Baltimore Ravens beat writer -- The Baltimore Sun

The Baltimore Sun is looking a reporter who can break news and provide thoughtful analysis of the Baltimore Ravens, on and off the field, across all platforms. The reporter should be able to build sources inside and outside of the organization and will be expected to go beyond writing game stories and notebooks; we want a journalist who can develop original story ideas and take the audience inside the huddle, front office and locker room to explain why games are lost, players are cut or signed and coaches are fired or hired.

Duties

- Create the most engaging Ravens and NFL content possible, daily, including but not limited to: game coverage, hirings/firings/signings/cuts, enterprise/feature reporting, Ravens in the community events, off-the-field issues and thoughtful, well-sourced analysis

- Break news, and react quickly to breaking news, getting information out on social media and on baltimoresun.com

- Use social media to build a dedicated audience and drive that audience to The Baltimore Sun, both online and in print

- Work as part of a team with another beat writer, a columnist and an editor to coordinate coverage and ensure we have each possible angle covered

- Know how the competition covers the team, and take steps to ensure what we do is not only better, but significantly different

- Work with a videographer and the rest of the Ravens coverage team to produce compelling video content

- Work with an editor to plan around print and digital deadlines to ensure analysis and feature content is posted on the Web at optimal times for traffic

Technology/Software

- Some familiarity with content management systems

- Excellent social media skills, including comfort and willingness to experiment with with emerging digital storytelling forms

- Comfortable using a smartphone or point-and-shoot-type camera to take video and photos

Skills/Experience

- Bachelor's degree in journalism or related subject

- Excellent writing skills

- 3-5 years experience covering a beat

- Ability to take photo and video preferred

To apply

Email a cover letter, resume in PDF form and examples of your work (including links) to Alex Pyles at apyles@baltsun.com.

 

Obviously a big boy job for which scrubs need not apply. It is kind of amusing, however, to compare and contrast this relatively sane and easy to decipher job posting with the recent buzzword-filled and insane-sounding one for the Titans job at the Tennesseean.

 

As one with a doctorate in Gannettspeak, major difference is writer in Baltimore is not counted on to look at analytics as much. Gannett and writers at Advance papers (Cleveland, Newark, New Orleans) have to monitor their online analytics a lot.

 

HUGE shoes to fill in Baltimore. Aaron Wilson is very well-connected in the league. He and John McClain together in Houston might be the best beat duo in the league.

 

Indeed. Can't tell you the number of transactions I've seen with Aaron's name on them that HAVEN'T involved the Ravens. He could easily be a lead NFL writer at any major publication or network.

 

He also has a tendency to tweet out transactions like 14 hours after they've been posted, which is one of the reasons he's a difficult Twitter follow to justify, even if you cover the league.

 

Any updates?

 

Phone/Skype interviews have begun. Thanks to all who applied.