Reporter

Job Description

The Boyle Heights Beat is a pioneering, bilingual community newsroom offering "noticias por y para la comunidad," or "news by and for the community" of Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles. Founded 15 years ago, the Beat began as a high school journalism project where professionals trained students to report on their community. Today, it has evolved into a professional newsroom of journalists dedicated full time to the Eastside, and is a trusted primary news source and was recently integrated into the Los Angeles Local News Initiative.

We are seeking a tenacious and experienced reporter who is committed to strengthening the community by providing daily, high-quality news that connects neighbors and holds local government accountable. The ideal candidate has experience in daily news production and community engagement.

This role is ideal for a journalist who is passionate about public service reporting that matters most to our readers. You will work with the Boyle Heights Beat editor to set local reporting agendas, identifying key themes and areas that need further investigation, while collaborating with other reporters, editors, and producers in the newsroom, as well as students from our high school programs and Documenters in our civic engagement program.

You'll be responsible for general assignment stories, which could include quick-turn breaking news, community member profiles, "explainer" pieces on how local government works, information-resource posts, as well as other features and investigations.

If you thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment, we want to hear from you!

Key responsibilities
Reporting and Content Creation

• Report and write several stories per week, including breaking news, in-depth features, and service-oriented pieces
• Attend and report on local government meetings and other community gatherings
• Contribute to and maintain editorial planning calendars
• Cultivate sources throughout the wider community
• Serve as an accessible, leading source of information for Boyle Heights and East L.A. residents
• Write with authority, speed, clarity, and accuracy
• Fact-check articles across various formats, including features, news stories, and analysis pieces
• Demonstrate excellent time-management skills and journalistic rigor when meeting tight deadlines
• Collaborate with the community engagement and audience teams to find creative ways to reach and serve as many parts of the community as possible, including through live events and other in-person engagements, text services, and email newsletters
• Collaborate with the editorial team to help shape the overall content strategy and tone in pursuit of public service and audience growth during this time of significant expansion for our publication
• Help uphold ethical journalism standards and ensure all content adheres to the publication's guidelines
• Represent Boyle Heights Beat at community and industry events, panels, and public speaking opportunities as needed

• Collaborate with high school reporters and provide guidance as needed
• Act as a resource for other team members, fostering a collaborative and supportive newsroom environment while modeling source development, source management, story pitching, and time management

Job Requirements

• At least five years of reporting experience
• A track record of producing high-quality journalism, ideally in a daily local newsroom environment
• Experience producing community-oriented journalism in multiple story formats that respond to different audiences
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• A commitment to ethical, accurate, and inclusive local reporting: You know how to build and maintain relationships with sources, are a thorough researcher and fact-checker, and a sharp interviewer
• Ability to pitch compelling, relevant, and achievable story ideas that align with our mission, both verbally and in writing
• Knowledge of AP style
• A solid understanding of how to obtain and use public records
• Ability to work under tight deadlines while managing multiple projects
• Familiarity with social media platforms and experience using them as tools to monitor news and develop sources
• The ability to synthesize and present complex information in a highly accessible, engaging, and clear manner for a wide range of audiences

• Personal connection to Boyle Heights or East Los Angeles
• Bilingual (Spanish/English)
• Familiarity with digital content management and audience analytics tools
• Photography skills
• Understanding of SEO principles and social media platforms
• Demonstrated experience in any of the following:
  • Community engagement
  • Data-driven reporting
  • Multimedia storytelling
• Experience with WordPress or other content management systems

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