Sports Editor - Petersburg, VA

JournalismJobs.com - Job Listing - Seeking sports editor

Date Posted June 11, 2015
Location Petersburg, Virginia
Job Status Full-time
Salary Negotiable

Description:
We’re looking for a strong leader responsible for taking our local sports coverage beyond traditional prep games and who is well versed in digital and social media. The sports editor will work with a sports writer, freelancers, unpaid contributors, interns and community groups to cover prep sports, a growing Division II university, recreational leagues and everything else sports in the Tri-Cities.

The sports editor supervises one full-time sports reporter; and writes, and edits stories. We are looking for a leader that can take the sports to the next level for content and multimedia. This position requires a person who can communicate well, train and coach reporters, edit copy and grow our digital portfolio.

We seek a sports editor that upholds a web-first strategy, immediately reacting to news and quickly conveying it to readers and strives to reach readers on all mediums including our website, mobile platforms or in print. Also, someone who can prioritize alternative and non-linear storytelling, adding layers to our content

We seek an editor who will hit the dugouts for great daily game coverage and go beyond the outfield for those unique features and athlete profiles.

The Progress-Index is a 10,000 circulation daily newspaper that offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. Petersburg is a historic town with a growing, vibrant arts community. We are two hours from the beaches and mountains and 2 1/2 hours from Washington, D.C.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and three years on a daily newspaper. Knowledge of still photography, video, Photoshop and social media are basic requirements. Send resume and cover letter, plus work samples to: Managing Editor Brian J. Couturier at editor@progress-index.com. No phone calls please.

 

Who left?

 

Punctuation skills optional; use of cliches and buzzwords mandatory.

 

This paper also covers Richard Bland College. The men's basketball team won the JUCO Division II national championship last season, and the softball team spent most of 2015 ranked in the national poll.

Of note: GateHouse. All pages done at the central design desk in Austin.

 

Spoke with a former staffer who recently left for a job at a local college. This is what he/she offered up:

Publisher was fired three weeks ago.
Multimedia editor/lone photographer quit two weeks ago.
Sports editor put in his notice last week.
Major turnover in ad department, a constant theme.
Managing editor is having trouble dealing with GateHouse expectations; appears to be on his way out. David Brent/Michael Scott type of guy who the staff doesn't respect.
Sports is likely to be a one-person department soon, a common GateHouse theme at papers this size.
When done in-house, this paper used to be somewhat respectable. GateHouse has an all-rookie team designing the pages in Austin now. Garbage is the result.

No phone calls please ... the ME is never in his office.

 

The GateHouse virus continues.

 

Actually, GateHouse openings need their own thread.

 

Sad. I interviewed there way, way, way back in the day. Didn't get the job, but got called back shortly after I landed in a different shop, and was happy there. I always liked the product, and picked up a paper whenever I passed through. Too bad things have crashed to that point.

 

Yeah the Coastal Plain League. The Petersburg Generals have been notoriously bad the last few years. Virginia State football, Richard Bland basketball, maybe the NASCAR races at Richmond International Raceway if you're up for it. Those are the big draws in that area. Petersburg, Prince George, Hopewell football is hit or miss, but Petersburg and Hopewell basketball are pretty good. They're definitely blossoming with the VHSL realignment.

 

Dinwiddie won the 4A state title in football in 2013. Should be among the favorites next season.

 

VSU basketball is lots of fun, if not always very good. Richard Bland didn't have sports when I was around there.