Sports page designer/reporter, Martinsville, Va.

This just came across my j-school's career services listserv. I thought I'd share.

Sports page designer/reporter sought
Are you a sports design whiz? Are your headlines clever, snappy and
always accurate? Do you enjoy writing sports stories while looking for
a chance to go beyond the boxscore?
If so, the Martinsville Bulletin might have a job for you.
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this six-day
a.m. newspaper with a daily circulation of about 20,000 is seeking an
entry level designer/reporter for its sports staff.
Qualified applicants will possess strong design skills on QuarkXPress
(or a similar software platform) and thrive on a nightly deadline.
The Martinsville/Henry County area boasts a high school boys
basketball team with more state championships than any other school
in Virginia (13), the shortest track on the Sprint Cup Series circuit
(Martinsville Speedway) and a Cape Cod-style summer baseball team, to
name a few of the highlights.
Our sports section strives to cover area athletes as if they're pros,
and our readers love us for it. When our coverage slows, our readers
let us know that, too.
That's why we need you to apply.
An affinity for page design and local sports coverage is mandatory.
Duties will be divided roughly as follows: 70 percent design/desk; 30
percent writing/reporting.
Opportunities also exist for outdoors coverage (There's plenty of
hiking, biking, canoeing, camping, hunting and fishing here. We're
just 45 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway), as well as some sports
photography work.
This entry-level position will start with entry-level pay, but the
cost of living is extremely low. A recent sports reporter had a
two-bedroom apartment with a washer and dryer for under $400 per
month. Similar rates are not uncommon.
The area, located along the state line, is 3 hours from Harrisonburg,
2 hours from Raleigh, N.C., 1.5 hours from Winston Salem, N.C., 1 hour
from Roanoke, 45 minutes from Greensboro, N.C. and 30 minutes from
Danville.
Please send a resume, cover letter, three design clips and three
writing clips to the Martinsville Bulletin, care of Sports Editor
Johnny Buck, at P.O. Box 3711, Martinsville, Va., 24115. Inquiries can
be made via e-mail at jbuckj@gmail.com
Recent college grads are strongly encouraged to apply, particularly
those with Web design capabilities. We're hoping to fill this position
ASAP, so don't delay.

 

Awesome. I'm looking forward to checking in periodically on this thread.

 

By them, perhaps.

By the folks at SportsJournalists.com? Not so much.

 

Oh no! Not again. This thread should be fun, just like all the previous ones. The part that gets me is "sports design whiz." Now that's funny. Thewhole paper looks like crap. And, of course, the same people running the asylum are still there. So nothing has changed.

 

Since we've been put into reruns.

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/45108/
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/44561/
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/46003/
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/29441/
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/40258/

 

While I'll agree with you that it can go overboard, people do need to know what they are getting into if they apply for this or are considering applying for it.

 

I think one needs only click the links Dixiehack provided to get the lowdown on this gig.

 

Anybody new to this board that might consider applying should just know this job comes open all the time because nobody can stand to be there long. If you are interested in moving to that part of the world should apply in Danville instead.

 

Having applied to this position not too long ago, and before having seen these rather unoptimistic testimonials, I ask, what's wrong with this place or location? Then again, I find myself one of those desperate new college graduates, who, under this pressuring economy, needs every dime I can earn.

 

All the histrionics aside, Martinsville is a difficult place because of the editor and the general manager. A lot is said every time this gig comes up and it's all true.

With that being said, someone will get that gig, probably someone entry level. There is nothing wrong with warning people what they might be getting into.

As for my first post on this thread, Martinsville is a poorly designed paper. I have seen it.