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Copy editor, Pensacola News Journal

Discussion in 'Journalism Jobs' started by jmb51879, Jan 8, 2010.

  1. jmb51879

    jmb51879 Member

    Location: 101 E Romana St, Pensacola, FL 32502
    Employee Type: Full-Time
    Industry: Newspaper Printing - Publishing
    Manages Others: No
    Job Type: Media - Journalism - Newspaper Design
    Experience: Not Specified
    Contact: pnjjobs@pensacolanewsjournal.com
    Fax: 850-470-4430
    Description: We’re looking for a Copy Editor who can perform in both the online and print world. In the print world, the successful candidate is skilled at writing headlines, working with photos and page design and has a knack for editing. In the online world, the successful candidate can work with reporters in posting stories, creating photo galleries and understanding Search Engine Optimization for headline writing and establishing keywords. Our copy desk works four, 10-hour shifts per week.
    Requirements: College degree is required. Copy editing experience preferred.

    You can pm me with questions ... It's a spot on the universal desk. Sports knowledge is a HUGE plus.
     
  2. Shifty Squid

    Shifty Squid Member

    I worked here pretty recently (though not as a copy editor) and can answer most questions if you want a perspective from someone who's not currently working there. Feel free to PM me if you're interested.

    Some generalities ... It's a Gannett shop, and it comes with all the requisite warnings you would expect with Gannett. Some good people work there, but the staff has shrunk considerably in the past year or so. Pensacola is a good place to live if you love the beach and are cool with small-ish towns. If you crave the big city and/or don't care that much for hanging out at the beach, it might not work for you.
     
  3. albert77

    albert77 Well-Known Member

    Actually, Pensacola's not that small a town, probably 55,000 in the city itself, and at least that many in the surrounding area.

    Also, one thing to keep in mind is it's a HUGE military town. Pensacola has a big Navy presence, and is probably the home of Naval aviation, plus Eglin AFB is right next door.
     
  4. Shifty Squid

    Shifty Squid Member

    Not small. Small-ish. And I suppose it's all relative in that case. But if you're expecting a city even along the lines of a medium-sized college town, it's just not there. It's not Podunk. Just not exactly the height of culture.

    And yes, albert's right about it being a big military town. The base is on the side of town you probably wouldn't deal with too much if you worked at the paper, which is probably a good thing. If Pensacola has a side of town you'd call "nasty," that's it. The paper's office is right downtown (at least for now), and the downtown is fairly small but pretty nice. A couple of good bars and good restaurants within walking distance of the office.
     
  5. HarryNutsack

    HarryNutsack New Member

    What's the pay like for this job?
     
  6. Shifty Squid

    Shifty Squid Member

    I certainly can't speak for that, personally.

    However, and it may not mean much to a copy editor, but the sports people are all good guys. The SE is Bill Vilona, and he's very good people, as they say. The news editor is also easy to work with. I've heard their old copy chief is gone, so I'm not sure who's running the desk now.
     
  7. GlenQuagmire

    GlenQuagmire Active Member

    FYI: I'm hearing that the Pensacola executive editor might be on the move.
     
  8. Shifty Squid

    Shifty Squid Member

    Interesting, Glen. That actually surprises me a bit.

    The guy's name is Dick Schneider. I don't know how exactly he deals with the copy desk, but he's really a pretty good guy in the end. He'll talk sports with you if you're interested. I think he used to be a sports editor/writer for awhile and is somewhat hands-on with the sports department. When I was there was a tough time to be at the paper, and he had several very difficult decisions to make, but I thought he handled them reasonably well, fwiw.
     
  9. For what it's worth, Pensacola's metro area as defined by the Census bureau has about a half-million people.
     
  10. Shifty Squid

    Shifty Squid Member

    Yeah, that includes a pretty damn big area. All of Escambia and Santa Rosa County, meaning something like 2,000 square miles. That's Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Pensacola Beach, Jay, Pace, etc., etc. It's rather spread out. That population number is pretty misleading. But yes, it's not a tiny town.
     
  11. spud

    spud Member

    Anybody that's been to that area will know that folks from Pace, Navarre, Jay, Milton etc... don't consider themselves from Pensacola. I suppose it's easier to say "Pensacola" for those not in the know, but if you're from Pace, you're from Pace.

    Pensacola is an alright sports town. They have a minor league baseball team, a small hockey team and Pensacola High won the 3A state football title this year. This paper covers all the aforementioned schools, but there are a lot so you get the requisite bitching that comes with disgruntled parents.

    From my vantage, the area itself blows. The area between Pensacola and Tallahassee is barren, and Pensacola is a pretty dead city as far as cities goes. As far as I'm concerned, beaches aside, there's very little to draw your interest anywhere near the coast between Mobile and Tallahassee. It most definitely is the Redneck Riviera.
     
  12. deskslave

    deskslave Active Member

    FWIW, minor league in this case means independent league. They were in a couple of short-lived startup leagues in the early- to mid-2000s, and since then have been in the new American Association.

    The good news if you like baseball is that the leagues come and go, but Pensacola seems to hold onto its team fairly well.
     
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