Reporter opening at The Fresno Bee

We have an opening and this seems to be an effective forum to get the word out. Here's what I submitted for the APSE site tonight:

The Fresno Bee is looking for a reporter to cover the Fresno State football team. This high-profile beat requires dedication, patience and the ability to sniff out news and enterprise opportunities.

Candidates must demonstrate innovation in their approach to beat coverage, and possess strong writing, reporting, organizing and planning skills.

This beat stretches beyond the four months of play - it requires close attention to recruiting, spring practice and Western Athletic Conference happenings. The beat reporter also handles other Fresno State sports and general assignment in the offseason.

The Bee is a McClatchy Company newspaper in California’s central San Joaquin Valley.

Send a cover letter, resume, references and six to eight writing samples (please, no phone calls) to Sports editor Robert Zizzo, 1626 E Street, Fresno, CA 93786 or rzizzo@fresnobee.com.

 

How many years experience are you looking for, I'm a year in at 23, but I've been in a highly competitive Bay Area market, covered an election, a high profile police case, and a year of high school football on top of regualr duties.

 

Is David White still with the paper? Didn't he have that beat the last few years?

 

No.

 

thanks for that, but a) it wasn't a question for you and b) it wasn't a yes or no question

 

You're hired ... er, I mean why don't you just apply for the job if you're interested?

If you're good enough, it should show from your clips and you should have a chance at this job.

 

No.
In all seriousness, your chances of getting a job probably decrease by asking the editor questions on a msg board.
Good luck with it.

 

Why be such a cynical prick? The kid was asking a legimate question. Probably should just apply, but in general I don't know why people on this site are such pricks. People can't ask fair questions without somebody ripping them.

 

If you ask a question in a public forum, expect people OTHER than the target of said question to make responses. And don't expect them to always be complimentary. If he was worried about that kind of reaction, well, there's a PM option for that very cause. And his response was every bit at prickish at the offending post, perhaps more so, so he's not unsavvy to the fight.

 

I agree gentlemen with what you said. I'm a big boy, and can take the shots (had a few thrown my way here recently). But there are plenty who are a bit sensitive, too.

 

And Mr. Zizzo is now horrified at the direction his thread is headed.

 

yeah, i figured it's probably not the best way to do it, but i didn't get a couple of promotions because an editor thought i was too young...that's why i was inquiring.

if my reaction came off as being a sniffling little baby, that wasn't the intent...i thought it was a legitmate question, and to get some random response, aggitated me.

im curious about the transitioning from city beat and cops beat writing...and how SEs look at it.

I know I'm more than qualified, but you have to be a little cocky to succeed as a writer. No hard feelings MU, enjoy watching your boy D-Wade