Innovation Reporter

Hearst•Dallas, TX

22d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Dallas Morning News is looking for an Innovation Reporter to join our award-winning newsroom. This role focuses on executing experiments in storytelling and audience building, working directly with our Director of Experimentation and Projects to develop new strategies to help connect our journalism with the right readers. The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic digital advocate who is eager to cover multiple topics and try new storytelling concepts. One quarter, this reporter may be focused on transportation. Another could mean writing inspiring stories about people in our community. The experimentation will derive from intense collaboration with Audience leaders and company stakeholders to plan short-term sprints testing concepts to expand our reach. Recent experiments include juicing weather coverage, adding Statbeat to high school football coverage and launching a LinkedIn newsletter. This is a fast-paced role and requires a journalist who thrives on readers’ needs and interests, engaging directly with them in person or online. The right candidate will be comfortable writing multiple daily stories, a team player, a top-notch collaborator, a strong digital storyteller and a time-management maven. Audience engagement and analytics interest are a must. The Dallas Morning News believes a collaborative and inclusive work environment is essential to a thriving workplace for all. We are in search of a diverse group of candidates.

Requirements

Applicants should have at least one year of related reporting experience
Valid driver's license and registered vehicle to travel to assignments
A passion for journalism that helps readers in their daily lives
Demonstrated strong reporting and writing skills
Good news judgment, accuracy, speed, grammatical precision, a flair for headlines, energy, curiosity and an eye toward digital success
Ability to use social media for newsgathering and audience development
Ability to handle multiple stories at the same time
Excellent communication and collaboration skills
Understanding of platforms and audiences and ability to compose stories appropriate to the platform of publication (e.g., voice, style, formatting, hyperlinks)
Collaborating effectively with team members and across newsroom departments
Willingness to cover a variety of topics
Familiarity with Texas

Nice To Haves

Fluency in Spanish is an advantage

Responsibilities

Produce quick-turn stories in user-friendly formats
Flexibly move between assignments to test audience ideas
Work collaboratively in a deadline-driven newsroom environment
Write engagingly and accurately on North Texas
Use social media as a tool to develop story ideas and respond to what our audience is already talking about
Build stories with links, tags, SEO best practices, attractive web headlines and multimedia when appropriate
Monitor analytics for your stories and work with editors to suggest approaches for improvement
Collaborate with Audience editors and our Photo team to improve the digital presentation of your stories
Work with editors to evolve and shape your coverage to deepen engagement with our digital audience

Benefits

Flexible Work Schedules – Because balance matters
Health, Dental & Vision Coverage – Comprehensive plans to keep you and your family healthy
24/7 Telemedicine Access (MDLive) – Talk to board-certified doctors anytime, anywhere
FMLA & Parental Leave – Supporting you through life’s important moments
Retirement Benefits with Employer Contributions – Helping you invest in your future
Onsite Fitness Center – Stay active and energized during your day
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Free, confidential support for life’s challenges
Monthly “Health & Wealth” Webinars – Tools and tips to support your physical and financial wellness
18 Days of Paid Time Off + 9 Paid Holidays – Plenty of time to recharge
8 Hours of Paid Community Service Time – Give back to the causes that matter most to you