Accountability Reporter
The Modesto Bee is looking for an energetic, versatile journalist who can shine a light on city governments. We don’t want to simply tell readers how their money is being spent; we want to show how the decisions being made at the local level impact their lives.
We’re looking for an enterprising reporter who can develop sources and contacts while gleaning information from agendas and public records requests. The reporter will break news that makes a difference in the community and tell stories through the lens of people affected. This reporter will hold elected officials accountable. A mixture of daily, trend and enterprising stories is expected. We’re looking for a self-paced reporter who can spot and report stories without waiting for assignments.
The reporter must understand how to grow readership in the digital space, using analytics tools, headlines, SEO and more. Monitoring your stories’ performance is a must.
Modesto is a growing community of 215,000 in Stanislaus County, which is home to 500,000 residents. The downtown area is known for its variety of local restaurants and entertainment, and the region offers plenty of outdoor recreational options. The city boasts tree-lined streets and parklands with walking and biking trails. We’re 75 miles east of the Bay Area and a 2.5-hour drive from Yosemite, Monterey and skiing.
Minimum requirements:
-
Bachelor’s degree in journalism or relevant field
-
Strong writing and reporting skills and excellent news judgment
-
Unwavering commitment to accurate, ethical journalism
-
Demonstrated ability to use social media platforms to reach and engage with audiences
-
Demonstrated ability to access and analyze public records, including campaign finance data, court records, property records and salary information
-
Demonstrated ability to tell stories using a variety of tools and platforms, including capturing and editing video and data/graphics
-
Demonstrated ability to work comfortably in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven, shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation and always evolving
- Must have reliable transportation. Must have valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance required (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).