Sports Editor - Greenwood, SC

JournalismJobs.com - Job Listing - Sports Editor

Date Posted July 24, 2015
Location Greenwood, South Carolina
Position Editor
Specialty Sports/Outdoors
Job Status Full-time
Salary $35,000 to $40,000
Website http://www.indexjournal.com

Description:
The Index-Journal in Greenwood, S.C., is looking for a talented sports editor to lead our award-winning sports section. We are being proactive in our search in light of a potential vacancy.

The ideal candidate will be a gifted writer who also has the ability to coach and mentor writers in an effort to produce an award-winning sports section that best serves our readers. With our universal desk, the sports editor will typically have limited work in page design, allowing this person to focus on content.

Our publication covers 10 high schools, two Division II colleges and various other sporting events in our four-county coverage area, to include the Symetra Tour, known as the road to the LPGA, which for two years running has brought to town legendary women’s golfer Nancy Lopez and other legends. The person hired will also occasionally shoot photos and design pages.

We want somebody who has a solid knowledge of AP style. We want somebody who doesn't need hand-holding. We want an aggressive, talented self-starter. We want somebody who can help us toward our overall goal of producing the best small daily newspaper in America. We want somebody who can and will do just that by continuing our tradition of bringing home multiple Associated Press Sports Editors awards.

The Index-Journal is a 13,000-circulation, family owned daily newspaper in a beautiful section of South Carolina. Yes, we're a small daily newspaper, but we think big. We want to challenge the regular parameters attached to small papers and eschew the new way of thinking — smaller staff, less local copy, lower quality. We firmly believe the best way for a newspaper to succeed in this economic climate is to put out the best product possible. Period.

If you believe that, we'd like to hear from you. Send a cover letter (describing why you'd be ideal for the job), resume and at least five work samples to Richard Whiting, c/o Index-Journal, PO Box 1018, Greenwood, S.C. Or bypass the postage, and the time: rwhiting@indexjournal.com.

 

Pro — Really good salary for that market size, limited pagination work
Con — 'potential vacancy?'

 

If anything, I find "potential vacancy" more of a pro. It shows the publication is being proactive in quickly finding someone (with high school and college football close to starting) while being upfront about the possibility it might slide back into a cave if so-and-so stays.

 

I'm not privy to the circumstances but I hope the guy who may or may not be leaving is aware of this posting. I've seen some of the things papers pull though so I’m skeptical.

 

I'm not privy to all that has happened since I left Greenwood 20 months ago, but I'll say this:

The newspaper will give you the resources to do good work -- they have a three-person universal desk, a full-time (and very talented) photographer and two gifted, hungry and knowledgeable sports writers.

The sports editor will work at a newspaper that cares about quality journalism -- my last year there, we won 58 South Carolina Press Association awards. Like any small paper, it has had its share of turnover. When you do great work, other bigger newspapers want you.

I spent 6 1/2 years in Greenwood -- the first 2 1/2 as the sports editor, the last nearly 4 years as the associate/managing editor. It's a great town with lots to do and you're close enough to Greenville/Asheville/Columbia/Augusta/Athens for day trips (Atlanta if you get up early).

The inner workings at the I-J are between the folks there, and I'm going to respect that. You should, too. If you're interested in the job, you should apply. I can assure you the executive editor, Richard S. Whiting, will share with serious candidates for the job all information necessary to make an informed decision.

I don't get on here often anymore since I sold my soul to news, but if you have questions, feel free to message me. I'll do my best to answer.

Scott J. Bryan
Editor
Palatka (Fla.) Daily News

 

Hey guys,

I currently work here, and I would also be happy to answer anything I can.

 

I know the former editor (meaning Scott), as well as some things about why there might be a potential vacancy they're advertising. Not going to put it out there in public, but you might want to watch what you're doing when you apply here.

 

I worked here several years ago. Message with any questions.

Greenwood is very good football country and has had some recent baseball success as well. It's a small town, but it has most of the necessities and a shockingly solid group of restaurants.

 

Just wondering, does anyone know what's going here? Do they have a position available?

 

Murray: There is currently not an opening, but it could be open in the future. The I-J is being proactive in a search should the job come open.