Sports Editor - Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho)

From jjobs

The Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho, is looking for a dynamic sports editor who wants to make his or her mark on coverage of local teams and issues.

We're looking for someone who thrives in a no-rules environment and who's ready to move sports coverage beyond game stories. If you're the right candidate, you'll know that personality is one of the keys to a thriving community sports section. Social media skills are important, but so is editing and writing for tone and impact.

You'll lead a staff of three full-time sports journalists as well as a stable of part-timers and freelancers. Page layout familiarity and an eye for what makes a great centerpiece are key to your success.

The staff covers the Magic Valley region of Idaho's high school sports, but also covers the College of Southern Idaho, whose men's basketball team are the current NJCAA champions.

If you love the outdoors, you'll love Twin Falls and Southern Idaho. We're home to the Snake River and Perrine Bridge (a national mecca for BASE jumpers), boast some of the region's best kayaking and fishing, and the Sawtooth Mountains and Sun Valley are an hour's drive away.

We're building something exciting here - we've got a new leadership team and are looking for a sports editor who is ready to try new things and take a few chances.

Apply online at www.magicvalley.com/workhere. In addition, send samples of work that shows what you're capable of via print or e-mail to : Josh Awtry, editor, The Times News, PO Box 548, Twin Falls, ID 83301 / jawtry@magicvalley.com

EOE
Drug Free Workplace

http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1257756

 

Not familiar with the paper, really, but the editor is a friend and gets a big-time endorsement. Awtry is a visuals guy, so expect a dedication to a cool print edition, as well as on the web. Magic Valley is an interesting little place. Beautiful. You're close to Boise, which I consider one of the great, underrated cities in the country.

 

One of my old staffers, Stephen Meyers, works at this paper, he's a great guy and works his butt off. He's on SJ sometimes, maybe he could shine some light on this job.

 

Stephen said the former SE switched over to the ad department.

 

What's the circ?

 

Right around 20K, I think.

 

I think it's like 22K

 

Not a bad spot. Lotsa preps, probably around 30 schools to cover as well as a JUCO the community supports (a rarity). The guys who work there right now are pretty good dudes that do a nice job, to boot.
College of Southern Idaho is the real deal. High-major talent in myriad sports.

 

Thanks Matt, hope you're enjoying the new job and haven't gotten struck by lightning in Arkansas

I've been at the Times-News for little under a year now and it's an exciting place to work right now. Young newsroom, with about half of the reporters (myself included) fresh out of school within the last year. Awtry stepped in as editor in February and as previously mentioned, is big on visuals as well as social media. Our Facebook referrals skyrocketed the last couple of months. Our circulation last I checked is about 20K, 21k Sundays.

As for sports, three-person staff, one of whom works out of a bureau 40 miles away in Burley. We (try to) cover about 30 high schools. Lots of 1A schools in the Magic Valley. Twin Falls is home to two 4A schools with the arrival of a new school in 2009-10 (5A is top classification in Idaho) which makes for a fun little rivalry, though new school gets its ass kicked in everything. 11 p.m. deadline makes for hectic Friday nights in the fall. This school year we had two part-timers who would help with calls on Friday nights and heavy nights during basketball season. Have another who strings games for us during football season.

As you can imagine, Boise State football is huge here. We have a correspondent in Boise who provides Broncos coverage, so we're not just relying on AP.

The College of Southern Idaho, as mentioned in the ad, won the NJCAA basketball title this season. The previous SE covered the Golden Eagles and traveled to Hutchinson, Kan. for the national tournament (though had to fight and claw with higher-ups to go). Not sure who beat is going to now.

Any other q's feel free to PM me. As for Twin Falls itself, it's the surrounding areas that makes it a cool place. I'm not the best to ask about the area: I'm 22 with no ties to Idaho, missing my girlfriend who is finishing school in another state, and as a Colorado native, I wouldn't call this place "beautiful" but I've been spoiled

 

Hey Steven,

Who does your layout/design? Is it a universal desk or one of the sports staff? What do you think you guys would like to see in a new sports editor?

 

Since it's slower in the summer, right now we're laying out three days a week (Sun/M/W). During the prep season, the copy desk designs and lays out every day except Sunday, where one of our part-timers took the Sunday shift.

I know I'd like to see more of a hands-on approach to helping us improving our writing. It was tough, especially during basketball season, to consistently get a constructive review of my work from the SE.

 

I worked with Josh Awtry for seven years. Outstanding editor. Outstanding opportunity for up-and-comer. Feel free to message me with questions. manastasi@sltrib.com.