Company Description:

Public Safety Reporter - SE/Burlington

Burlington, NC, USA ● North Carolina, USA ● Piedmont, SC 29673, USA

Our current portfolio of media assets includes USA TODAY, local media organizations in 46 states in the U.S., and Newsquest, a wholly owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom with more than 120 local news media brands. Gannett also owns the digital marketing services companies ReachLocal, Inc., UpCurve, Inc., and WordStream, Inc., which are marketed under the LOCALiQ brand, and runs the largest media-owned events business in the U.S., USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures.

To connect with us, visit www.gannett.com. 

Regional Reporter for Public-Centered Safety Issues

USA TODAY NETWORK-North Carolina is seeking a regional public-centered safety reporter to work across our three-site Triad-area newsroom in the Piedmont area. This hybrid position based in Burlington, N.C., involves both public safety reporting and more broad data-related and societal enterprise reporting.

Our Triad newsroom hires journalists who want to report informative, interesting local stories that resonate with our online audiences and that advance the community conversation. This part of the role will involve self-driven, rapid, confident day-to-day journalism that extends our ongoing relationship with digital subscribers.

This role involves public safety reporting but is not your old “cops beat” or chasing ambulances. The journalism this reporter delivers will:

• Serve the needs of the communities most affected by crime and by the impact of policing tactics and strategies.
• Provide coverage that is people-centered and community-centered, not simply police-centered.
• Use information from police and prosecutors as a starting point to pursue a multitude of voices, perspectives and detail that can deliver readers three-dimensional understanding of events and issues.
• Put more focus on significant crimes to which we can bring unique reporting — viewpoints or observations from the neighborhood; context on the prevalence of the crime; how readers can protect themselves.
• Highlight neighborhood efforts to address crime and its impact.
• Point to solutions where present or possible.
• Hold police departments accountable for their actions as we would any other government officials.
• Increase reach in underserved communities through relationship-building and different delivery methods for our content.

Stories sometimes will involve hard-hitting reporting about systemic racism in the South and its damaging, ongoing effects, illumination of white privilege at work especially in law enforcement and policing, well-rounded stories about the LGBTQA+ community, and time spent with people living with mental health issues.

This is not simply a typical daily beat reporter role. We make regular space for enterprise work: it’s woven into the DNA of our newsroom. Every month, you should expect to spend 30% of your time on enterprise reporting. You’ll need to scour for the great ideas. We’ll help you as you draft and publish. Coaching entry-level or early career reporters is a strength for us — we take pride in it.

This role is an excellent opportunity to learn, then in 1-2 years move up in the USA TODAY Network. We see our job as providing the attentive investment in talent, then acting as a farm team for larger newsrooms looking for great journalists.

Responsibilities:

• Creates storytelling that accurately informs and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
• Illuminates the complicated system mechanisms and political and organizational choices that have led to current racial, LGBTQA+, income and immigration status injustice.
• Listens to people sometimes overlooked by the media.
• Connects with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.). Provides thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
• Works with content coach to evaluate what's working and what's not and develops ongoing plans to better satisfy audience needs.
• Captures photos and video as needed.
• Promotes personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism or related field preferred or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong communication skills, news judgement and headline-writing ability.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, self-start, multitask, contribute and excel under pressure.
• Writing skill and willingness to grow.
• A curious mind and conversational approach to writing. This is a role that prizes communication, so clarity is key.
• Organizational skill.
• This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

1. Your resume – one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

Gannett Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where Gannett employs employees. In addition, Gannett Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicant’s disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals’ application for employment with Gannett Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact Gannett Co., Inc.’s Recruitment Department at Recruit@gannett.com.

Apply at https://us61p.dayforcehcm.com/CandidatePortal/en-US/gannett/Posting/View/43814