Investigative Reporter/Mmj - Wmtv

Gray Media • Madison, WI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Madison's most-watched news station, WMTV, has an immediate opening for an Investigative Reporter/MMJ in one of the country's top places to live and one of the best investigative markets. You have the state capital, a major research university, a robust court system, and a community that demands accountability from its institutions. The stories are here. We need the journalist to find them and tell them. This is an investigative reporting position. Not a general assignment role with investigative aspirations, an actual investigative reporting job for someone who has done this work, or who has clearly demonstrated the skills and instincts to do it at a high level. You will dig. You will file records requests. You will work sources. You will sit with documents. You will tell complex, consequential stories in ways that are clear, fair, and impossible to ignore. And you will do it across every platform, on air, online, and on social. But this role is not just about the big series. We expect you on air regularly, living the 15 Investigates brand every day. When a breaking news story has an investigative angle, a document, a record, a source with context no one else has, we want you gathering and fronting that information, bringing depth and accountability to stories as they happen, not just weeks later. Maybe you've been doing this work without the title. Maybe you've been the reporter in your newsroom who always digs a little deeper, files the records request no one else bothered with, and finds the story behind the story, but you've never had the platform or the dedicated role to do it full time. If you have the chops and the experience, but haven't had the chance to step into a traditional investigative role, we want to hear from you. If you have a tip file, a FOIA strategy, and a story you've been waiting to tell - apply now.

Requirements

• Proven investigative or accountability reporting experience; we want to see the work
• A track record of using public records, data, or documents to break original stories
• The ability to work at two speeds simultaneously: daily investigative hits AND longer-term series development
• Strong on-camera presence and MMJ skills; you shoot, edit, and present your own material, and you're comfortable being a visible, recognizable face of the 15 Investigates brand
• Source development skills built over time; you have relationships, and you know how to build new ones
• The ability to take a dense, document-heavy story and make it matter to a general audience
• Unshakeable ethical standards; you understand the weight of this work, and you handle it accordingly
• Comfort with legal and editorial scrutiny; you document your reporting, and you stand behind it
• Resilience: investigations get complicated, sources go cold, and stories take longer than expected. You don't quit.
• Valid driver's license and ability to drive a company vehicle
• Must be able to carry 35+ pounds of gear, and be experienced in shooting and editing unique content. We do have photographers to partner with on appropriate assignments.

Nice To Haves

• A journalism-related degree is preferred, but not required; your body of work will speak for itself
• Familiarity with ENPS, Arc, Edius, Syncbak, and Chartbeat is a plus, but not required

Responsibilities

• Drive original daily investigative and enterprise reporting for the 15 Investigates brand — not just long-form series, but accountability journalism that shows up in every newscast
• File and manage public records requests (FOIA, state open records) as a core reporting tool, not an afterthought
• Use data, documents, and records to build stories from the ground up
• Develop, cultivate, and protect confidential sources across government, law enforcement, business, and the community
• Respond to breaking and day-of news with an investigative lens — gathering records, sourcing context, and fronting stories that go deeper than the surface
• Manage longer-form investigations simultaneously at different stages of development
• Shoot, write, edit, and present your own stories as a full MMJ; you own your work from pitch to air. We do have photographers who are available for necessary stories, but you shouldn't be reliant on them for every story or shoot.
• Translate complex investigative findings into compelling, accessible content for broadcast, digital, and social audiences
• Collaborate with editorial leadership on story development, legal review, and publication strategy
• Uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, and SPJ ethics — every story, every time

Benefits

• Equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.
• Compliance with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.
• Prohibition of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed