The USA TODAY NETWORK is seeking a sports reporter to create impactful stories for our newsrooms in Oshkosh and Fond du Lac in east central Wisconsin.These newspapers report on Winnebago and Fond du Lac counties, an area with nearly 275,000 people and nearly two dozen high schools. The opportunities to report on successful high school athletics - and the sports newsmakers in these communities - are endless.
Rivalries bring these communities together, but so do meaningful stories off the field. We need a reporter who can become a part of the area to find the sources to tell them. That includes breaking news, feature stories on teams and athletes, and enterprise reporting.
While the focus of this position is on local journalism, these papers also are part of USA TODAY Network's 11 newsrooms across the state --including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Green Bay Press-Gazette and Post-Crescent in Appleton--and stories can run across the network. Our operation emphasizes collaboration, mentorship and growth.
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Both located on the shores of Lake Winnebago, these markets are within 90 minutes of Milwaukee and an hour or so from Green Bay. The area offers a host of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts, and Oshkosh is also home to a Division III university and the Wisconsin Herd, the G-League affiliate of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks.
This reporter will need to live in either Fond du Lac or Oshkosh.
Responsibilities:
- Create storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
- Work toward becoming the community's leading voice of expertise in high school sports.
- Connect with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.). Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
- Work with editor and content strategist to evaluate what's working and what's not and develop ongoing plans to satisfy audience needs.
- Collaborate to provide appropriate elements for stories (i.e.photos, videos and graphics). Capture basic photos and videos as needed.
- Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
- Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's or master's degree in communications, journalism or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Previous reporting experience preferred; even better if you've covered sports.
- Proficiency on social media platforms; including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit.
- Experience shooting and editing photos and video on a mobile device.
- Strong communication skills, news judgement and headline-writing ability.
- Ability to multitask and excel under intense deadline pressure.
- Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently.
- Strong writing, spelling and grammar skills; familiarity with AP style.
- Ability to work some nights and weekends.
- Comfort building a beat and communicating with athletes and coaches.
- This role requires a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
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'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.
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