Sports/news reporter, The Associated Press, Jackson, Miss.

If you would delete that thread I started I'd appreciate it.

 

Ralph Russo did a pretty good job, I thought, back when he was in Jackson.

He'd occasionally pull the Mississippi double and pick up the 11:30 kick in Oxford, and then hightail it to Starkville for State, if they had late kickoff. Or vice versa.

With the number of college programs in Mississippi, this would be a decent gig for a native son or daughter, and, if you did good work there, moving up in AP is really possible.

For examples, see Russo and Talbot.

 

Who covers Ole Miss? This job or Memphis? I know Jackson does Southern Miss and Mississippi State.

 

This job would cover Ole Miss.

 

Stephen Hawkins, who I believe is still with the AP in Dallas, had this job before Ralph, and he set the benchmark for excellence. Needless to say, whoever takes this position has some big shoes to fill.

 

Hawkins is still in Dallas. And boy, is that a big range to cover.

 

Fixed it for you.

 

32K is starting salary for an AP reporter?!? For the record, my first job at a daily newspaper at the Herald paid about 38K, and that was in 1987.

 

Lot of downsizing Michael plus remember, we're talking Jackson, Ms., not Boston, Mass. Pay is relative. It's a good gig but remember, an AP gigl is a thankless job. You will earn whatever you make. And don't think that you will only be covering sports. They are looking for someone to handle news as well.

 

I started in this business about five or six years ago, so all I can say is things have apparently changed for the worse. Thanks for depressing me.

 

Hawkins and Russo I've known thru the years. They did great work with that gig.
Whoever gets it needs help.
A part-time worker would be a good addition.
There is a lot of ground one has to cover in midweek and on weekends.
It's a great job for a single person, who doesn't even have a girlfriend or boyfriend.
The job can consume you if you really set out to do it right.