Manhattan, KS

Company: Manhattan Mercury
Position:
Seeking sports editor
Location:
Manhattan, Kansas
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: $30,000 to $35,000
Ad Expires:
December 29, 2006
Job ID: 679274
Website: http://www.themercury.com

Description:
The Manhattan Mercury, a 10,000 circ. newspaper in a Big 12 university city, is seeking a sports editor. The ideal candidate will have the following characteristics:

1. First-rate writing and editing potential.

2. Energetic and aggressive.

3. Desirous of moving up quickly in the sports arena.

4. Able to work as part of a team.

Please respond with resumes, two or three writing samples and references to felber@themercury.com





I saw this on jjobs. Wasn't it posted a few months ago? Anybody know if they ever filled it the last time around? Who took it? Why'd they leave?

 

I know at least one job offer was made as part of the original job posting in August/September, but have no knowledge as to what has transpired since.

 

There's better college town newspapers in the Big 12. There might be 11 of them.

 

I would have to agree with Shaggy. However, with Bob Huggins now running the hoop show at KSU, the football team back in the bowl picture, and the volatile nature of the women's basketball program, there are opportunities for plenty of solid clips. Plus, you'd have the chance to prove you can run the show at a paper that has more than just preps on its plate.

 

plus, you can move up the sports arena, if so desired.

 

This is the ad I see. The above ad that started this thread doesn't advertise both a sports editor and a reporter. What's the deal here? Does the paper have to hire the sports editor before it hires the reporter?

The Manhattan Mercury, a 10,000 circ. newspaper in a Big 12 university city, is seeking a sports editor and a sports reporter. The ideal sports editor candidate will have the following characteristics:

1. First-rate writing and editing potential.

2. Energetic and aggressive.

3. Desirous of moving up quickly in the sports arena.

4. Able to work as part of a team.

The sports reporter position is an excellent opportunity for a December graduate seeking a first full-time position.

Please respond with resumes, two or three writing samples and references to felber@themercury.com

 

yes. stadium step sprints will be part of the interview.

 

It could also be that they may get a handful of resumes, give the winner the SE job and Miss Congeniality the reporter position. The ad goes on to say that the reporter position would be good for a December grad, but if they saw someone in the SE pile worth keeping on, then there you go.

 

Wow ... 10,000 circulation? Is this the smallest paper in a BCS conference city?

 

Nope. Oxford is at 5,500, Pullman is at 7,000 and Starkville is at 7,500.

 

Mercury Sports Editor says goodbye
Mark Janssen Sports Editor
10/29/2006 8:50:34 AM
This is a toughie to write as I've made the decision to relinquish the position of Sports Editor of The Manhattan Mercury after a 25-year (plus a couple months) run.

Simplified, it's just time. No more complex than that.

No one is for sure exactly how it's going to work, but you'll continue seeing the "MJ" name on Kansas State stories with a title that has yet to be determined, but will start on Monday.

So, yes, I'll continue penning tales about the Wildcats, but, with definite mixed emotions, give up the rest of the duties.

My mission statement for the last 25 years has been to "humanize," for the lack of a better word, the sports pages to the point fanatics, to the non-fan, would enjoy the nightly read.

The philosophy has always been that people enjoy reading about people, so the goal has always been to try to bring to life the athletes you cheer on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. What makes them tick, more off the field/court than on.

Offering thanks at this point would be without end.

But I do want to mention the names of Tim Hostetter, Mark Scott, Steve Rottinghaus, and especially Dennis Toll, who slaved with me for multiple-year stints to help provide local/area readers a daily dose of words about their favorite teams.

Together, we established the Sunday Sports Extra Page, the all-Flint Hills teams for football and basketball, and the daily Flint Hills News, which celebrated the accomplishments of the youth in Manhattan.

I take pride in a couple writers who came through and went on to bigger times in the industry: Eric Turner with the Topeka Capital and Ryan O'Halloran, who is now a beat writer for the Washington Redskins.

Mike Dendurent sits to my back, and via his editing skills, he has made me appear to be a much better man-of-words than I really am ... and I so hope he continues to red-pen my labors even though we won't be sitting back-to-back.

Being technically unsound of mind, my paper life could not have been accomplished without Brian, Brett and Landon. And to Shana, the design of special projects would not have been possible without you.

While I'm looking forward to continuing pounding out Wildcat stories, sincerely missed will be the weekly dialogue with Manhattan High and area coaches, plus the recreational people of sports in the Little Apple community.

High school coverage is the area where I started 35 years ago as an announcer with KMAN-KMKF, and in the last nine weeks that I was re-introduced to as The Mercury sports staff shrunk to a one-man operation.

The ''it's still a game'' non-big time high school atmosphere has been refreshing: the thank yous; the "sure you can talk to whoever you want"; the return of phone calls.

Manhattan High will always hold a dear place in my heart through the memories of 10 years of doing play-by-play, to the appreciation that my two children were trained to a level that gave them the opportunity to earn athletic scholarships.

To coaches of our immediate area — Blue Valley-Randolph, Riley County, Rock Creek and Wamego — I so much admire your dedication and efforts, and appreciate your cooperation through the last couple of decades.

To you as readers, it's been an honor to write for you. Hopefully, each of your interests has been hit from time to time.

But change is good, and the time is right for Mercury sports to have new direction and a new look.

What else am I going to do? Good question. One I've been asking myself.

I don't do painting, lawn work, or any other handyman labors; not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination; and don't do windows.

But, I'm open to any other idea, so give me a call. I'm in the book.

To each of you — readers, coaches and athletes — thank you. It's been my pleasure.

 

so, SE steps down but will continue to tell incoming SE how the biggest beat in town will be handled. hmmmmmm, why would anyone apply for this job?