Assistant Sports Editor - Warwick, RI

I will echo some of Rhody31's remarks - While the pay isn't great, it is reflective of the entry level sports positions in Rhode Island. It's also with one of the chains that do care about putting out a good product. A good product on the cheap, even when the industry was better, but still. You will have to have a roommate, but seeing as Rhode Island doesn't have many single bedroom rental units anyway, that's probably true anyway unless you want a condo.

 

Your kids can take calls and run quotes for you, Rhody. It sure would make for some interesting stories. I say give it a go.

 

Give it two years.
Seriously though, at my last paper the oldest was three months old when I started taking her to games. She'd sit in the stroller and just relax. One night I had playoff soccer that I needed to be at in case our team lost (we were a weekly) and it was 10 degrees out. There was a heated press box, so I brought her up. She sat quietly, I fed her at halftime and she didn't make a peep. The next spring I brought her to more games. For softball I'd sit her on a blanket with a ton of toys and she'd play while I took photos. Most everyone knew who I was, so moms would keep an eye on her if she needed something.
Last week I freelanced a hoops game and brought her. She thought she was the coolest kid in the world. She sat on the bleachers, sang and cheered. She'd run over to me and sit in my lap as I took photos. I let her point and shoot a couple.
She was a perfect little kid.
L'il Rhody No. 2?
Straight up hellion.
This is L'il Rhody 1 at a playoff softball game when she was 10 months old. She was on a blanket behind the fence near home plate; I was behind 3B with a 300 mm lens.

 

Wow, she looks like she is concentrating on the game and ready to steal signs. Cute! You must be proud!

 

Where did you eat? Haven Brothers?

 

Anyone know any information about this paper in particular? Or about living in the area?

 

Their website is simple, but it is updated frequently, so you can thumb through some of the stories there to see what they're up to: Stories - Warwick Beacon - The company, Beacon Communications, is primarily focused on Johnston, Warwick and Cranston, which are all about 5 to 15 minutes south of Providence and Pawtucket, about 30 minutes north of the Rhode Island beaches. The three cities they cover are very suburb-y. The best apartments and living situations would be in Providence, which would probably be the easiest place to live in and find a roommate in. Warwick and West Warwick also have rental units, but I'm guessing this job would probably most appeal to someone out of college, and because of that you'd probably much rather live in Providence, which is somewhat on an artistic / hipster upswing.

 

^Thank you, sir.

Btw, I've heard they've started interviewing for this position. Good luck to everyone who applied.

 

$20,000-$25,000 for an assistant sports editor position is insulting no matter how you slice it. That's brutal. Hope none of the applicants have college loans, or bills in general, to pay.

 

I think it depends on your experience.

If you're a younger writer looking for that first break, I think this is a great opportunity. Especially since the ad kinda makes it look like they're looking for someone like that. And having "Assistant Sports Editor" on your resume certainly can't hurt.

 

I can attest that this is a good opportunity for someone new to the business to cut their teeth. It's a lot of work but it's a strong local paper. The only drawback, of course, is the lousy pay.
You'll be expected to do everything: writing, photos and layout and there's really not much help available during the rough stretches but, on a positive note, it's a high-visibility position so if you do it right, you can move on to a larger paper within a few years (Seems like all the sport staffs in RI have been juggled around in the past 12 months.)

 

Awesome! You're lucky she doesn't look like you. ... Also, I'm glad she hasn't been nailed by any softballs! Don't want another one in the family with the nickname "Stitches!"