Sports Content Coach, Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Free Press is seeking a Sports Content Coach who will work closely with the Sports Director to direct the creation of sharp, forward-thinking digital and print content. The goal is to engage loyal followers more often and more deeply, while also building the overall audience.

You will play a prominent role within a hard-working sports news-gathering operation that focuses on the Big Six: Lions, Pistons, Red Wings, Tigers, Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans -- while pushing for daily and in-depth coverage of other NCAA schools and Michigan’s robust preps scene. This is an opportunity to be part of a four-person management team in America’s greatest sports town.

We want a strong leader and talented front-line editor who is digital-savvy and raring to make our products better. We’re looking for someone who wants to be part of a winning team, dedicated to producing sports content with impact, excitement and information. Media management experience is important, but we’re willing to take informed risks.

Interested? Email Kevin Bull at kbull@freepress.com or apply at Career Opportunities: Content Coach, Sports - Detroit Free Press (81701)

 

Stupid Gannett titles.

 

"How many timeouts do we have?"

 

Sports content "coach" is what we're going with here? Seriously? Is this the Detroit Free Press or a 12-step program?

 

Coach/Editor/Leader. Maybe this is more straight forward: Someone smart, ready to kick ass, have fun and change the world.

 

A lot of people make fun of the Gannett "coach" title, and I get that some folks don't get what it means (especially if you're not inside journalism), but there are a lot of major (non-Gannett) publications and editors who have said in the past year that editors need to start working more as coaches to help improve the quality of their sections and their reporters.

 

Except that editors, if they're good ones, have been coaching reporters for the last 100+ years.

Gannett just put the "coach" title on because they were 1. Changing job descriptions to allow them to shed some high-priced people, B. Tried to make it seem like they were doing something "innovative" just for the sake of appearance and III. Certain people did it to look busy to justify their salaries.

 

Looks like a good gig for the right person.

 

Cool. Doesn't change the fact that's where the focus of a lot of editors, regardless of parent company, is shifting.

 

Our company was recently purchased by Gannett from Digital First media. We love it. Cleaner copy and better benefits. I don't get all the hate on these forums.

 

My paper doesn't need a coach so much as it needs a defensive coordinator.
Home office keeps pushing a lot of offensive attacks our way.

 

The Lions clearly need a better editor.