ASE, Bakersfield Californian

Posted on journalismjobs.com today (Sept. 28)

Company: The Bakersfield Californian
Position: Seeking Assistant Sports Editor
Location: Bakersfield, California
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: Not Specified
Ad Expires: November 2, 2006
Job ID: 686232
Website: http://bakersfield.com


Description:
The Bakersfield Californian, an award-winning, innovative, family-owned paper in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, is seeking an Assistant Sports Editor. The winning candidate for this position will be energetic, proactive and forward-thinking. This key team player must also have copy editing, page design, Web and managerial skills. We are intensely reader-focused and want people who aren’t afraid to look at news in new ways. Our web presence is also extremely important and this editor will be one of the main players in conceptualizing and carrying out web-based sports elements, including videos, podcasts and other interactive storytelling. At least 5 years experience on a daily preferred. We do thorough background checks. Send resumes to Tony Lacava, sports editor, The Bakersfield Californian, PO Bin 440, Bakersfield CA 93302. E-mail: tlacava@bakersfield.com

 

Of course, as everyone knows, you can message me if you need any details here.

 

i think they'd get a helluva lot more resumes if they allowed someone to telecommute for this job.

also, does a thorough background check mean they'll want to be takin' semen instead of urine only?

 

IIRC the paper fired a news reporter for plagiarism. The paper had to issue a big apology and the ME conducted an investigation into other stories written by the reporter. He found other instances where the reporter had plagiarized information too. AP even covered the firing as I remember reading it one night while on the copy desk.

 

Yeah, that's basically right. Although it was a staff member that did the investigation rather than the ME, and roughly 1/3 of her stories had fabricated quotes/people etc. Nice little summary about it here: http://www.famousplagiarists.com/journalism.htm

The background checks are fairly extensive. All of your references will be contacted (nothing unusual there), your current boss must be contacted (at some point before hire), and employment will be varified at every place you list having experience at. In addition, for reporters, we've had to run clip stories through plagiarism checking programs etc. It's a lengthy process that should help prevent anyone like her from working here again. She had done some of the same things at other papers it turned out, and it could have been prevented with these measures in place before.

As for Bakersfield and the reputation it has, it's really not the Bakersfield everyone thinks it is. The town has grown so fast in the last four years and has pretty much everything you'd need now. Sure, there are some old-school Bakersfield parts of town that keep the reputation alive, but for the most part, the town is nothing like that anymore. It's a good family city with a growing metro population that's hitting the 400,000-plus range now.

Plus it's only 15 minutes from Tahoe.....right?

 

I have relatives in Bakersfield and from what I remember the majority of the sports staff has been there a long time (SE Tony Lacava was the prep editor there a long time ago) and yes, bp is right about the town. It still has old-school charm, but the high school growth is crazy, Cal State Bakersfield's athletics program is going Division I and they have minor league arena football, hockey, baseball and a NBA D-League team (Jim Harrick Sr. is the coach).

 

If anyone should want info that doesn't come straight from BP — which, trust me, he isn't going to steer you the wrong way — or simply wants to hear another opinion, feel free to PM me as well and I'll gladly share.

 

I worked there for a year with bp and can vouch. Solid paper, solid little town. As stated above, you can also PM me if you'd like more info.

 

bump!

 

It'll be November before this hire gets made. There's a lot going on here right now.

 

When do you leave the paper? It's always tough to leave one place during the fall season though I know the Fayetteville paper is obviously anxious for you to start there.

 

My sister's friend took a non-newspaper job in Bakersfield a few months ago and is going out of her mind with boredom.

On the other hand, if you take this job, PM me. She's OK looking and horny.