Boone County Reporter

LINK Media•Covington, KY

1d•$40,000 - $45,000

About The Position

LINK Media is looking for a Boone County Reporter to help us deliver daily news and in-depth, solutions-focused coverage of the issues that matter most to the Northern Kentucky community. We need someone who can manage a beat, develop relationships, write quickly and well, and who knows their way around digital media. We're a startup, so everyone we hire is a critical member of the team, and must be willing to work quickly, accept that we don't have everything figured out, remain flexible, and above all else, understand that what we are creating is bigger than any one person, or personality.

Requirements

Experience in hard-news reporting, ideally on local government, education, or community beats (professional, freelance, or collegiate).
Strong writing, reporting, and interviewing skills with a commitment to accuracy, fairness, and public-service journalism.
Ability to translate complex government or policy issues into clear, accessible stories.
Strong organization skills and the ability to juggle multiple meetings, deadlines, and story types.
Familiarity with Boone County or a willingness to quickly learn its communities, leadership, and dynamics.
Comfort working in a fast-paced digital newsroom and collaborating with a cross-functional team.
Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends based on meeting schedules or breaking news.

Responsibilities

Report and write clear, accurate, timely stories on Boone County government, elections, education, business, growth/development, and community issues. Two briefs and one byline are expected daily, along with longer-form print stories as assigned.
Attend and cover public meetings (Fiscal Court, city councils, school board, planning & zoning, etc.), including evenings as required.
Break news on policy changes, major votes, emerging issues, and key developments impacting residents.
Cultivate sources and build relationships with public officials, educators, business leaders, law enforcement, civic groups, and community stakeholders.
Identify enterprise and accountability stories that deepen understanding of county growth, budget decisions, education trends, and infrastructure needs.
Cover community features—profiles, events, neighborhood stories, human-interest pieces, and unique local happenings.
Contribute to multimedia storytelling through video, audio/podcasts, social content, and strong visuals in partnership with the digital team.
Use audience analytics to inform coverage, understand reader interests, and drive engagement.
Collaborate with editors and other reporters to ensure comprehensive NKY coverage and shared regional context.