WLRN Seeks A Talented Education Reporter To Join Our StateImpact Florida Team

Update, 12:41 p.m. March 21, 2013: This position has been filled.

Education Reporter/Blogger

StateImpact Florida

Are you a skilled, creative and ambitious multi-platform journalist with a passion for education issues? Join the team that won the 2012 best blog award from the Education Writers Association as well as the Online News Association’s Gannett Foundation Award for Innovative Investigative Journalism

WLRN-Miami Herald News, the public radio news service in Miami, seeks an experienced digital journalist to join its national-award winning StateImpact Florida education reporting project, in collaboration with WUSF in Tampa and NPR

StateImpact Florida explores the effects of education policy on people through data-driven, accountability reporting and engaging storytelling on-air and across digital platforms.  Our goal is to be the voice of authority on education reform, with a strong statewide profile and a national reach through NPR

This Miami-based reporter will work in close collaboration with a Tampa-based reporting partner to explain, analyze and illuminate the effects of education policy in schools, families and communities.. He/she will write and produce long-form and newscast-length radio reports, write daily blog posts and enterprise features, curate social media streams and create video and multimedia content.

The ideal candidate is a whip-smart reporter with a passion for learning and deep knowledge of education issues. This individual is someone who’s a storyteller – whether with a microphone, a Twitter handle, a video camera or a pencil.

This person is a dynamic team player who is comfortable in a fast-turnaround environment, but can also organize and execute long-range coverage plans and projects. He/she is excited by the possibilities of public media and of the evolving news landscape in Miami, one of the country’s largest media markets.

Essential Job Functions:

·      Engage the community through original, in-depth reporting online and on air.

·      Produce scoops on the beat, with vivid, distinctive writing.

·      Maintain a robust, newsy blog with voice that’s focused on presenting StateImpact Florida’s education coverage online, on mobile devices, across social media all appropriate digital platforms. The primary goal:To reach, inform and engage our audiences wherever they go for news.

·      Cover general assignment news and feature stories as assigned.

·      Maintain editorial standards to ensure high journalistic standards of accuracy, thoroughness, diversity, fairness and balance are met through all of WLRN’s outlets.

·      Keep an active presence in the Florida education community and represent WLRN and StateImpact Florida at professional and community meetings.

Qualifications:

Required

·      3+ years in journalism (online experience preferred).

·      Nimble, fast writer and reporter with wide-ranging interests and a distinctive “voice.”

·      Policy reporting expertise and a solid journalistic track record befitting WLRN’s and NPR’s reputation as trusted sources of news.

·      Comfortable working with internal and external content providers to create, edit and post a variety of digital media, including images, audio, video and animation.

·      Ability to exercise sound news judgment and generate factual, error-free copy quickly in breaking news situations.

·      Experienced with blogging and social media applications.

·      Strong content editing/proofreading abilities, including knowledge of AP style.

·      Strategic thinker, with the ability to work with others to put together detailed, yet easy-to-understand plans.

·      Passionate and enthusiastic about online journalism, and emerging local news opportunities in South Florida.

·      Ability to connect with and maintain relationships with diverse communities and staff.

Desired

·      Experience covering education and the schools.

·      Experience with radio or on-camera reporting and audio/video editing a plus.

·      Deep knowledge of South Florida people, cultures, issues, and geography as well as national and international issues, and events.

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in journalism or related field or equivalent required; media or journalism degree preferred.

To Apply:

Please send your resume and cover letter to wlrnnews@gmail.com.

WLRN is an Equal Opportunity Employer