High School Sports Reporter

USA Today • Brighton, MI

43d

About The Position

The USA TODAY Network is seeking a sports reporter to cover high school athletics in Livingston County, Michigan. This job at The Livingston Daily focuses on high school athletics in a hotbed of state high school association Division 1 powerhouses in several sports. The position will cover seven high schools, as well as the many NCAA Division I athletes from the area and a handful of Olympians. Game coverage is important, but it’s only part of the job. Breaking news, good feature writing and enterprise on the history and future of sports in this community are critical to success. While the focus is on local journalism, this is one of the USA TODAY Network’s 13 newsrooms across the state. These newsrooms and reporters work together frequently on high school state tournament coverage, letting us emphasize collaboration, mentorship and growth. Livingston County is a growing area, nestled within 45 minutes of Detroit and Lansing and 30 minutes from Ann Arbor, with plenty of sports, music and entertainment available in those metro areas. The communities of Livingston County each have unique vibes. Howell is famous for its melon festival, Brighton has a ski slope and niche restaurants. Hartland is a historic village with huge Memorial Day Weekend festivities and Pinckney is a small town surrounded by outdoor and small lake opportunities.

Requirements

• A valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
• Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Previous reporting experience preferred; even better if you've covered sports.
• Proficiency on social media platforms; including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit.
• Experience shooting and editing photos and video on a mobile device.
• Strong communication skills, news judgement, and headline-writing ability.
• Ability to multitask and excel under intense deadline pressure.
• Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently.
• Strong writing, spelling and grammar skills; familiarity with AP style.
• AI and automation literacy and a willingness or experience in using it to enhance their journalism.
• Ability to work some nights and weekends.
• Comfort building a beat and communicating with athletes and coaches.

Responsibilities

• Create storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
• Work toward becoming the community’s leading voice of expertise in high school sports.
• Connect with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.).
• Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
• Work with editor and content strategist to evaluate what's working and what's not and develop ongoing plans to satisfy audience needs.
• Collaborate to provide appropriate elements for stories (i.e. photos, videos and graphics).
• Capture basic photos and videos as needed.
• Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
• Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree