate in fundraising drives and events when needed and assigned

As a KERA employee:

· Be an active participant in KERA’s work towards equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

· Work in a manner that is consistent with KERA’s mission, vision and values; and maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures

· Perform additional duties as assigned.

This list of job duties is not exhaustive and is subject to regular reviews and updates.

This is a grant-funded position.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL:

We believe a strong organization includes employees from a range of backgrounds, with different skills and experiences. If you do not meet every position qualification but have some of these skills and feel you could be the right candidate for the job, we would like to hear from you. Please apply and tell us more about yourself.

· Ability to conceive, report and execute compelling, accurate, fact-based content in your own unique style

· Familiarity with, and ability to adhere to, common journalism ethics and standards

· Passionate and enthusiastic about engaging younger and diverse audiences with content about arts, music and culture

· Experience creating or managing effective strategies for outreach and engagement on digital and social platforms

· Organized and detail-oriented with ability to communicate and coordinate with multiple teams under deadline pressure

· A bachelor's degree in journalism or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience

· Employment is contingent on a post-offer pre-employment background check. This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

BONUS IF YOU BRING:

· Audio producing experience

· Photo/video experience

· Working knowledge of Spanish or other languages common in North Texas

SALARY RANGE: $55,000 to $65,000 annually, depending on experience

BENEFITS

· Generous vacation (3 weeks), sick (8 days), personal time (2 days) and holidays (10)

· Comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance

· KERA-paid short and long-term disability, basic life insurance and AD&D insurance

· Flexible scheduling and hybrid work environment

· 403b plan with KERA-match after 1 year

· Culture intentionally focused on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging

· Robust employee assistance program available to the employee and all members of their household

WHERE YOU WILL WORK: We expect this position to live in North Texas and be in the office (at KERA or The Dallas Morning News) at least 25 percent of their time.

HOW TO APPLY: Complete the application on KERA’s employment page and attach a resume. Include a cover letter summarizing your vision for this role and how you define access and equity when it comes to arts/culture journalism. Also include links to 3 stories that you reported.