Salem Food and Drink Reporter

USA TODAY Co. • Salem, OR

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Statesman Journal/statesmanjournal.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, seeks a reporter to cover food and drink in Oregon’s capital city and surrounding Mid-Willamette Valley. You will create multimedia food and drink content that informs our audience of breaking news, restaurant openings and closings and trends through videos, photo galleries and stories. The Mid-Valley offers a diverse culinary scene and is a major hub for farming and wineries. The reporter will balance quick-hit stories with features and enterprise that pull back the curtain on the local dining scene. Possible stories include profiles of chefs and bartenders and taking a deeper dive into the future of pinot noir in the Willamette Valley. You will look for ways to constantly grow and interact with our audience, including through polls on dining topics, and on social media. This reporter will assist our visual team when needed in producing video and stills for events and breaking news. Salem is located between the Oregon Coast and Cascade Mountain ranges in the mid-Willamette Valley. The capital city is about one hour south of Portland, one hour north of Eugene and an hour west of the stunning Oregon Coast.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• One to two years of experience in journalism with a strong foundation in news writing and reporting and ability to shoot and edit videos and stills.
• Passion and enthusiasm for producing food and drink content.
• Mastery of SEO and social media and using it to promote your work and interact with readers.
• Self-motivation and self-direction.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues, sources and the community.
• Command of media law and principles of ethical conduct.
• This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Responsibilities

• Produce food and drink content through videos, photo galleries and stories on breaking news, restaurant openings and closings and trends.
• Create interactive content, such as reader polls, to grow food and drink audience.
• Report features and enterprise on the local dining scene.
• Engage with audience and share work across social media.
• Use metrics and analytics to grow audience, engagement and digital subscriptions.
• Assist visual team when needed in producing video and stills for events and breaking news.
• Work extended hours when necessary, including evenings, weekends and holidays as news happens.

What This Job Offers

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