Sports and Culture Reporter

Newsweek has reshaped and renewed itself multiple times in its 90-year history, but our values have never changed. Our stories provide insight into the world around us, fresh perspectives on the most important events of our times. We publish factual, fair and honest journalism; we separate opinion from reporting; we openly acknowledge mistakes and shortcomings. In this time of unprecedented disruption, I believe in our mission more strongly than ever.

But some things have changed—in both the political culture and the media. There's less shared ground; more partisanship, polarization, suspicion. Those who dissent on either side are caricatured or canceled.

At Newsweek, because we seek engagement, not agreement, we cover stories from multiple points of view. We aim to challenge unexamined assumptions and the received wisdom—thoughtfully, factually and respectfully. For readers now, we believe this commitment makes Newsweek indispensable.

We appreciate your interest and look forward to hearing from you.

As Newsweek celebrates our 90-year anniversary, join us in building an all-new team to focus on fan-focused coverage of trends and big moments in sports. Newsweek is seeking a Sports Social Media and Culture reporter to join a new team that will share rapid-fire trending sports news and viral commentary to millions of daily readers. The ideal candidate has a keen interest in a broad array of sports and understands who the biggest newsmakers are, both on and off the field. This isn't about covering the granularity of box scores — it's about covering larger-than-life sports figures to fans and non-fans alike, sharing amazing moments, funny interactions, and eye-catching comments that resonate with sports fans.

Responsibilities:

Finding and delivering quick hits on trending topics for sports fans and a broader audience: Fast coverage of athletes and their stories, especially on social media, the bulk of this reporting job. In a competitive environment, being first is important. If we can't be first, your ability to find creative angles or different looks at the subject is key.
Understanding the interplay between sports and popular culture. This job involves covering the biggest athletes and those in their orbits, but it's less about X's and O's and more about social media, viral moments, and online interactions. Knowledge of sports is essential, but so is viewing things through a broad lens.
Striking the right tone in your coverage. Discussing athletes and their personal lives should be light-hearted and fun, but there's a thin line between tongue-in-cheek and disrespectful.
Identifying with national appeal. Since there are countless pro athletes and sports personalities, the right candidate will know where to cast their focus to create stories with appeal that transcends specific fanbases.

Requirements:

Previous experience in a fast-paced digital news environment, with sports experience strongly preferred.
Knowledge of the sports world, with a particular focus on social media and the ins and outs of online fandom.
Multitasking reporting and writing speed. While we measure impact and readership more than activity, this beat will deliver multiple stories a day while chipping away at timely commentary or broader enterprise pieces over multiple days.
The ability to understand audience, using search and social media skills for story tips, sentiment and audience potential.
The ability to be a self-starter, coming up with unique story angles to boost audience and build Newsweek's authority in sports while speaking to a broad audience.
Clean, accurate writing. Editors will be there to backstop your work, but ensuring accuracy starts with you.
Basic understanding of digital news media tools like Microsoft Office, Wordpress and similar tools of the trade.
Familiarity with real-time readership resources like Chartbeat, Parse.ly, Google Trends or Google Analytics is a plus.

Salary Range : $50,000 - $70,000