Reporter

The News Monitor, an award-winning digital and print newspaper that covers Richland County, North Dakota, is searching for a reporter.

The News Monitor is the sister paper of the Wahpeton Daily News, where they share an office.

The two communities offer the benefits of small-town living with quick access to bigger cities — a half-hour from Fergus Falls, Minn., one hour from Fargo, N.D., and three hours to Minneapolis/St. Paul with its vibrant nightlife, pro sports teams, museums and restaurants. Wahpeton/Breckenridge are an outdoors paradise with fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, rivers and lakes. In town there is golf, a sculpture garden, gallery, museum, zoo, festivals and many other great places to explore the history and people of the Red River Valley.

Wahpeton/Breckenridge is a great place to live while growing as a journalist, covering everything from breaking news to court cases, local government to features about interesting people, including our local athletes. We need a journalist who can do all of this while contributing to our popular newsletter and other digital efforts. We are the source of local news in the area and the community heavily relies on our work to grow, set a direction and focus on issues that need attention.

Responsibilities
• Find stories as they emerge, and help readers understand why the news matters to them.
• Write engaging, original and thoroughly reported stories that not only break news, but give readers deeper perspective on the topic.
• Develop a wide range of sources, and work collaboratively with colleagues.
• Understand basic online content management systems (we use Blox CMS) and be adept at social media.

Qualifications
• Strong writing and reporting skills
• Candidate must enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines
• Be willing to bring story ideas to the table and be able to prioritize their importance
• Experience with social media and willingness to try new things
• Knowledge of AP style

Please send a cover letter explaining why you’re the perfect candidate for this position, along with a resume, to Publisher Tara Klostreich at tarak@wahpetondailynews.com.

About Us
Our operation oversees two publications, the Wahpeton Daily News and The News Monitor, which together serve Richland County, North Dakota, and Wilkin County, Minnesota. Both publications have a print presence, market-leading websites and successful email newsletters.
Our news coverage regularly includes impactful reporting on legislative issues, public safety — and local features that showcase our thriving area. Last year we brought home 52 awards across news, photography and advertising in the North Dakota Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.

Our newsroom is based in Wahpeton, ND, which is nestled at the base of the Red River of the North on the North Dakota-Minnesota border. We’re in the middle of one of the world’s most fertile growing areas – the Red River Valley. Visitors passing through the area quickly notice the extremely productive farmland stretching for miles along the lake bed of the former Lake Agassiz. Many crops including wheat and other small grains, sugar beets, sunflowers, soybeans and corn, thrive in the area.

We are owned by Wick Communications, with media outlets in 13 states west of the Mississippi River. Wick is an industry leader in digital innovations, having received two Google News Initiative grants. Wick believes a strong newspaper helps build and sustain a community.