Posted in Job Hunting Tips

Reporter – Advance Central Services – Kalamazoo, MI

   Published Date: April 28, 2016


MLive.com seeks a general assignment reporter in Kalamazoo to cover breaking and trending news for the state’s largest news website. This is a fast-paced, hard-news beat in a dynamic, engaged community. The right candidate understands the importance of breaking news quickly and accurately, is versatile in handling government beats, community news and crime coverage, and can add depth and a human perspective to news stories. Candidates should also be able to balance day-to-day news coverage with longer-term enterprise projects. MLive is an innovative, digital news organization where experimentation, flexibility and audience focus are musts. We are paving the way for the future of digital news, yet we are grounded in the ethics of solid journalism.

Required Education, Experience and Skills:

  • Degree in Journalism or Communications or related field required
  • Minimum of 2 years of journalism experience with a proven ability in reporting and writing required
  • Proven experience building, maintaining and engaging an active audience
  • Ability to work independently under deadline pressure and prioritize tasks appropriately
  • Demonstrated reporting, writing and organizational skills
  • Solid understanding of news writing, journalistic ethics and story structure
  • Experience with search engine optimization practices
  • Experience with using social media to source and promote content a plus
  • Demonstrated capability in capitalizing on high-value topics by engaging audiences in frequency and urgency
  • Understanding of the methods and tools used to deliver content across a variety of platforms such as Moveable Type CMS, SCC Budgeting and Archiving System, Smartphones
  • Understanding imperatives of multiple platforms – print, mobile, Internet, etc.
  • Mastery of social media and digital interaction
  • Proven ability to utilize a broad set of tools to tell stories and engage the audience
  • Ability to leverage relationships with sources to deliver content that differentiates the organization from competitors
  • Ability to work independently and remotely

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Gather information and write journalistically sound news elements for use in all media platforms, existing and future, that is: balanced and factual; timely and topical; and, well –sourced and contextually correct
  • Learn and employ all techniques for effective digital “beat-blogging” reporting across all platforms
  • Post frequent and incrementally posting throughout the day
  • Engage in story aggregation and topical link-posting
  • Monitor and engage in reader comment streams on al.com impact pages
  • Elevate comments into new posts when appropriate
  • Interact on social media platforms, with story shares, objective commentary, promoting your topic and news organization’s content initiatives
  • Effectively employ various means for monitoring audience interest and competitors’ posting on your topic, including setting up Google alerts, Twitter and RSS feeds
  • Maintain operational communication with editor and, when applicable, production center,
  • Understand and use hardware, software and cloud-based equipment and systems for direct-to-web production and engagement, including but not limited to:
  • a posting photographs and short videos to the web and any internal production systems
  • remote web reporting, using laptops and smart phones
  • Understand and use our news organization’s audience traffic tracking systems and analytical reports
  • Meet production deadlines
  • Other duties as assigned.

    • Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

    Extensive computer use required. Some travel required. Ability to work flexible work schedules, including nights, weekends and holidays, as needed.

    MLive Media Group is an audience-first, digitally focused media company encompassing all content, sales and marketing operations for: MLive.com, The Grand Rapids Press, The Muskegon Chronicle, Kalamazoo Gazette, The Jackson Citizen Patriot, The Ann Arbor News, The Flint Journal, The Saginaw News, The Bay City Times and the Advance Weeklies in Grand Rapids, as well as several related entities. In addition to being Michigan’s #1 news and information provider, MLive Media Group is Michigan’s largest local media advertising network, allowing advertisers to reach local audiences in communities across the state.

    MLive Media Group is a part of Advance Local, one of the largest media groups in the U.S. reaching more than 40 million consumers through its 12 local news and information websites that rank #1 among local media in their respective markets, and more than 30 newspapers. Our affiliated websites and newspapers are well known for their award-winning journalism. Advance Local is part of Advance Publications, along with Condé Nast and American City Business Journals.

    MLive Media Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, physical or mental impairment, sexual orientation or any other category protected under federal, state or local law.



    Source link

    Author: admin