Goldsboro (N.C.) News-Argus sports reporter

From jj.com Anyone know anything about this shop? Is it straight up preps or do they cover some pro/colleges?


The Goldsboro News-Argus, a 22,000-circulation daily in eastern North Carolina, has an immediate opening for a sports reporter. We are looking for a talented, organized, creative and versatile sportswriter who loves writing features and game stories, desk work and designing pages. A bachelor’s degree is required, and experience at a daily newspaper is a plus, but we’ll consider an exceptional new graduate. The News-Argus is located about halfway between Raleigh and the beach, and we offer a salary commensurate with talent and experience and an excellent benefits package. To apply, send a cover letter, resume and three of your best stories (which should include a feature) to Steve Roush, sports editor, by e-mail to sroush@newsargus.com, or by mail to P.O. Box 10629 Goldsboro, N.C. 27532.

 

My aunt and uncle live in Goldsboro. Nice place.

 

I have seen them on occasion up here (ECU). I wouldn't say it is a high priority however.

 

Did my time in Goldsboro seven years ago. It is about halfway between Raleigh-Durham and the beach, whether you like Atlantic Beach, Topsail or Wilmington. Outer Banks, however, aren't as close.
Paper is family owned and is a PM, so get ready for many split shifts. Production time started 7 in the morning. Go home at lunch. Cover game at night. Go home to bed. Repeat.
Not sure if it's seven days, but it didn't publish on Saturday when I worked there. Thus, Friday night football and basketball games were in Sunday's paper.
Lots of prep coverage and Division II Mount Olive College. The N-A covered the ACC when I was there, but that was slashed when the ME at the time got bitched at by a prep baseball coach because we didn't send a photog to his mid-winter fielding camp. "We're local, local, local," he told us. The paper might still cover East Carolina, too.
It might be different now because that ME has since retired, but it's the type of place where the publisher likes having washed-up hacks stick their noses in. The N-A also tends to be a place where many other washed-up types can coast to retirement.
Also, when I was there it still allowed smoking in the newsroom. It was nice going home each day smelling like I was at a bar.
If you want any more details on the area and the mangement go ahead and PM me.

 

PM me for more details ...

 

The paper is 6-days a week. AM on Sundays, PM on weekdays.
Very small sports staff, so you'll get to do a lot of writing, but also your share of desk stuff. The good thing, however, is that you can actually have a little bit of a normal life because of the publication schedule.
Mount Olive College, about 25 minutes to the south, has a very strong D2 soccer, hoops and baseball program. I covered a couple of baseball players last spring who made decent contributions in the rookie/short season leagues this year.
The major high school programs for this part of the state are not in their coverage area, they're in the next county and beyond. The locals schools are pretty decent, but they're not going to have a ton of state champs. Goldsboro High has a nice basketball program, but not much else. For a country town, it's an inner-city school with plenty of problems, which also means that you might be able to scratch up some decent stories, too.
Raleigh is a haul, so don't expect to go out there partying unless you have a place to crash that night.
If you're just starting out, it's not a bad place to be, and Steve is a really nice guy.
You might have a chance to cover the Kinston Indians, the Carolina League champs, a little bit here and there, but that would be more of an enterprise story than day-to-day coverage.
The paper that's 45 minutes to the north, Rocky Mount, is more ambitious as far as ACC coverage goes, but if there's a local kid making a contribution at Carolina or State, you'll be able to make a pitch that's heard.

 

Who's leaving? Where they going?

 

Is Rudy "The Don of Eastern NC Preps" Coggins still there? Or is he the one who left?

 

Don't know anything about the News-Argus, but I do know my favorite barbecue joint (Wilbur's) is on Highway 70 there on the edge of town.

 

the last couple of years, goldsboro high's girls basketball head coach was jerry narron

 

Wrong school. He was at nearby Rosewood High, coaching its girls basketball team.

 

damn. just knew it was in the news-argus' coverage area