Prep Sports Writer / Coordinator -- The (Champaign-Urbana, Ill.) News-Gazette

The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana, Ill., AM, 38k Mon-Sat, 41k Sun) is seeking an energetic sports writer to report on and coordinate coverage of local high schools.

The successful candidate will be expected to work closely with our sports editor in determining coverage of the 45-some local high schools in our circulation area.

Candidates with experience in other media forms (e.g., Web, social media, video, podcasting, online chats) will be given preference.

A 35-hour work week, including night hours and weekends. Wages start at $17.30/hour.

Bonus: Live in a fabulous Big Ten college town.

Please send resume, clips and cover letter to Human Resources, The News-Gazette, P.O. Box 677, Champaign, IL 61824-0677, or e-mail the same credentials to humanresources@news-gazette.com. Please put “Prep Sports Coordinator” in the subject line.

The News-Gazette is an Equal Opportunity Employer

JournalismJobs.com - Job Listing - Prep Sports Writer / Coordinator

 

Anyone have insider trade on this shop? Size of the staff, chance to move up/on, quality of the paper and town, etc. For starters, why only 35 hours a week if it's paying that much per hour? Does it avoid benefits? I ask because the only time I had less than 40 hours was in Alabama, and they still offered full benefits. It was just a way to cut salary expenses.

 

That is what I was going to ask. If no benis that is a major thumbs down, but the rest sounds pretty great. If they offer benefits, I may apply for this position. Making 17.30 as a reporter is pretty rare as a prep sports reporter.

 

Under 40 hours most certainly means no benefits, though it looks like they pay well enough for you to go to the Marketplace or whatever it's called to be able to afford decent insurance. Champaign isn't particularly expensive, and I suspect if you have a roommate and aren't a college kid likely to destroy a house or apartment you could make a dollar go pretty far with landlords looking for someone more stable than the usual audience.

And it's a long time ago, but this is where and how Roger Ebert got his start in journalism. So, theoretically quite a bit of growth potential.

 

That's better than $31K/year. Would be a great gig for someone just out of college who's under 26 and still on their mom and dad's insurance. Better pay than most entry jobs in this field.

 

Also wonder if someone with experience were hired if that starting salary might not be a little higher. One way to find out...

I echo Carl... been through Champaign many times on the way to and from St. Louis and it's a great college town.