Sports Writer, Woodbridge, Va.

The Potomac News and the Manassas Journal Messenger, two small dailies about 25-30 miles outside Washington, D.C., need a reporter to cover high school sports, as well as copy edit and paginate. The ideal candidate will have some reporting experience and plenty of initiative to find and produce good reads. These two papers are owned by Media General, the Southeast's leading provider of news, and offer excellent opportunities for advancement at our mid-size and metro dailies. Please include five clips and salary expectations with your application and send to Jobs at Potomac News, P.O. Box 2470, Woodbridge, VA 22195-2470 (street address is 14010 Smoketown Road, Woodbridge, VA 22192). You may also go to www.mediageneral.com, click on careers and search for Job # PTN-000098. You will be able to fill out the application online and attach your resume and clips. Email also available: jobs@potomacnews.com. EOE, no phone calls please.

 

Gets the Wicked Seal of Approval, and I'll reckon that it gets the Moddy Seal of Approval as well (though he can speak for himself).

Awesome guys who have worked there in the past. I don't know the current staff makeup, but I understand that they let their folks cover a bunch of D.C. stuff.

 

I'll go with Wick's seal, especially since I've yet to hear him post a seal of approval in the past. It is a great stop for anyone making a move upward.

 

Boots, my seal is worthless. Kind of like my pipeline.

But if boots says it's OK, I'm guessing it's OK.

 

What's the pay like?

 

Good people at Po-Man. Money is the huge drawback. It's a small paper, so they can't pay a whole lot, but cost of living is ridiculous. Management told me a lot of their reporters have to room together in order to pay rent, and a lot of their staff is made up of locals who already live there.
But if you can swing it, this is a solid gig. Not a lot there (it's a strip mall town), but it's like a 30-45 minute drive to D.C.

 

Know some quality people who work here. Most notable thing about Potomac: Potomac Mills, a monstrosity of an outlet mall. They have a big fuckin IKEA, so there's that. Pay is better than it used to be, but not as good as it should be for a paper in Prince William County.

 

Negative side: You have to live in Hoodbridge, jammed packed with wankstas. Traffic on 95 going into the city can be a nightmare in the mornings.

Seriously though, this gets the Cristiano seal of approval, which usually means bupkis unless dealing with matters of the fairer sex.

 

I know this paper. I know people at this paper. I know this company. PM me with questions.

 

Decent paper. Shit pay. High cost of living. Two or three lifers on staff, including the SE.

Excellent opportunity to get some good clips and move on to bigger and better things.

 

Who's leaving, and for where?

 

I know one kickass guy at Potomac. Kick. Ass.

It is expensive, and Potomac Mills is a godsend.

That's all I got.