Sports Editor; Flagstaff, Ariz.

Flagstaff is a beautiful area to live, but not cheap.

http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1202026

Company: Arizona Daily Sun
Position: Sports Editor
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: $25,000 to $30,000

Description:
Sports Editor
The Arizona Daily Sun, an 11,000-circulation daily in Flagstaff, the gateway to the Grand Canyon, is seeking a talented community journalist to head our two-person sports department. We are in a city of 60,000 with a Division I state university and a lively prep sports scene. The ideal candidate will be a knowledgeable reporter able to meet tight deadlines and a versatile and compelling writer. The sports editor will also set coverage priorities and build contacts within the sports community. At least three years of daily deadline reporting and experience using multimedia platforms are a must.

The Arizona Daily Sun is an equal opportunity employer with a full range of employee benefits. We are a drug-free workplace and the successful candidate will be required to pass a pre-employment drug screen and criminal background check. Reliable transportation and a willingness to work evenings and weekends are required. This position requires proof of insurance and a valid driver's license.

To apply, please submit a resume through JournalismJobs.com. Also, please send a detailed cover letter and 3 to 5 samples of recent work as a reporter and/or editor in tearsheet or printout form to Randy Wilson, Editor,Arizona Daily Sun, 1751 So. Thompson St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001

 

I've always wondered why Flagstaff has such a low circulation for such a decent-sized city. Anyone care to shed light on that? I'd be somewhat interested in applying for this spot if the pay was so sketchy.

 

I'm wondering if anything is going on at this paper. I see they're looking for a City Editor as well. Are people looking to get out of there, or what?

 

I'm familiar with this paper; feel free to PM me with any questions. BTW, the district closed Sinagua High School this year, so the lucky winner of this sweepstakes will only have two city schools to juggle (and a small prep school), plus NAU and a bevy of outdoor sports.
Great city, good paper and, yes, it's only 90 minutes to the northern tip of Phoenix (which seems to creep closer by the minute).

 

Did you see how much they're paying the city editor? I'd be a little ticked that they're low-balling sports so badly, considering it's the same circulation and all.

 

They want a resume to be sent online, but hard copies of everything else? That seems a little odd, too.

 

A lot has changed at this spot since I left in the mid aughts ... the salary won't take you far in Flagstaff. They call it "poverty with a view" for a reason. 90 minutes to Phoenix is stretching it. It's 90 minutes to the Happy Valley Rd. exit on I-17, but you're looking at a good two hours if you're looking to get to downtown or to Glendale to see the Coyotes or Cards.

Randy is a good editor, and you'll learn from him. I was stubborn and didn't realize that at the time, but he made me a better reporter. The photo staff there is REALLY good for a paper its size.

The city is cool, and I miss it sometimes. Tremendous outdoor options within miles of the city limits. Several breweries in town. Couple of great Thai food spots. Decent local music scene (at least there used to be).

As far as the city editor, I don't know, but she had been there for quite a few years, so it's not like she just took the job recently and is trying to bolt.

 

Had some prelim discusssions with them prior to accepting my current post. As far as the turnover, educated guess is with a two-person staff you get worked to death, plenty of unpaid OT and minimal salary. If you're good, you get somewhere else after a couple of years. If not, you get out.

Again, just a generalization, not referring to anyone in particular who might have worked there.

 

It used to be a three-person staff, and then they moved to a universal desk that took most of the design duties away from the sports staff. I left just as this was happening. Also, I can't speak much about Lee because the paper was just making the transition from Pulitzer to Lee as I left.

There are a ton of Daily Sun sports alums doing good things in the industry. The last SE just left for a job in Tucson. Off the top of my head ... one former DS writer became a golf writer in Vegas before leaving the biz, another was eventually a columnist in Michigan, one is a DI beat writer in Virginia, one became the Cardinals beat writer for the East Valley Trib before moving on to a job with the Cardinals, one was a sports editor in another part of the state before moving on to the Dallas Morning News, another is now working for the Japan Times.

The work is hard, but you can get clips and get out. The sports editor writes here, too. He's not just someone who works desk. And you've got an ally in the managing editor who will teach you how to report and report well. I still use a ton of lessons from him today.

The Sun used to cover a bunch of Phoenix pro stuff, but I think the reduction in staff size and the move to Lee killed a lot of that. We all did that on our own time and mileage anyway. I wouldn't do that again today, but when I was 21-24 years old, the opportunity to learn how to cover pro sports in a low-pressure environment (we weren't exactly breaking news down there, nor expected to) was invaluable to my career down the road. The words "talented community journalist" in the ad tells me that your only opportunities to cover Phoenix pros will be win the Cards come to Flag for training camp.

 

Cosmo is a prophet ... he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

 

Echo the obvious strengths of the town and setting. I passed through a few months ago and didn't see much life to the product. That might be dependent on the staff at a given moment.