AP Sports Writer -- Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Description

The Associated Press seeks a top-notch, experienced Newsperson/Sports Reporter in Wisconsin.

The demands are high: Responsibilities include covering the Green Bay Packers, one of the top teams in the NFL and a storied, beloved franchise; Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers; the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks; and the sports programs at two high-profile universities in Marquette and the University of Wisconsin. There is auto racing, golf and speedskating, too. It’s a daunting but exciting job and we want someone with a proven track record of building reliable sources, breaking news, writing accurate and compelling copy on deadline, and delivering smart enterprise that shows ownership of a beat, team or sport. This is a position that requires speed without sacrificing quality, excellent planning skills, an eagerness to collaborate with colleagues and the ability to juggle multiple beats and assignments. While the reporter will primarily work in text, the successful candidate should be familiar with the demand for content in multiple formats (photos, video, audio) and can work with his or her colleagues to deliver it.

The successful candidate will:

Identify and develop stories that break news, have impact and are exclusive to the AP.
Report and produce compelling enterprise for state, national and global audiences.
Execute those stories in all formats, in a timely fashion under deadline pressure.
Report and produce content on deadline in competitive situations.
Use social media tools in the work of reporting and engaging with readers.
Have experience in reporting on professional sports teams.

Qualifications:

Candidates should have demonstrated excellence as a beat reporter, and have a proven record of developing sources, breaking news, originating story ideas and writing on deadline in a clear and engaging way. Applicants should understand the growing importance of multimedia news and be able to coordinate with AP staffers from other formats. The successful candidate should have at least five years of full-time, daily sports reporting experience.

Other qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to juggle multiple projects across formats and meet deadlines.
The ability to work nights and weekends, and to travel to various sports assignments.
A willingness and ability to help cover general news in Wisconsin in rare circumstances.

Advanced-level professional competency in written and spoken English language is required. Authorization to work in the United States for any employer is mandatory.

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP.

AP seeks to build an inclusive organization grounded in respect for differences. We support all aspects of diversity and provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability or status as a veteran in accordance with applicable nondiscrimination laws.

http://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH09/ats/careers/requisition.jsp;jsessionid=C13556C23262EACB8CD70E04BD17F3FD.NA10_primary_jvm?org=AP&cws=1&rid=2527

>I would imagine they've got an internal candidate in mind, but this is certainly a big boy or big girl job.

 

To those of us in Wisconsin, it's unclear if they have someone in mind. This job has been open since Oct. 1, 2012 when Chris Jenkins left for a job at Marquette University.

To AP's credit, they've brought in other very capable (and in some cases high-profile) staffers from other bureausaround the country to staff significant events in Wisconsin during these last seven months. But the vacancy has caused a few other inconveniences, namely coordinating and running the AP All-State high school teams and just having someone in Milwaukee that can communicate coverage plans with papers around the state.

Here's hoping they can make a swift hire, but a good one. After all, Packer Family Fun night is right around the corner! ;D

 

Bob is the man for the job.

 

I went to Wisconsin last summer for the first time, and fell in LOVE with it. I wasn't in Milwaukee proper except for one night, but it was freaking amazing. If I could write my way out of a paper bag, I'd apply for this.

 

Milwaukee's underrated. GREAT city. Might have to apply. Worst that can happen is no response.

 

Surprising it has been open so long, especially given a high-profile beat like the Packers and AP's love for promoting from within.

 

My one visit to Milwaukee was equally enjoyable. I knew it was my kind of place when we went on the Lakefront Brewery tour, during which you get four samples and a full beer at the end, and you get to keep the glass, all for the princely sum of $6. And they have Bernie Brewer's slide from County Stadium.

Definitely an underrated city.

 

Don't forget SummerFest ... had some great times there back in the mid-1990s when the NASCAR tour made its stop at the Milwaukee Mile ... great food, great beer and some KILLER bands ... caught Metallica on the main stage one year; another time, Shania Twain ...

 

+1

 

OK, so AP likes to promote from within. Certainly not unique there. But that sort of raises the question: how does one start with AP in the first place? Do you start on the agate desk or someplace else? If so, how? And if you have 10 years of experience on the agate desk, do you qualify for a beat writing opening when it comes open?

 

I think you start in news and move over to sports.

When I was there, we had this nine-month internship-type gig and most of those people wound up at some other bureau.

 

Interesting. I know a lot of smaller bureaus have a person who does both and I've always prided myself on my versatility.

How did you get the internship-type gig?

I'm not saying a job at AP is better or worse than some other gigs. Just sort of always intrigued me.