1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Alabama beat writer — Montgomery Advertiser

Discussion in 'Journalism Jobs' started by boundforboston, Aug 11, 2018.

  1. boundforboston

    boundforboston Well-Known Member

    Salary: 36k-42k

    The Montgomery (Alabama) Advertiser, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is looking for an energetic, enterprising reporter who can cover University of Alabama athletics.


    Want to cover the nation’s top college football program? One, under coach Nick Saban, that has won five national titles in the last nine years? This is your chance. This is a position that we are adding to our newsroom staff that will be based in Tuscaloosa.


    Obviously, time is of the essence. The season opener is less than three weeks away. If you think you have what it takes, you better respond quickly.


    We want a passionate, driven and creative person who has proven experience on a competitive beat. We don’t care about every canned press conference quote or minor injury. The person we hire must be able to break out from the pack and write the stories no one else is writing. The primary focus is football and men’s basketball while realizing many stories exist off the beaten path in other sports.


    This candidate must be flexible, mobile, open-minded and eager while embracing many ideas with a curiosity to learn more. We are looking for reporters who are S.W.A.N.s – Smart, Works Hard, Ambitious and Nice. That is non-negotiable.


    Typical job duties:


    • Create storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences through various platforms.


    • Connect with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, etc.)


    • Provide thoughtful analysis of complex issues.


    • Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.


    Skills you need:


    • Bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications.


    • Deep understanding of and curiosity about competition for our customers’ time and money.


    • Self-motivation and self-direction.


    • Advanced knowledge of social media and how to engage fan base on digital platforms.


    • Shoots and produces videos with nearly every story and handles basic editing of both.


    • Effective communicator who can work with diverse personalities.


    • Able to multi-task and excel under intense deadline pressure in a rapidly changing environment.


    • Applies innovative, creative thinking to support the company’s goals.


    • Standard writing, spelling, grammar, AP and local style knowledge of a professional journalist.


    • Command of media law and principles of ethical conduct.

    Valid Drivers License required for this position.


    Interested applicants should apply online AND send your resume, five reporting examples and cover letter expressing why you’re the best candidate: Brad Zimanek, Montgomery Advertiser Sports Editor/Consumer Experience Director,bzimanek@gannett.com

    Search Jobs - USA TODAY NETWORK Careers
     
  2. Tom Ato

    Tom Ato Member

    Wow, a job that actually publicly lists the salary range! :eek:
     
  3. Tom Ato

    Tom Ato Member

    And if they're looking for someone who already has a good bit of experience on this specific beat, there's someone I have in mind who would be a great candidate assuming he's interested. Won't name him, obviously, but he was previously working for a website that recently shut down.
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2018
  4. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    And, as much as I hate to say it because I do appreciate them listing that, doesn't that seem a little low for a big boy job like this?
     
    Tweener likes this.
  5. TexasVet

    TexasVet Active Member

    Agreed on low pay for this job. However, the ad states that this is a newly-added position. I would've figured Montgomery would've had this position already, but kudos to them for adding it and posting the salary. It takes some balls for newspapers in this day and age to add new positions worth $36-42K when most papers are cutting back on such jobs.
     
  6. cjericho

    cjericho Well-Known Member

    So they've never had an Alabama beat writer at this paper?
     
  7. AndrettiSJ

    AndrettiSJ Member

    Not sure, but they have a columnist/videographer named Duane Rankin who writes frequently about Alabama. I guess they wanted someone to focus solely on the beat. Last I checked the Advertiser is looking for an Auburn beat writer too.
     
  8. Tweener

    Tweener Well-Known Member

    It's Gannett, and it's in Alabama. The company doesn't care if it's a big boy job, it only cares that it can get decent enough candidates who should be able to live in that part of the country on that salary. It's likely not getting a stud reporter for that pay, but my experience with Gannett tells me it doesn't care. Rant over.
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2018
  9. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    This right here is part of the reason I'm content to be a long-term institution with a bit of job security (as much as is left in this business, anyway) at the Podunk Daily Bugle instead of aggressively trying to move up the ladder. $36-42K is not all that much more than I'm making now.
    Coupled with Gannett's fetish for layoffs, once you reach a certain point in life there's simply not much incentive to go after that kind of job.
    And it's terrible to think that. This is a great opportunity for someone to do good work on a major, major beat and launch themselves into the stratosphere. It's sad that this used to be the kind of job you aspire your whole career for, and now if you think of it as more than a steppingstone you're probably being naive.
     
    Slacker and Tweener like this.
  10. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Probably the best aspect of the job is not having to hang out in the office and attend meetings hearing about new "initiatives." I'm surprised they aren't asking the reporter to also cover UAB.
     
  11. Tweener

    Tweener Well-Known Member

    I think just about any job covering Alabama football is worth looking into, but it's sad that the pay assures that anyone working this particular beat with any kind of flourish won't be there for the long haul.

    It's a known fact that turnover gets expensive for companies, so why not make the pay a little more competive and try to retain someone who may do good work on this essential beat?
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2018
    Batman likes this.
  12. cjericho

    cjericho Well-Known Member

    Turnover gets expensive for companies that put money into recruiting and training employees. But for positions like this, does it really matter to them if they get a new reporter every year?
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page