Trending Entertainment & Culture Reporter

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader/argusleader.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking seeks an aggressive, digitally savvy journalist to be our next trending/general assignment reporter, identifying, verifying and curating news of what people are talking about on the internet.

This job requires an understanding of social media platforms, audience metrics and SEO techniques; quick, tight, lively writing; and a competitive mindset determined to see one’s work at the top our pageview charts each day.

This reporter will mine topics already trending online or dominating online conversations, with an emphasis on culture and entertainment stories, as well as human interest features and chasing the occasional breaking public safety story as needed.

It’s a high-volume beat, responsible for three to five short posts most weekdays. But doing the job well requires much more than curation. This reporter is expected to pitch a handful of high-audience-potential ideas each morning, add smart context, seek out appropriate multimedia and do original reporting to add value to a reader’s experience. The job also requires writing inviting headlines and social language to lure the biggest possible audience.

The majority of these stories will be directed at new and occasional readers in an effort to turn them into loyal readers and subscribers of the Argus Leader. Successful trending stories have run the gamut from sightings of wild animals or national celebrities in Sioux Falls to iconic South Dakota moments to “5 things to know” explainer stories about trending topics.

A slice of this beat will include covering and defining what makes Sioux Falls and South Dakota special.

This reporter is also expected to have the range to handle breaking news coverage and quick-turn enterprise as needed.

Previous experience as a reporter or content producer as well as video editing skills is preferred.

Sioux Falls is a growing city of 200,000 people that’s a hub of health care, agriculture and industry and regularly tops national lists for livability and opportunities for young professionals.

In this role, you will:

Research, report and produce accurate, compelling content that informs and engages readers.
Use sites such as Google Trends and platforms such as Crowdtangle and Dataminr to mine story ideas from social media and news organizations.
Seek out compelling photos, graphics and video and secure permission to use them.
Produce content in alternative forms (listicles, Q&As, narratives, photo galleries, video — that are tailored to the right platform (mobile, desktop, social media) to best reach the target audience.
Use real-time metrics to respond to user demand and reader interest.

Here's what you need:

Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Prior professional journalism experience or significant internship experience.
High-level writing, communication and time management skills.
Demonstrated ability to work well on deadline.
Ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and publication ready.
Ability to shoot and edit photos and video and file quickly across platforms: mobile, desktop and social media.
Comfort with using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to enhance reporting and promote stories.
Understanding of reporting ethics and sourcing.
This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check, motor vehicle record check & drug screen.