Video Reporter (Columbus Guild)

USA Today•Columbus, OH

About The Position

The Columbus Dispatch/Dispatch.com seeks a reporter to provide text and video coverage of breaking and trending news, including afternoon and evening crime and public safety, traffic and weather developments, breaking news such as openings and closings, and high-interest topics of the day. The reporter will quickly identify and cover timely, high-interest news and, whenever possible, be first in the market on major breaking stories. The role involves writing multiple times per day, shooting video and photos, and producing quick videos and photo galleries for nearly every story, as well as occasional video-only content. The reporter is expected to be among the newsroom’s top pageview producers. The reporter will use fundamental reporting skills to access public records, build sources, conduct interviews, and find, analyze, and interpret data. They will follow analytics, including Google Trends, and monitor social channels to identify emerging topics and audience interests. The reporter will also request user-generated content from social platforms and other sources, and is expected to embrace artificial intelligence as a tool for improving reporting and efficiency. The position includes localizing national and state stories for the local audience and may involve working with reporters and editors to create alternate URLs from existing stories. The reporter will occasionally report in the field on subjects ranging from business openings and closings to major breaking news. The schedule includes working weeknights. Applicants should submit one PDF containing, in order, a one-to-two-page resume, a cover letter explaining their approach to the job, and links to three to six online work samples.

Requirements

Fundamental reporting skills, including accessing public records, building sources, conducting interviews, and finding, analyzing, and interpreting data.
Ability to quickly identify and execute coverage of timely, high-interest news.
Ability to shoot video and photos and produce quick videos and photo galleries.
Understanding of analytics, including Google Trends, and ability to use social channels to identify emerging topics and audience interests.
Willingness to embrace artificial intelligence as a tool for reporting and efficiency.
Availability to work weeknights.

Responsibilities

Provide text and video coverage of breaking and trending news, including crime and public safety, traffic and weather, openings and closings, and other high-interest topics.
Quickly identify and report timely, high-interest news, aiming to be first in the market on major breaking stories whenever possible.
Write multiple times per day as needed and shoot video and photos.
Create quick videos and photo galleries for nearly every story and occasionally produce video-only content.
Access public records, build sources, conduct interviews, and find, analyze, and interpret data.
Monitor analytics, including Google Trends, and social channels to identify emerging topics and audience interests.
Request user-generated content from social platforms and other sources.
Use artificial intelligence to improve reporting and efficiency.
Localize national and state stories for the local audience.
Work with reporters and editors to create alternate URLs from existing stories when needed.
Occasionally report in the field on topics including business openings and closings and major breaking news.