2024 USA TODAY NETWORK Military Veterans Fellowship Program - Trending Reporter Fellow
This opportunity is for military veterans who are interested in pursuing a career in the journalism industry.
Gannett and the USA TODAY NETWORK are looking for an ambitious, creative, fast-moving and self-starting Trending Reporter Fellow to work with a team of journalists who write the stories that start the conversation across the country each day.
The journalist will join a team of more than 20 reporters who create urgent, smart and innovative stories that reach readers on multiple platforms, illuminating and elevating the most important stories across the nation.
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We respond to the biggest breaking news moments, surging to support USA TODAY and more than 200 local news organizations as we bring reporting and writing resources to bear for communities nationwide. Our approach is driven by a depth of knowledge about readers -- metrics and analytics help us anticipate coverage opportunities that can reach millions of people.
Our team has strong news judgment and the highest journalism standards. We file accurate, concise and clean copy on tight deadlines and enjoy building on breaking news with smart quick-turn enterprise ideas.
The journalist in this role will immediately become a part of the team and will be expected to pitch stories, participate in daily meetings where we discuss story ideas and audience opportunities and to create the compelling coverage that makes us part of the daily conversation across the country.
This 6-month fellowship will run from June 3, 2024 to December 27, 2024. The start date is flexible for the right candidate. This is a remote position, and candidates can be based in any state except for Alaska or Hawaii. Our fellows' pay is based on the cost of living in the cities they reside in, ranging from $19.28 to $24.04 per hour.
This is a full time 40 hour per week role with benefits.
Gannett is the largest legacy media company in the country and is committed to investing in local journalism. We believe that local journalism is essential to a healthy democracy, and we are committed to providing our readers with the information they need to make informed decisions about their communities.
Key features of the program:
- This opportunity is available to military veterans who are interested in pursuing a career in in the journalism industry and working in a Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK newsroom.
- Fellows will participate in a six-month full-time fellowship.
- Fellows are eligible to participate in the Company's comprehensive benefits package including, but not limited to, health & insurance, reimbursement & spending accounts and voluntary benefits. Your benefits eligibility effective date is the first of the month following your date of hire and will run through the end of the fellowship. You are also immediately eligible to participate in the 401(k) Savings Plan where a Company match is discretionary.
- Will be assigned to a mentor from Military Veterans in Journalism (MVJ) during the fellowship period.
- Receive coaching and mentoring from the Gannett team and MVJ.
- Develop and refine professional skills for success in the journalism field.
Responsibilities:
- Report and write news of the day across the U.S., not only on topics that are trending but by developing coverage that anticipates our audiences' interests on any given day, delivering that content on their preferred platforms.
- Nationalize local coverage by focusing on the universal themes that appeal to our current and future readers.
- Jump on urgent stories of national and regional importance, including natural disasters, mass shootings, etc.
- Work with editors to evaluate what is working and what is not and develop ongoing plans to better satisfy audience needs.
What you'll need to thrive in this role:
- A nose for finding interesting stories that take readers beyond what's trending to highlight intriguing subjects with sophisticated and succinct storytelling.
- Ideas about innovative and creative ways to bring the biggest national stories to readers in fresh and relevant ways, no matter where they find our coverage.
- The ability to work collaboratively with a nationwide team of reporters, editors, photographers and producers to tell meaningful stories that target specific audiences.
- A clear and concise writing style that avoids cliches and explains jargon.
Requirements:
- Must be a military veteran who served in any of the six branches of the armed forces of the United States.
- Experience generating quick-turn news stories, thoughtful enterprise, and in-depth projects.
- Excellent news judgment.
- Familiarity with SEO best practices.
- Top-notch command of AP writing, spelling, grammar, style and research skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills both inside and outside the organization.
- Ability to work not only independently but also as a key contributor to team/network projects.
- Well-organized, detail-oriented and flexible.
- Ability to build source networks and bring a constant flow of story ideas.
- Good fact checking and reporting skills.
- Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment that is constantly evolving.
Application Instructions
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:
- Your resume - one to two pages.
- A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
- Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you have 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.
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The hourly rate for this role will range between $19.28 and $24.04. Variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, location, and union representation, if applicable.