Bradenton (FL) sports reporter

From jj.com Sounds like a pretty good opportunity. What do we know about this place?

The Bradenton Herald has an immediate opening for a sports reporter who can help solidify our local coverage of 11 high schools, Manatee Community College, IMG Academies and a variety of youth recreation leagues. There may also be opportunities to supplement our coverage of spring training (we're the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates) and the NFL (Tampa Bay Bucs).

The ideal candidate is an excellent writer with a solid work ethic and the initiative to locate and produce enterprise, profiles and features. He/she must be accurate and comfortable under deadline pressure with the ability to recognize news angles and develop sources. Experience in using the Web to complement our coverage is a definite plus.

The Herald is a fiercely competitive 50,000-circulation McClatchy paper located on Florida’s inviting west coast.

Send resume, cover letter and clips to Kamon Simpson, Sports Editor, Bradenton Herald, 102 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton, FL 34205, or email to: ksimpson@heraldtoday.com

 

Kamon's still getting used to Fla., but I know he's done some pretty creative stuff in the past.

 

Where was he before??

 

Anybody got more details on Bradenton (city and the paper), pay, etc?

 

I fired an e-mail of inquiry recently.

 

The city's kind of middle class Florida. Retirees, people who work for Tropicana, etc. Not as nice as its neighbor to the south, Sarasota. It has some nice beaches.

The paper, from what I see of it, is OK--just your standard chain lots o' wire/lots o' local paper. Lots of preps there--the local high schools are often in contention for state football titles.

 

you could probably get a lot of good stories out of those IMG Academies, so good especially if you like golf, tennis or soccer.

 

Kamon was in Stockton, Calif.
As for the IMG academies, I know at least one of their baseball instructors was just hired by a pretty successful D-I baseball program, so you'll be able to cultivate some sources on that level, too.
McClatchey's got a good rep for taking care of their employees, IMO, so that might limit the horror stories about cutbacks, etc. (notice I said cut back, and not eliminate, as who knows what the residuals of McClatchey's recent purchases will do long term.)

 

Anyone wants to know about the paper or town, pm me.

 

OK, you all work in sports media and the word "Bradenton" doesn't ring a bell?

The best young athletic talent in this country filters through Bradenton. It's the word on the lips of every parent trying to get Johnny or Susie into travel soccer as a 3-year-old. It's the carrot that is dangled in front of every child tennis player.

Bradenton is a very unique sports scene, full of stories, plus proximity to the big stuff as others have alluded to.

 

I've been with The Herald for over a year and will give anyone the dirt on the paper, city, pay, etc.

Just PM away...