Auburn University beat reporter: Opelika-Auburn (Ala.) News

The Opelika-Auburn News has an immediate opening for an Auburn University beat reporter.

As the hometown newspaper of Auburn University, the Opelika-Auburn News is the leading voice of all things Auburn.

We're looking for someone who can tackle one of the nation's toughest and most high-profile beats.

The successful candidate will be someone who covers the Auburn University athletic programs on a daily basis without getting beat by the competition.

Covering games and live events, write features, enterprise and investigative pieces are all a part of the job description, but there's so much more.

The online and social media aspect of the beat is just as important. The candidate must maintain an active, conversational, inviting blog that will be updated frequently, if not daily, as well as a demanding Twitter account and following.

The candidate must be able to write for the newspaper as well as website, and must be able to break news and cover all aspects of a major, BCS Championship-level program across all platforms.

This candidate must also have a complete understanding of web and social media aspects of a job that never slows down.

This is a 24/7, 365 beat.

The candidate must be able to shoot and edit video, as well.

Commanding knowledge of AP style, impeccable news judgement and ability to manage time and multiple stories, sports and situation at once is essential.

The candidate must have at least one year of daily newspaper experience, covering a sports beat.

College sports beats are preferred, but will also consider applicants who have cover high school and/or junior college beats.

To apply, send cover letter, resume and three clips to sports editor Mike Szvetitz at mszvetitz@oanow.com.

We're looking to move as fast as we can with this, so if you're interested, don't delay in getting your stuff in.

The bar has been set extremely high by the four previous beat writers. These are big shoes to fill.

 

I would think this would be a good job for someone much younger than myself for whom living in Alabama isn't off the board. It's a big beat, and there certainly are stories to be had.

 

Here's my question: This sounds like an entry-level position. Most entry-level people are in school until May. Are they willing to wait until May to hire?

 

You think a job covering Auburn is an entry-level position?

GODDAMMIT WHY CAN'T I STOP TYPING TO YOU?

 

It's a sliding scale: Big beat, small paper ... or small beat, big paper. This isn't complicated.

 

Just prepare to get booed coming off the plane if the last team you covered was 5-19.

While I am naturally prejudiced against AU, I rather like the actual city of Auburn.

 

As a plus, you'll get to cover a coaching change when Cheesedick is fired in two or three seasons.

 

My friend Andrew Gribble covered the heck out of this beat for two or three years, then went to Knoxville and is covering the heck out of that beat. From everything he ever told me about working there, he loved the paper, he loved the beat, he loved walking around Auburn -- both the campus and the town.

You're 22? 23? 24? (Or 28 or 29 and single?) Go, report, work your butt off for a few years. The right folks will see.

This is a fine job. Nothing entry-level about it.

 

I used to work a few miles down the road in Columbus, Ga. The guy who is apparently leaving, Dave Morrison, is a heck of a reporter. I competed with him on the preps beat when I first started there and hung out with him a bit later on when he was on the Auburn beat. Good guy, good writer, hard worker and maybe the funniest DI beat Tweeter I know of. Good luck topping his history of bad puns.

Media guy, I'd say this is big beat, small paper for sure.

And as Michael_Gee mentioned, Auburn is in Alabama, which is a turnoff for some. But it's a nice little city - maybe the loveliest little village on the Plains, some might say. I actually really enjoyed my time in that corner of Georgia/Alabama and six months ago would surely have been all over this job for the chance to work that beat.

 

Where's Morrison headed?

 

Wasn't this just open 6 months ago?