Digital Reporter

At WRIC the Digital Reporters are journalists who are tasked with creating enhanced news content for online and social media. Day-to-day they will be researching, verifying, and writing stories, and then sourcing pictures, audio, and video to illustrate them.

This could involve going to the scene of a breaking news incident like a fire, or it could be as simple as giving people a voice to fight for something they believe in.

The journalist will then conduct interviews for use online and on-air – but will also create videos for social media and will write articles for the website.

With the advent of social media and news apps on devices, this is a crucial position as these journalists are often the first to break a story.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Generating story ideas
• Researching stories – online, on the phone, in print, or in person
• Create digital content for OBS studio
• Liaising with other news team members about stories several times a day
• Following up leads
• Visiting the scene of breaking news
• Preparing and conducting interviews
• Writing articles for use online
• Shoots photos and videos as needed to tell stories in multiple ways
• Editing audio and video for use on-air and online
• Writing supporting social media content
• A Digital Reporter reports to the digital lead and newsroom managers who set the daily news agenda and decide what stories will run or be published

Requirements & Skills:

• Prefer bachelor’s degree in journalism, communication, or related field or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• On-camera experience a plus
• Fluency in English with strong spelling and grammar.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) with both coworkers and the public.
• Proficiency with computers, tablets, and mobile digital devices, social media savvy.
• Ability to meet deadlines, prioritize assignments, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Able to deliver multiple stories for the web each day on a wide range of topics
• Some in studio work for certain stories
• Schedule flexibility – live shots, parades, pre-recording segments, and travel.
• Some public affairs knowledge is useful – how laws are made, and how local and national governments work.
• It is essential that they have a solid understanding of libel, election law, and court reporting laws (you can end up facing a big fine or even a jail term if you get that wrong).
• Digital Reporters are intensely curious, with a strong desire to know the truth. They are determined to get to the heart of a story.
• Digital Reporters absorb information quickly and understand how to turn that information into something people can connect with.
• Digital Reporters are fascinated by people and determined to their stories with empathy and sensitivity.
• Digital Reporters need strong interpersonal skills, as they need to get information quickly and efficiently, without ruffling feathers.

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

Must be able to sit, conduct telephone conversations, use e-mail, write letters and memos, conduct face-to-face discussions with individuals or groups, make decisions without supervision, make decisions that impact the results of co-workers, work close to others, work outdoors occasionally in all weather conditions, and work indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.

Additionally, one must be able to lift, set up, and operate equipment weighing up to 25 pounds. Repetitive movements are required. Work may be conducted in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions.

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