Reporter - Community Insight Ann Arbor

Advance Media•Ann Arbor, MI

11d•$55,000 - $65,000•Hybrid

About The Position

MLive seeks a news reporter to cover the University of Michigan and business development in Washtenaw and Livingston counties. The role requires a reporter who can write sharp stories and strong video scripts, produce social videos, and conduct longer enterprise work. The ideal candidate will listen to community buzz and turn curiosity into useful, trusted journalism, rather than relying solely on officials or institutions for story ideas. The position involves using social monitoring tools, search trends, public information feeds, meeting agendas, and community conversations to stay informed about daily news and identify reader questions. The reporter should be able to quickly transition from listening to reporting, producing timely updates and explainers, making calls, engaging with the community, and advancing stories that are already being discussed. Candidates should be comfortable using AI responsibly as a tool for efficiency, idea generation, context building, and in-depth topic exploration. The role emphasizes accountability and service journalism through FOIAs, building a source network, asking rigorous questions, and explaining the impact of local decisions on daily life. The reporter will also be comfortable appearing on camera and producing short, engaging social videos. Digital fluency and audience focus are essential, including understanding where local residents engage, their questions, and how to create useful, repeatable coverage formats. The ability to work at a high tempo, balancing fast daily updates with enterprise, accountability, and explanatory stories to build reader trust and habit, is crucial. The position allows for independent and remote work, as well as in-office presence at MLive. Reliable transportation is required for meeting sources or covering events.

Requirements

At least two years of professional journalism experience with a demonstrated ability to produce clear, compelling, and accurate reporting.
A degree in journalism, communications, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience.
Ability to identify, verify, and develop important stories that resonate with everyday residents, including ideas surfaced through reader questions, social conversation, search trends, and public records.
Comfort appearing on camera and producing short, engaging social videos that bring reporting to wider audiences.
Digital fluency and audience focus, including an understanding of where local residents are talking, what they are asking, and how to turn that curiosity into useful, repeatable coverage formats.
Comfort working at a high tempo, balancing fast, accurate daily updates with enterprise, accountability, and explanatory stories that build reader trust and habit.
Ability to work independently and remotely, as well as in the MLive office.
This job requires reliable transportation to meet with sources or cover events.

Nice To Haves

Candidates should also feel comfortable using AI responsibly as a tool to work smarter, surface story ideas, build context and go deeper on important topics.

Responsibilities

Cover the University of Michigan and business development in Washtenaw and Livingston counties.
Write sharp stories and strong video scripts.
Produce TikTok or other social videos when the story calls for it.
Dig into longer enterprise work that helps readers understand their community.
Listen closely to the buzz in the community and turn curiosity into useful, trusted journalism.
Use social monitoring tools, search trends, public information feeds, meeting agendas, and community conversations to stay on top of daily news and identify reader questions.
Move quickly from listening to reporting: producing timely updates and explainers, making calls, getting into the community, and advancing stories people are already talking about.
Use AI responsibly as a tool to work smarter, surface story ideas, build context, and go deeper on important topics.
Identify, verify, and develop important stories that resonate with everyday residents, including ideas surfaced through reader questions, social conversation, search trends, and public records.
Prioritize accountability and service journalism by filing FOIAs, building a strong and varied source network, asking rigorous questions, and explaining how local decisions affect daily life.
Appear on camera and produce short, engaging social videos that bring reporting to wider audiences.
Understand where local residents are talking, what they are asking, and how to turn that curiosity into useful, repeatable coverage formats.
Work at a high tempo, balancing fast, accurate daily updates with enterprise, accountability, and explanatory stories that build reader trust and habit.
Work independently and remotely, as well as in the MLive office.
Use reliable transportation to meet with sources or cover events.