Reporter

MediaNews Group • Irvine, CA

2d

About The Position

The Orange County Register is seeking an experienced reporter to cover state and federal-level politics (from a county perspective), local education and other key issues in the area. Orange County is a diverse, innovative community with 3.2 million residents, and we need a strong reporter who sees past outdated perceptions of the county. This reporter should be aggressive and resourceful while being a watchdog, keeping an eye on Orange County’s elected officials in Sacramento and Washington D.C., as well as key figures in local school districts. We're looking for journalists with the ability to produce strong enterprise and breaking news for digital and print platforms. Our ideal candidates can cultivate sources, write compelling narratives, keep an eye on OC lawmakers in the state Assembly and Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. The reporter should cut through political noise and jargon to translate how the decisions those elected officials make affect OC residents. This reporter would also need to be able to spot trends in the county’s school districts. A candidate should be comfortable mining public records for deep investigative pieces and be eager to work in a collaborative environment.

Requirements

• Strong news judgment and a drive to compete
• Ability to write clean concise copy that draws readers in, including nut graphs and online headlines for SEO
• At least two years of professional journalism experience; prior political and/or government reporting experience preferred
• Ability to gather and decipher campaign finance data for candidates at both the federal and state levels
• Drive to juggle multiple stories of varying complexity, from quick news posts under intense deadline pressure to daily news stories and longer-term enterprise
• Proficiency at using the web and social media to report stories and to share them
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and have reliable transportation
• Must be available for shift work. May be required to work various hours for coverage outside of normal business hours
• A full pre-employment background check and MVR will be conducted as part of the selection process.
• Must be willing to submit and pass the necessary required checks

Nice To Haves

• Facility with multiple languages is a plus
• Ability to take own photos is a plus

Responsibilities

• Mine human sources, documents and data, including a facility for mining public records
• Versatility is a must, as stories will cover a variety of topics
• Write on deadline in a fast-paced environment
• Produce stories that are assigned, and be able to pitch story ideas on a regular basis
• Research and develop stories to the utmost accuracy
• Cultivate sources in person and through other avenues, including via social media
• Understand and use company-provided hardware, software and cloud-based equipment and systems for company business and tasks
• Discuss stories throughout the process with the assignment editor, including (but not limited to): idea development, overcoming hurdles, editing, strategy for presentation and analysis of analytics
• Work with the photo and graphics teams to ensure exploration of all the visual ways stories can be told or enhanced
• Collaborate with other Register local reporters in a positive culture of teamwork

Benefits

• The hourly wage is $24.04 + cell phone stipend.
• In addition to your salary, the Company offers eligible employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, 401k, as well as paid time off and select paid holidays (all benefits are based on eligibility).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees