Service Journalism Reporter at McClatchy in State College, Pennsylvania

Job Description:

McClatchy is seeking a collaborative, audience-first reporter for our Central service journalism team, whose mission is to help local readers navigate life and the news. This reporter is based at the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pennsylvania, a lively borough serving the immediate communities around Penn State University.

The service journalism team is focused on serving our local readers with need-to-know information in an accessible approach that includes news explainers, Q&As, fact checks and reader engagement. We also aim to answer questions that are locally trending on Google Trends.

We dig into city curiosities as well as “talkers” on sites like Nextdoor and Reddit. One day you may write an explainer Q&A on a news event and the next you may write on a local business opening or where State College ranks in the latest survey. Reporters in this role also contribute to local news projects and breaking news coverage.

A successful reporter in this role will welcome assignments as well as cultivate and pitch their own ideas. An enthusiasm for working in a team-centered environment that emphasizes support and occasional shared bylines is essential. A willingness to learn audience development skills, such as digital headline writing and SEO, is a must.

Expertise in a particular subject area is not required, but the successful candidate will bring to the role areas of interest and a deep understanding of what’s important to local readers, preferably earned by working as part of a local news outlet.

Basically: We have fun, and we write on the news. Here are just a few of the team’s recent stories:

• Is it legal to pass a working snow plow in Pennsylvania? Here’s what state guidelines say
  
  
• Penn State confirms chickenpox outbreak on campus. Here’s who may have been exposed
  
  
• Penn State has operated a nuclear reactor in Centre County for decades. This is its history
  
  
• Record voter turnout surges in Centre County. Check out the map and see precinct data
  
  

The Central service journalism team includes reporting, working across four McClatchy news sites: Centre Daily Times (this role), the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Belleville News-Democrat and the Wichita Eagle.

About State College and the Centre Daily Times

Join a newsroom that first and foremost cares about each other, our community and the work that we produce for our diverse audience. We relish in breaking news stories, unique features, offer top-level sports coverage and comprehensively cover Penn State. The ideal candidate will have an excellent eye for unique storytelling with a human element and will excel at working under the pressure of quick, daily deadlines. Data reporting is particularly a plus in this role, and we are looking for a candidate ready and willing to master new skills.

Our journalism focuses on our local communities, and in that role we have the ability to spotlight problems, highlight solutions and truly make a difference — all the reasons you got into journalism. We are part of McClatchy, a digitally driven company focused on innovation, with newsrooms in 30 communities in the United States.

State College, located in Centre County, has a rich and vibrant history, and its community offers an interesting place to live with an excellent quality of life. The proximity to the university offers a range of activities. State College hosts a large and lively arts festival each summer and the area has good connections for outdoor enthusiasts. 

The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $21 to $24 an hour. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, department equity and relevant education.

In this role, you will need to:

• Have strong writing and reporting skills, as well as excellent news judgment and journalism ethics. Must be willing to conduct interviews and research in person.
• Proficiency in handling a fast-paced, deadline-driven role that requires accuracy and adeptness in meeting multiple deadlines.
• Think about our audiences first and always, with a commitment to growing readership on local and state topics. 
• Have a passion for the written word as well as an interest in video, audio and social graphics.
• Demonstrate speed, competitiveness and SEO savvy.
• Work well in a team environment. 
• Be adaptable and excited to experiment with new forms of storytelling and engagement.
• Regularly uses a computer, often requiring prolonged periods of keyboarding and mouse usage. 
• Data reporting experience is a plus.
  
  

Education & experience:

• College degree or equivalent work experience.
• At least 1-3 years of reporting and writing experience.

When applying, include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.

What we’ll bring: 

As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on well-being and daily life, our package options includes healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends. 

Our overall benefit package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.  

About McClatchy: 

The McClatchy Media Company features a portfolio of vibrant and trusted news, lifestyle, entertainment brands and a robust retail distribution network. Our iconic local news brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star and The Sacramento Bee, have collectively earned a total of 57 Pulitzer prizes and are complemented by popular lifestyle and entertainment brands such as Us Weekly and Woman’s World. Together, our brands reach more than 100 million unique visitors a month,The McClatchy Retail Network, our distribution and logistics arm, offers delivery to more than 56,000 retail locations weekly.

 

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Salary/Compensation: $21.00 - $24.00 per hour

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