Sports copy editor/paginator, Muskogee, OK

The Muskogee Phoenix, a 15,000 to 20,000 circulation AM daily in Eastern Oklahoma, seeks a sports copy editor/paginator/writer. Experience preferred in all areas but we will consider a recent journalism grad with proven knowledge in sports. Knowledge or background with Quark is helpful. The priority of the position will be desk but you will write. Nights and weekends required. Our coverage focus is a five-county area south of Tulsa. We also staff Oklahoma and Oklahoma State football and have a quality Division II program in the area as well as a junior college that's competed nationally in men's basketball, women's basketball and baseball, and an NAIA school that recently made its first-ever trip to the national basketball championship tournament in Kansas City, Mo. Send resumes and clips to: Mike Kays, Sports Editor, 214 Wall Street, Muskogee OK 74401 or electronically to mkays@muskogeephoenix.com.

 

I know this is a CNHI shop, but I've heard it's better than your typical CNHI paper. Still, it seems to come open frequently. Anyone know why?

 

I know a few on staff and some folks who formerly worked here. I know the town and coverage area pretty well, too.

Second-hand accounts tell me the same as FPH - better than your average CNHI gig, mostly due to Mike Kays. As to any reason it comes open a lot - anything I'd say would be a guess (albeit, likely a pretty good guess), so I'll refrain.

Feel free to give me a shout if you have any specific questions about the area and generic questions about the paper. I'm by no means an inside man here, though.

 

There's been three openings in two years but one of those was to fill a guy who went to Fayetteville, Ark., another came due to a CNHI layoff and a recreation of the position later. The guy who was laid off has since been rehired as the No. 2 guy on the news desk. That I know.

 

I know a few on the staff as well. Also know who recently left. Mike is a good guy and doesn't seem hard to work around.

As far as it being open frequently, it seems more of a run of bad luck to me. One guy leaves for another job, one is cut by CNHI and the recent one decides to go another direction. This is not a bad job (other than it being CNHI).

Feel free to message me about it.

 

Either this or a similar position was open a few months back when I talked to Mike. Don't know if this is the same position and it was never filled, or if it was filled and it's open again. And I second that Kays is good people. The CNHI part is hard to get past, though.

 

Just in: Two people in order turned this down, one to stay closer to home for less money and the other because he didn't want to take the latest week of furloughs handed down by CNHI....so they're starting from scratch. It's an immediate fill and the pay, in comparison with other CNHI shops, is above average.

 

It's a half write, half paginate but I can say this, anyone preferring the latter and is competent will probably be offered. Feel free to IM me for more details.