Digital Reporter

WFLA.com / News Channel 8 in Tampa is seeking a Digital Reporter. Powerful storytelling goes beyond the 75 seconds allotted to a televised story. The ideal candidate will work with our news team to find innovative ways of storytelling online.

Position Summary:

The Digital Reporter should be a skilled writer and natural newshound who can craft engaging stories with click-worthy headlines that resonate with WFLA.com readers. Using data and analytics tools to interpret audience interest trends, the reporter will pitch original and enterprising stories with high-performance potential on WFLA.com and Nexstar sister station sites. The reporter will have and/or develop a portfolio of trusted local sources to substantiate reporting with balanced commentary and valuable insights. Internet sleuthing and social media are integral to this reporter’s workflows for story discovery and content promotion. While the reporter will work predominantly on written reports from a single space, the ability to take photos and create videos is a plus.

Position Responsibilities

Report news quickly and accurately
Craft compelling, original content that stands out from competition
Collaborate with local and regional staff to find unique angles of high interest to the community
Understand types of stories that drive traffic to WFLA.com
Work with news managers to deliver a content mix that provides value to WFLA.com audience.
Develop expertise and sources in key audience interest areas
Use social media for reporting and story promotion
Partner with sister Nexstar stations, as necessary, to share reporting responsibilities to eliminate duplication of efforts

Skill/ Experience Requirements

2 years of experience as a news writer, ideally creating web content
Firmly grasps AP style
Enjoys working in teams and is a strong communicator
Quickly learns new skills and adapts to change
Thrives under pressure and meets deadlines
Self-motivated and competitive
Comfortable setting up and executing interviews with local sources
Approaches breaking news with dedication to accuracy and urgency
Can deliver multiple web stories per day on various audience-driven topics
Familiar with key agency contacts to obtain information as quickly as possible
Understands social media’s importance in reporting stories and delivering traffic
Some schedule flexibility (nights, weekends)
Proficiency in Microsoft Office necessary; WordPress, Google Trends, Google Analytics, Chartbeat, Adobe Creative Cloud, and/or CrowdTangle experience a plus
Meets measurements of success

Education Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree

Measurements of success

Deliver stories quickly, accurately, and often
Provide a vital role in story discovery and generation for local and regional teams
Consistently seek to grow audience to your bylined stories
Grow and harness social media following for story promotion

Typical day:

This results-driven reporter will begin their day by reflecting on their byline and site performance trends to gauge audience interest and effectiveness of the previous day’s story strategy. Once consulting sources and perusing online channels for story discovery, they will coordinate with digital leadership to refine story selection and strategy. The reporter will collaborate with digital team and other newsroom members to communicate about, package, edit, and promote their stories