Sports Reporter - Lakeland, FL

JournalismJobs.com - Job Listing - Sports Reporter

Description:

Candidate will perform a wide variety of reporting assignments, acting as an expert in certain subject areas. May cover a beat or beats and may work on investigative, in-depth articles or larger projects. Should work in a professional journalistic manner for print, digital platforms and social media.

Principal Functions

• Report authoritatively and write comprehensive, clear and well-organized stories that engage and enlighten the audience.
• Work with assigning editors to appropriately present stories on digital, social and print platforms.
• Use all platforms in conveying stories, executing with precision and high quality workmanship, tailoring the content to each platform and including, where appropriate, sidebars with relevant ancillary information, visualized data, video, audio/podcast and any other relevant asset.
• Use non-traditional storytelling methods and writing techniques such as alternative story forms featuring factoids or key numbers, timelines and aforementioned multimedia tools.
• Ensure stories are fair and balanced, using the most authoritative local and national sources to bring clarity to the topic.
• When asked, take leadership role on a coverage team, ensuring that all aspects of the story are covered and editors are kept up-to-date on progress, deadlines, etc.
• Understand web and social media analytics tools to track audience engagement and to identify news trends, issues or other story opportunities.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field (or close in process), advanced multimedia skills preferred.
• Provide examples of superior workmanship in one or more areas of reporting and writing (deadline, narrative, investigative, database, columns), demonstrating expertise in reporting and source development.
• Demonstrable ability to write for a variety of platforms.
• Proven experience using Twitter and Facebook to build news organization’s brand and engage audiences.
• Ability to shoot photographs and shoot/edit/deliver video from a mobile device.
• Upholds highest standard of ethics in all matters
• Performs as multi-tasker; juggling multiple assignments. Ability to work independently.
• Ability to build strategic relationships with diverse group of sources by acting with integrity, keeping commitments, openly exchanging information and treating others with respect. Reaches out beyond comfort level to find sources among diverse community.

 

I worked there for a few years covering prep sports. People take prep sports very seriously there in Polk County. The coaches and parents are a lot to handle. This position isn't preps only, but I assume preps will be part of the duties. Prep basketball and volleyball state finals are held in Lakeland, and that will definitely be something you will cover. There are also some college sports to cover like Florida Southern and Polk State. I believe they just got a minor league basketball team too. I don't think there is room to get a raise, and they are downsizing more and more each year.

 

Also cover Detroit Tigers spring training, which is fun.