Watchdog reporter - Fort Myers / Lee County, Florida at Gannett in Fort Myers, Florida

Job Description:

Req #41598

Thursday, April 11, 2024

|Current Gannett Employees- Please ensure you are using our abbreviated process on the internal Careers site by logging into Dayforce through OKTA|

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a scalable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. We endeavor to deliver essential content, marketing solutions, and experiences for curated audiences, advertisers, consumers, and stakeholders by leveraging our diverse teams and suite of products to enrich the local communities and businesses we serve. Our current portfolio of trusted media brands includes the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, uses innovation and software to enable small and medium-sized businesses to grow, and USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures, our events division, creates impactful consumer engagements, promotions, and races. Gannett open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at Gannett, you should be completing an application onGannett CareersviaDayforce.Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. To connect with us, visitwww.gannett.com

The (Fort Myers) News-Press and Naples Daily News are seeking a versatile watchdog reporter to cover Lee County and the city of Fort Myers, Florida in a highly competitive, fast-paced news environment.

We are looking for a journalist who is comfortable with quick-hit breaking news, service journalism and ambitious enterprise.

The best candidate has a deep curiosity and unrelenting commitment to get to the bottom of an issue, hold individuals and institutions accountable, and identify solutions.

This reporter will be attuned the community and have a feel for the local buzz. They will infiltrate social media and develop a deep source roster so they can uncover and break exclusive, impactful stories about the topics and issues that matter most to the Southwest Florida audience.

In this fast-growing Florida hot spot, growth and development, hurricane preparedness, economic and social disparity, affordable housing, and traffic are among key coverage topics.

We expect that that this reporter will recognize compelling, shareable stories and will be quick to jump on them and consistently deliver journalism that makes a difference and helps retain and grow audience.

The best applicant will have experience with public records and be able to quickly unravel complex and controversial issues.

This job is best suited for a journalist who can break down issues, politics, and government actions into digestible, to-the-point stories and use audience metrics to guide coverage decisions to stories that readers, viewers and listeners are interested in.

We will expect clear, clean, concise storytelling on daily deadlines as well as deep-dive enterprise pieces. When disaster happens or scandal erupts, this reporter will go deep in a week.

In this election year, this reporters work will help voters make informed decisions.

Versatility is essential, as coverage will stretch from stories about proposed new developments to the needs of a city's most vulnerable residents to city council races to service journalism about 10 new road projects to look for.

You will be part of a collaborative team and expected to jump in on trending and breaking news and cover for colleagues as needed. There will be some weekend and night assignments.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or master's in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two years of reporting experience in a daily newsroom.
• Strong communication skills, news judgment and headline-writing ability.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• SEO skills and proficiency on social media platforms, including Facebook, X, Threads and Instagram, and experience engaging readers in this public space.
• Energetic self-starter and a fast thinker who can spot stories that matter.
• Experience shooting and editing photos and video on an iPhone.
• Ability to multitask and excel in a fast-paced environment under intense deadline pressure.
• Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently with a team of journalists.
• Strong writing, spelling and grammar skills and knowledge of AP style.
• Familiarity with using audience metrics to guide coverage.
• Command of media law and principles of ethical conduct.
• Fluency in Spanish a plus.

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, dont limit your upload to a resume; show us what youve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

1. Your resume one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what youve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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Gannett Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employees race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where Gannett employs employees. In addition, Gannett Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicants disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals application for employment with Gannett Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact Gannett Co., Inc.s Recruitment Department at Recruit@gannett.com.

Other details

• Job Family Union
• Job Function Content Production
• Pay Type Hourly

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