South Florida Connect Reporter
About The Position
The USA TODAY Network is looking for a South Florida Connect reporter to join our service journalism and trending Connect team. This reporter will provide timely and audience-focused coverage from West Palm Beach and communities to the north, down through vibrant Fort Lauderdale and multicultural Miami, to the wonders of the Florida Keys. These sun-soaked communities are destinations for everything from growing wealth, rich real estate and investment to a hub of international tourism, hockey championships and the greatest living soccer player, Lionel Messi. We are looking for a reporter who is quick and flexible — full of topic-focused story ideas, who can urgently pursue them and write them at volume in varied formats. This reporter should be deeply curious, highly competitive, and possess the desire to inform digital audiences. The reporter should be comfortable working with local and national editors and reporters across the USA TODAY Network, and able to seamlessly move between topics important to South Florida’s diverse communities. We start with the headline, so great digital headline-writing skills are a must. The reporter will work alongside our USA TODAY Network sites in Florida, and network Connect editors and content strategists to cover high-interest stories, help swarm breaking news and plan for major events. This reporter should be comfortable interacting with and listening to social media and other digital communities, and being comfortable on camera is a plus. They will use data and analytics, and Google Trends and other SEO tools to inform their story choices and presentation on and off our platforms. This reporter must love telling stories quickly when needed, in-depth when called for, and always with accuracy. Living in South Florida and having great familiarity with its communities is preferred, as is ser capaz de escribir en español The typical shift will start early, but must be flexible for what the topic needs, meaning nights and/or weekends may also be required. The position is fully remote.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in journalism or related field
- Expertise at using social media platforms; including but not limited to Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and Bluesky.
- Command of concise writing, spelling, grammar, and AP style.
- Good fact-checking and reporting skills.
- Well-organized, detail-oriented, and flexible.
- Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
Nice To Haves
- Living in South Florida and having great familiarity with its communities
- Ser capaz de escribir en español
- Being comfortable on camera
Responsibilities
- Monitor emails, social media, community groups and other sources to find stories.
- Monitor developing stories across news, social and other media platforms for key topics important to South Florida communities.
- Efficiently and accurately write stories, several per day.
- Find, pitch and swiftly produce stories on topics of emerging interest, with a focus on what readers want and need to know.
- Ensure content is properly optimized for competitive search ranking and best practices for user experience.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
