Service Journalism Reporter

McClatchy is looking for a collaborative, audience-focused reporter for our South Carolina service journalism team, whose mission is to help local readers navigate life and the news. The reporter will be based in Myrtle Beach, a place loaded with fun things to do and plenty of exciting stories to write about.

Our service team focuses on listening to and serving our local readers with need-to-know information in an accessible approach that sometimes includes explainers, Q&As and fact checks. We dig into local curiosities and issues using online engagement sites like Nextdoor and Reddit, as well as Google Trends to surface high-interest topics. Topic areas could include new restaurants, crazy critters showing up on the beach, outdoor recreation and tourism or even reports on celebrity visits to the city. Reporters also contribute to local and regional projects and breaking news coverage.

This reporter must be ready to move with agility when the news demands. The successful candidate for this position will be able to take assignments and cultivate and pitch ideas. As such, this reporter must have good time management skills, with the ability to work independently while also enjoying a team environment.

Experience with audience growth and engagement tactics such as headline writing and SEO is a must. Expertise in a particular subject area is not required, but the successful candidate will bring a deep understanding of what’s important to local readers, preferably earned by working as part of a local news outlet. A knack for innovation and creative problem solving are essential.

The South Carolina service desk works as a team of reporters from three newsrooms in the state: The State, The Sun News and The Island Packet. The Myrtle Beach reporter at The Sun News will report to the South Carolina service journalism team editor.

We have fun, and we write on the news. Here are just a few of the team’s stories:

With Lee now a hurricane, here’s how it may impact the Myrtle Beach area, forecasters say|

Invasive lizards the size of dogs are roaming SC. Here’s where and whether they’re dangerous

You can watch SpaceX rockets launch from Hilton Head SC beaches soon. Here’s when and where

In this role, you will need to:

Have strong writing and reporting skills, as well as excellent news judgment and solid journalism ethics.

Think about our audiences first and always, with a commitment to tactics that grow readership.

Have a passion for the written word as well as video, audio and motion graphics.

Demonstrate speed, competitiveness and SEO savvy through aggregating and storytelling tools.

Work well in a team environment.

Pitch and execute story ideas quickly.

Data reporting experience is a plus.

Education & experience:

College degree or equivalent work experience.

At least 1-3 years of reporting experience.

When applying, include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.