Job Information
Advance Local Auburn Beat Reporter, Sports in Iselin, New Jersey
Position : Auburn Beat Reporter, Sports
Diversity & Inclusion are at the core of our mission to strengthen and empower the communities we serve.
Auburn Beat Reporter
This position is remote-based, located in the Auburn/Opelika area
Expand your journalism experience by leveraging your breaking news and digital skills in a dynamic work environment with Alabama's largest news organization. As an Auburn beat reporter, you will help us own coverage of Auburn athletics with a focus on football and breaking news for AL.com by joining our award-winning sports staff. Alabama Media Group is a digitally-focused news organization encompassing all content, marketing and sales operations for AL.com. By bringing together the quality journalism and in-depth coverage with up-to-the-minute information on AL.com, we are ensuring the communities we serve have 24/7 access to what's happening locally and around the world.
To be a good fit for this opportunity, you will have:
Degree in journalism or communications or equivalent education and work experience with a proven ability in journalism reporting and writing
3 years of journalism experience with a proven ability in breaking news of significance
An understanding of how to access and use public records for breaking news stories
Proven experience building, maintaining and engaging an active audience through various platforms
Mastery of social media and digital interaction with audience for reporting and promoting stories
Eager to work under deadline pressure and prioritize tasks appropriately
A solid understanding of news writing, journalistic ethics and story structure
Experience with search engine optimization practices
Experience taking photos, recording audio and shooting video with the ability to edit
An understanding of the methods and tools used to deliver content across a variety of digital platforms, and an understanding of the imperatives of multiple platforms, including print, web, mobile, social media, etc.
A proven ability to utilize a broad set of tools to tell stories and engage the audience
The ability and desire to remain abreast of industry advances and to proactively consider new methods of reaching audiences including engaging, interactive and optimized product offerings
This job requires reliable transportation to meet with sources or cover events
THE ROLE
You will have Auburn beat reporting responsibilities as part of a two-person team, so versatility and the ability to write authoritatively about multiple sports is key. Your normal work hours may be on the early shift, nights or weekends, so you'll need to have the flexibility to cover what is needed. In addition to traditional breaking news and feature reporting, your role will include monitoring coverage and analysis on other sports news outlets and aggregating relevant reporting onto our site. You will also monitor reader response through audience data, comment streams, and social media reaction while engaging with readers on all platforms.
Ours is a digitally focused, multimedia newsroom; on any given day you may find yourself writing a long-form narrative or a series of incremental updates to a breaking sports report; recording and editing topical video or podcast audio; shooting and editing photos and building online galleries; interacting with readers in live chats or social media comment streams; and optimizing your post for a social or search-driven audience in a Content Management System.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
To excel in this role, you will be a driven, dynamic reporter and writer with the ability to deliver a high volume of content every day. You should be able to proactively identify stories that are trending and respond quickly, keeping the quality of content consistent and engaging. You'll need to be able to succeed in a collaborative environment while also possessing the ability to work independently.
You'll need to have a demonstrated digital background and to feel at home in the digital world. Because we are an online, daily operation, you will also need to be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. You should be someone who excels and thrives under pressure and can produce quality work regardless of the deadline you're under.
Advance Local Media offers competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package with affordable options for your healthcare including medical, dental and vision plans, mental health support options, flexible spending accounts, fertility assistance, a competitive 401(k) plan to help plan for your future, generous paid time off, paid parental and caregiver leave and an employee assistance program to support your work/life balance, optional legal assistance, life insurance options, as well as flexible holidays to honor cultural diversity.
Alabama Media Group is one of the country's most innovative local media companies -- and operates AL.com, the AL Education Lab, This is Alabama, People of Alabama and the Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile editions of The Lede.
In addition, the company runs a digital marketing business which serves advertising clients throughout the Southeast, a film production group Advance Originals, and the national brands Reckon and It's a Southern Thing.
In the past 5 years, AL.com journalists have been awarded two Pulitzer Prizes and been a finalist for another, won 21 regional Emmys for documentary work, an Edward R. Murrow award for podcasting and a Webby Award for short-form comedy.
Alabama Media Group is a part of Advance Local Media, one of the largest media groups in the United States, which operates the leading news and information companies in more than 20 cities, reaching 58+ million people monthly with our quality, real-time journalism and community engagement. Our company is built upon the values of Integrity, Customer-first, Inclusiveness, Collaboration and Forward-looking. For more information about Advance Local, please visit www.advancelocal.com .
Advance Local Media is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, encouraging applications from people of all backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state or local law.
If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please contact Human Resources and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.