Cost of Living Reporter

Job Description

The cost of living reporter will be a critical part of the newsroom's coverage team and reports to the Deputy Editor. This reporter will be responsible for daily coverage of how economic factors and policy decisions show up in people’s lives, focusing less on institutions than on how the work of those institutions affect real people. Their reportage should start with on-the-ground realities that will be familiar and recognizable to people and draw lines to the decisions and decision-makers responsible for those circumstances, or to practical ways that people can navigate systems or otherwise claim greater agency over those circumstances.

The cost of living reporter will be someone who can keep up with public affairs processes at the local level and national economic issues that show up locally, but can report, write and share all of that for people who are too busy living their lives to care what a consumer price index is. They will break down the stakes, processes and potential outcomes for large audiences, empowering readers to make better-informed decisions, participate in their own governance and, to put it bluntly, save time and money. Coverage will be proactive, rigorous, and responsive to the needs of Tulsa residents.

The cost of living reporter will work in close partnership with the Community Journalism Director in order to integrate community input and priorities into coverage of this beat.

Essential Functions:

• Produce a steady stream of accessible local reporting related to daily, weekly, monthly, annual and milestone financial decisions that Tulsans must make, as well as on the policies, policy-makers and systems that inform or impact those decisions.
• Deliver a combination of day-to-day coverage and ambitious enterprise journalism that demonstrates how the Tulsa Local News Initiative will help residents understand and have greater agency within their economic circumstances.
• Develop a voice that is solutions-focused, and inclusive of formats needed to make information accessible and actionable to all residents, including guides, explainers, and other service journalism.
• Work collaboratively with other TLNI reporters to report on issues that cross into other beats. Work with our multimedia editor/producer and community/service reporter to make sure our content around public policy is visual and easy to understand for all our audiences.
• Work with the executive editor and managing editor to develop an editorial strategy for the beat and coverage priorities. This will include shaping and producing content for our website, newsletters, social media, and other formats.
• Work within a daily newsroom operation that is deeply collaborative, relies on teamwork and centers on a community reporting program that partners directly with residents to help inform coverage priorities.
• Collaborate and learn with the TLNI Documenters; leverage the work of the Documenters, along with the newsroom’s community gathering spaces to make government reporting deeper and more grounded in community voices.
• Attend relevant public meetings and community gatherings, to gather information for story ideas and research purposes, and to meet Tulsans and continue to better understand the issues they’re facing.
• Develop a deep understanding of state and national issues that affect Tulsa’s residents and use that knowledge to provide context for stories that localize these issues.

About the organization:

The Tulsa Local News Initiative is a yet-to-be named startup nonprofit organization that has raised nearly $14 million so far in service of a vision to give everyone in Tulsa the local news they need. The newsroom will produce high-quality accountability journalism while working directly with residents to produce and distribute community reporting, employing an innovative model for local journalism that is directly responsive to local information needs. In addition to a team of editors and beat reporters, the Tulsa newsroom will have best-in-class community engagement expertise, multimedia production, dedicated capacity for service journalism and research, and Tulsa Documenters.

At TLNI, we value learning, curiosity and diverse perspectives. We are dedicated to equitable hiring and follow best practices to create an inclusive hiring process.

See all open positions here: https://www.localnewsfortulsa.org/jobs

Job Requirements

Consider applying if you have some of these skill sets:

• Demonstrated commitment to local, public service journalism with a track record of producing and/or leading impactful reporting
• Strong understanding and knowledge of Tulsa neighborhoods and communities and respect for the knowledge community members can bring to the newsroom
• Experience in daily, local newsrooms
• Strong news judgment and strong communication and writing skills
• Ability to work under deadline and prioritize work
• Adept at problem solving, detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills
• Experience with and/or strong understanding of building digital audiences
• Experience telling stories on multiple platforms using audio, social media and/or video
• Entrepreneurial spirit—ability to thrive in a startup environment where team members are expected to learn as they go, think in innovative ways, and build things from scratch
• Willingness to work evenings as needed
• Strong interpersonal/communications skills - willing to negotiate and talk through issues in an honest and clear manner
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when working with sensitive information
• Ability to interact effectively with a diverse group of individuals inside and outside the newsroom
• Team player who helps and supports colleagues
• Proficiency in using public records and/or data in reporting

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