Prep Writer, Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal

From Career Builder:

Description
The Pensacola News Journal is seeking a lead high school sportswriter to handle our two-county region, which is filled with some of the top prep athletic programs in Florida. This position entails producing quality enterprise stories, breaking news, a weekly prep page, as well as assisting with our new high school web page. The teams in this area have routinely advanced to state tournaments at various classifications in all sports. Send a resume, plus a week’s worth of prep writing samples to sports editor, Bill Vilona. Writing samples can be sent to Bill Vilona at [Click Here to Email Your Resumé] or to Bill Vilona's attention at 101 East Romana Street, Pensacola, FL 32502.

Requirements
The ideal candidate must have a minimum of three years of experience at a daily newspaper, covering high schools.

 

Everybody's wondering where he go, he must be down in Pensacola hiding from the snow

That's all I got.

 

A good number of professional athletes have come from that area, particularly a bunch of pro golfers (Boo Weekley, Heath Slocum, Bubba Watson, Joe Durant), but also Travis Fryman, Emmitt Smith, Lawrence Tynes, and a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Now, anybody know anything about the paper? It's Gannett, but that's less of a red flag every day as the rest of the newspaper world races to catch up with the mothership in its buyout/layoff frenzy.

 

Where did Chuck Corder (the former prep writer) go to? And before the thread police jump on me, yes I googled his name and couldn't find anything.

Also, didn't George Moore used to be the SE recently (also couldn't find anything on the google)? Or should I just no go there?

 

Typical Gannett cautions apply, but Bill Vilona is very much good people.

 

What exactly qualifies as a "week's worth of prep writing samples?"

 

Chuck Corder just left for a job outside the business. Circulation is about 65K, and there are 13 football schools in our coverage area (and about 20 with basketball, baseball, etc.).
The area always has some strong prep talent even though it's the forgotten part of Florida. For example, whoever gets this job will have a chance to cover Escambia High's Trent Richardson, one of the top prep running backs in the nation for 2009. He might be the most sought-after recruit from P'cola since Emmitt Smith or Derrick Brooks.
Hope that helps. If anyone has any other questions, you can PM me.

That's just a number, it doesn't mean a consecutive week of clips or anything.

 

That's a fairly obscure reference. A good reference, just fairly obscure.

Should have waited until Monday to post it...

 

I interviewed at the PNJ a while back for a different job and I have nothing but good things to say about the people I met there. Bill Vilona is one of the nicest people I've ever met in an interview setting.

 

I agree. In the few conversations I've had with Bill Vilona I found him to be a great guy. Very honest and helpful.

 

Any idea on pay?

 

FYI, here is the APSE ad Bill posted if the other one wasn't enough information...

The Pensacola News Journal is seeking a lead high school writer to handle our two-county region, which contains some of the top prep athletic programs in Florida.

The ideal candidate will have three years of experience at a daily newspaper, covering high schools, maintaining a beat. Like all position openings these days, this job entails handling content for multiple platforms. We seek creative enterprise and features, plus assisting in production of a weekly prep page. A new prep online site begins for the upcoming season.

There is no shortage of potential material. The prep teams in this area have routinely advanced to state final four events, or sent representatives to compete for individual championships. Candidates need to supply a full week of writing samples, including Sunday or enterprise features.

To apply, send resume, cover letter and clip samples to:

Bill Vilona
Sports Editor
Pensacola News Journal
101 East Romana St.
Pensacola, Fla. 32591