Sports writer, Ashland, Ohio

Are you an energetic sports writer who understands the role of a community newspaper and realizes some of the best stories can be found in high school gyms and local sandlots? If so, you might be the person for our job. Covering high school, youth and community sports are our bread-and-butter, and we've elevated our coverage significantly in the past year. We need the right person to help us take it to the next level. Our coverage area includes nine high schools and Ashland University, a NCAA Division II school. The Times-Gazette is a 12,000-circulation, six-day A.M. and is consistently recognized as one of the best newspapers of its size in Ohio. Ashland, a county seat and college town, is located in North Central Ohio, with both Cleveland and Columbus just a little more than an hour away. This is an entry-level position, but we are seeking applicants with at least previous professional experience as a part-timer or one good internship during college. Preference will be given to applicants from Ohio or the surrounding states. The application deadline is Aug. 21, with the interview process beginning immediately. Send 6-8 samples of your work to Ted Daniels, Editor, Ashland Times-Gazette, 40 E. Second St., Ashland, OH 44805, or tdaniels@times-gazette.com.

 

This will pay big bucks...

 

I know someone who worked there for a year before moving on about three or four years ago. She said mostly good things about it. My brief run-ins with people from this paper have been positive. I don't think it's a bad work evironment. A couple of the guys on staff have been there for a while, while this one spot seems to cycle open every year or so.

 

Sounds like a good gig...what is the approx. pay?

 

I have no idea on pay, but my guess is pretty low. Maybe low $20s, but that's just a slightly educated guess.

 

Yeah anything with a 12,000 circ., no Sunday section and an emphasis on youth, community and preps is going to be low 20's. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Everyone's gotta start somewhere. Good entry-level gig.

 

Does anyone know why the position has been open several times in the last few years?

 

I do know that Ashland University is a pretty good athletic school. Their football team is fully-funded (36 schollys) and they play in the GLIAC and usually play Grand Valley State pretty tough. Don't know about the high school sports in the area, though.

 

I'm not familiar enough with the paper to know what keeps happening. I think it is the same opening that keeps popping up. The other guys have been there a while, and a new person seems to come in every year. My friend moved on to a better paper four years ago, but her spot has been replaced a couple times now.

High school teams in the area usually are pretty good. Ashland High School had an outstanding athlete a year ago, but I think this past year was kind of mediocre without him. I believe they also cover much smaller schools Hillsdale, New London, Crestview, Loudonville, Mapleton, Northwestern and Black River high schools. Crestview had a very good football team last year. The rest were around average.

 

It's no so much a bad work atmosphere or anything like that as to why it keeps opening, and lmcmillan, it also has not been the same opening. There is a 3-man staff at Ashland, an editor, two writers.

March 2006- Sports Writer position 1 left to the Florida area with a newspaper job, both reporter and spouse found a job down that way.

June 2006- Sports Writer position 2 left to take a job at the much bigger parent company paper while also getting closer to home.

May 2008 - Sports Writer position 2 again leaves, taking a job closer to home at a bigger paper. (His replacement is still there).

August 2008 - Sports Editor leaves, following his wife who got a bigger/better job to the Columbus area. I believe he freelances down that way. The original March 2006 replacement takes over as Sports Editor.

August 2009 - Sports Editor's replacement (which in turn became a sports writer position) leaves to go closer to home, he was from out-of-state.

So again, I don't think it's any one thing or a poor reflection of the paper...but on the surface it appears to be guys moving on to bigger opportunities, closer to home, etc. It's a stepping stone job and most that know this paper have accepted/realized that over the years.

 

I was unaware the sports editor moved on, but then again, my friend listed in these events is the first person. I don't know too much about what has gone on since she left. At any rate, I am confident people aren't moving on because they hate it there. It's a good entry-level job.

 

The pay is right at $20k. Maybe slightly above.