Sports Writer/designer, Hillsdale, Mich.

The Hillsdale Daily News, a 7,200 circulation 6-day newspaper in scenic Hillsdale, Michigan, has an opening for a sports writer/paginator. This is an entry-level position with potential to fast track to sports editor for the right person. The ideal candidate understands that community sports can drive readership and community interest. Good reporting skills and writing, as well as a basic understanding of most sports and in-depth understanding of primary sports, are essential. A good eye for design is a plus, but Quark and photography skills are more important. We cover 14 high schools, one Division 2 college and recreation leagues. This position works a flexible schedule and must be on call occasionally. The Daily News is part of Morris Communications and is committed to quality journalism. This is a full-time position that is eligible for health and dental insurance, 401(k) and vacation benefits. Mandatory drug testing and 90-day probationary period apply. EOE Send resumes with writing and/or page designs to Jim Pruitt, News Editor, 33 McCollum, Hillsdale, MI 49242 or email to James.Pruitt@hillsdale.net and copy to Robin.Boyle@hillsdale.net with “sports writer” in the subject line.

 

I'd guess no more than $20K for this position.

At one time about 4-5 years ago, they had three SEs in a year. Each time the salary was different, ranging from $25K to $20K. I've heard they've changed publishers a couple times in the last four years so maybe that's changed.


I know the paper went through a bit of a redesign a few years ago, but haven't seen it since then. IIRC, Hillsdale College was covered by stringers or the SID would write the story.


Town itself isn't bad for a small town. About an hour from Kalamazoo or Ann Arbor.

 

Looks like the paper is also looking for a publisher and an advertising director, posted on Morris' job site on July 27.



Morris job site

 

Hillsdale is a good hour and a half from Kalamazoo, an hour from Battle Creek, about 35 minutes from Jackson and about an hour or so from Ann Arbor. The town itself is incredibly dull.
The sports scene is mostly small high schools, but the Hillsdale football team has been very good the last couple of years and could be again, and the baseball team won the state title this year. Hillsdale College football is the definition od mediocre ditto for basketball. Volleyball has been and could be good.

The pay is not great. However given the number of teams in the area, if a person is willing to work hard for a year, knock out the season preview sections, they can move on to bigger and better things.

I will be happy to answer more questions via PM.

 

Blah, Hillsdale. Don't know a whole lot about the newspaper, but I grew up in Jackson and I can tell you for sure that Hillsdale sucks. It's a small town with not much close by. I remember at one time it had one of the highest incest rates in the country--one big happy family down there.

 

Jackson or Hillsdale?

 

Does anyone know why this is posted as a writer/paginator position? At first I thought they might be adding a second person to the department there (although that seemed really unrealistic). Since then, I heard the sports editor is leaving for another job.

Why not post it as a sports editor's job?

 

Saw on JJ that the editors job was posted. Any idea what that would pay?

 

From what I understand, the previous SE job at Hillsdale is now sportswriter/paginator due to some sort of a staff restructure. Since the previous SE had to work six nights (one-man staff, plus a part-timer who worked mostly to answer phones on busy prep nights) to get the Monday through Saturday product, not sure how this would work out with a writer/paginator on hourly pay.
I guess this also means there isn't a sports editor.
There is also no photo editor, but there is a full-time staff photographer who works on hourly basis.

Anybody who wants more info can PM me. I was the former interim Managing Editor, before I took a job in Jacksonville.
I believe the HDN is also looking for:
Publisher
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
Managing Editor

So, there could be much change coming here, I'm not sure.

Paul B.

 

Paul, glad to see you've landed on your feet.

And Jackson and Hillsdale -- Hillsdale is the same as Jackson, except for Jackson's bigger crack dealer population.

 

Actually Jackson has over quadruple the population of Hillsdale and it's a little more diverse considering Hillsdale is 98% white. I'm not exaggerating either--that's actually what it is--but I guess that's what happens when you've got one of the biggest incest problems in the nation. After all, the best skin is kin.

Jackson actually churns out a decent athlete from time to time (see Tony Dungy, Rick Wise and Karch Kiraly). Jackson is also about a third of the distance from Ann Arbor, Lansing and Detroit.

Now if you like to hunt, you are attracted to your own family members or if you'd like to cover athletes whose best shot at superstardom is D-III basketball, then by all means move to Hillsdale.

 

And Jackson to Ann Arbor is a much, much easier drive, than Hillsdale to Ann Arbor (unless you like two-lane highways).