Transportation Reporter
Req #27312
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Transportation Reporter
The Austin American-Statesman/statesman.com, located in the 11th largest city in the country and part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking an intrepid transportation reporter with the curiosity and tenacity to dig deep into the city’s and region’s transit woes.
Austin in many ways is defined by its growth, and in turn, its incessant vehicular traffic and needed upgrades on roads, highways and mass transit.
The city is currently in talks about how to deal with traffic on Interstate 35, one of the busiest U.S highways, which accommodates local, trade and commercial traffic.
The portion of the interstate that runs through Austin is ranked third for highways with the worst gridlock conditions in Texas, according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
The state and city also have several large-scale local and regional transportation projects in the works, and one of Austin’s newest tastemakers, Elon Musk, has floated ideas for underground tunnels.
Issues like maintaining city streets and perpetually expanding thoroughfares are of critical interest to our audiences. And all that’s to say nothing of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, a growing hub for national and international travel.
Capital Metro, a mass transit provider in the region, offers very limited commuter rail, but the city has ongoing plans for light rail with its Project Connect proposal. This is a hugely popular topic in Austin, and one we need to own.
Our transportation reporter is someone who can take complicated issues of funding, construction and planning and help everyday people understand how it affects the roads they drive on, the buses they ride and the safety of their community.
They’re equally as comfortable submitting a public records request for an eminent domain report as they are riding the bus or rail all day and chatting to passengers about their concerns over a route change, limited transit options or safety concerns.
This reporter will produce a mixture of daily, enterprise and project work, all with a digital-first mentality.
This could range from a quick hit on a detour to a watchdog project on just how much public money is being spent on transit projects. But no matter the story, people and their needs should be the very heart.
Responsibilities:
- Creates storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms.
- Work toward becoming the community’s leading voice in area of expertise.
- Connects with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.).
- Provides thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
- Cultivate sources and keep a pulse on their beat.
- Produce a mix of daily, enterprise and in-depth articles.
- Work with editor to evaluate what’s working and what’s not and develop ongoing plans to better satisfy audience needs.
- Willingness and ability to work in a variety of story forms, from quick aggregations to enterprise coverage to watchdog projects.
- Incorporate digital journalism tools in day-to-day reporting, including basic digital photo and video, social media and other web-based journalism tools.
- Promotes personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
- Provides great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Adept at taking photos and video and will file quickly across platforms: mobile, desktop and social media.
- Foundational SEO skills including headline and page title writing, and Google Trends.
- Strong command of AP grammar and style.
- Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and ready to be published.
- Is passionate and enthusiastic about news and content that will work well with audiences on social platforms.
- Comfortable in fluid, fast-breaking, stressful situations.
- A desire to grow and develop a key beat in our newsroom.
- Is comfortable using social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to enhance reporting and promote stories.
- Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
- Excels in a fast-paced news environment and understands the digital first mission.
- Collaborates well with others and can work with a team on the biggest stories.
- News often requires employees to work extended hours, evenings, weekends and holidays, sometimes unexpectedly. Employees are expected to attend in-person and cover government, stakeholder and other meetings held for transportation-related issues.
- This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
- Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check, motor vehicle record check & drug screen.
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve 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 and demonstrates your reporting experience.
3. Clips of your work.
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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Other details
- Job Family UNION
- Job Function Consumer
- Pay Type Hourly
- Required Education Equivalent Experience