OrangeAndWhite.com — Clemson beat writer

OrangeandWhite.com, a joint publication of the Anderson Independent Mail and The Greenville News, which are both part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking a driven college sports writer to cover Clemson University athletics for our websites and a weekly Clemson football tabloid distributed to readers in Anderson, South Carolina.


This reporter, based in Anderson, will be part of a three-person team that covers primarily Clemson football, but also other sports at this major Division I university. Clemson has become a perennial power house in ACC football, and this position is a chance to report on a team that’s fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff and is less than two years removed from a national championship.


The ideal candidate will be able to break relevant news online, grow a beat in a competitive environment and manage the deadlines of a weekly print magazine that publishes every Tuesday. It is essential that this reporter be a digital-first thinker who is at home in the social media world and willing to experiment with innovative ways to present news in a digital landscape.


Our Clemson football traffic has consistently grown year over year. Most recently, our team of reporters broke national news when starting QB Kelly Bryant announced he was transferring mid-season. We had the story first and we covered it better than anyone else. That’s the standard we have set for ourselves and it’s what we’re looking at from this reporter.


Anderson and Greenville are in Upstate South Carolina, each about 45 minutes from Clemson, and just a short drive from the Blue Ridge Mountains or the beach. Greenville is one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation, and the Upstate is one of the most livable regions in the United States.


Responsibilities:

• Writes quickly, clearly and accurately.
• Identifies top news stories of the day, based on analytics and audience potential.
• Cultivates a beat, knowing the ins/outs of the beat and its key players. Has a genuine interest in people and ability to build trust.
• Equally adept at writing breaking news stories, enterprise and trending stories and traditional
  long-form features.
• Writes and/or produces multimedia content that appeals to key audience targets and maximizes user experience on digital and social platforms.
• Works closely with graphic, photo and video teams to optimize and produce content.
• Is comfortable hosting videos, Facebook Live appearances, and podcasts.
• Engages with readers through various social media platforms.
• Demonstrates strong news judgment informed by real-world experience.
• Writes quick-hit enterprise and trend stories off the news.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's in Communications, Journalism or equivalent in experience and education.
• Newsroom experience with some experience reporting on sports.
• A thorough understanding of college athletics.
• Strong command of AP grammar and style.
• Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and "publication ready."
• Is passionate and enthusiastic about news and content that will work well with audiences on social platforms.
• A desire to grow and develop a key beat in our newsrooms.
• Is comfortable using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to enhance reporting and promote stories.
• Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
• Excels in a fast-paced news environment and understands the digital first mission.
• Works weekends and nights as needed.
• Collaborates well with others and can work with a team on the biggest stories.
• Must be willing to travel on short notice to cover breaking news events.
• This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Please attach a resume, cover letter, and three to five work samples (PDFs preferred; URLs accepted) to your online application.


#Content


Here's what we have to offer:


We offer a competitive base salary and career growth opportunities. We also offer you a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, Paid Time Off, Company Paid Holidays, employee discount program and domestic partner benefits. Our 401(k) is topnotch and the contributions you make, up to the first 5% are eligible for a 100% Company match!

Gannett Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are a drug free, EEO employer committed to a diverse workforce. We will consider all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, family responsibilities, disability, education, political affiliation or veteran status.


Job opportunity at Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK - Clemson Sports Reporter

 

Anyone know how to attach writing samples and cover letters to the online app? I don't see anywhere to do that.

 

I would either make one PDF and attach all of them in that, or find an email for the sports editor or someone in charge at the actual paper and see if you can reach them that way.

 

One document makes sense. Thanks for the tip.

 

I'd send resumes, cover and clips to SEs of both papers, and then attach one PDF that contains everything in it for the app. You'd rather have three people see your stuff that potentially no one.

 

Pretty sure for Gannett, if the resume doesn't pass through HR first there's nothing the editors could do about it anyway. They get forwarded "qualified" applicants from whoever is handling the specific position in HR.

Tried to put in a good word for a few friends/former colleagues that applied for positions at my paper and was told that if HR didn't approve of the application, the manager's hands were tied.

But still worth it to contact the sports editor(s). Just know that it isn't always in their control who HR approves and denies.

 

In other words, if you're over age 30, forget it ...

 

What do you mean by that?

 

I think the point he was making was fairly obvious Bobby Boucher. Not sure I agree with it. Gannett does like young reporters that don't command high salary, but not sure that would be the case for a gig like this.

 

Ahh fair enough. I never noticed that, at least not in my newsroom. But it's quite possible.

 

The guy who had the job previously was a 2014 Arizona State grad ... unless he started college late, that puts him in the "under 30" zone ...

 

Damn, any idea what he moved on to?