Job Description

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USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. To connect with us, visit

The Courier Journal is looking for a politics reporter to join its state government team. We are looking for a journalist who can report on key players and issues driving legislation and policies in Kentucky while holding them accountable amid an increasingly partisan climate.

The job will have challenges and opportunities. Kentucky has a popular Democratic governor yet is a red state. It is home to high-profile national figures like former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul. It has one of the most closely watched U.S. Senate races in the nation this year with Sen. McConnell’s retirement as well as a 60-day legislative session that begins in January.

The politics reporter will play an integral role in daily coverage of all of the above, including the session from Frankfort. 

The successful candidate should have a track record of seeking out stories that will be widely read and impactful. This person should be able to write in a variety of styles while maintaining appropriate tone and fairness. The ability to use the latest in trends, metrics and social media tools to inform your story choices in consultation with your editor is a plus, as is comfort with data and data visualization. 

If you thrive on being the first to report a story of statewide consequences and can develop the sources to give you the scoop, this could be the right position for you.

The Courier Journal is an 11-time Pulitzer Prize-winning news organization in a metro area known for its nationally recognized chefs and restaurants; vibrant music scene, including the Bourbon & Beyond music festival; world-class bourbon distilleries; and Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. The quality of life is sky high, and the cost of living is impressively low.

Responsibilities

• Report quickly, clearly and accurately.
• Use metrics to inform story choices and shape strategies. This includes being adept at SEO.
• Be aware of USA TODAY Co. properties and work with them on a regular basis. Write local news stories to be consumed by a national audience. Focus on story production details.
• Work with editors to experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and alternate story forms. This includes experimenting with long-tail (evergreen) content.
• Monitor real-time news and sniff out the most important and fascinating stories important to our audiences.
• Demonstrate fast news judgment on an ongoing basis

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience using social media accounts to identify stories.
• Strong command of AP grammar and style.
• An understanding of reporting ethics, fairness and sourcing.
• The ability to collaborate.
• Experience creating visual news graphics optimized for social is a plus.
• A valid driver's license, reliable transportation and the minimum liability insurance required under state law.
• Employment is contingent on passing a pre-employment, post-offer background check.

How To Apply

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

• Your resume – one to two pages.
• A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
• Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where USA TODAY Co. employs employees. In addition, USA TODAY Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicant’s disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals’ application for employment with USA TODAY Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact USA TODAY Co., Inc.’s Recruitment Department at Recruit@usatodayco.com. Applicants must be authorized to work in the applicable location. Applications from outside these regions will be removed from our system after submission.

Job Tags

Full time, Local area,

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