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Sports opening in Northeast Mississippi

Discussion in 'Journalism Jobs' started by Adam Minichino, Jan 17, 2011.

  1. Adam Minichino

    Adam Minichino New Member

    First time, long time ... This position is posted on Mississippi and Alabama Press Associations, but I thought I would open it up to a wider audience. We are losing someone to a writing position in the Delta, and hope to fill the opening pretty quickly. If you have any questions, e-mail me at aminichino@cdispatch.com. Thanks.

    Sports Staff Employee
    Job Description

    The Dispatch, a six-day-a-week, PM newspaper that serves the Greater Golden Triangle area in Mississippi is looking for a versatile individual to round out its three-person sports staff. We're looking for someone who can handle a variety of tasks, including copy editing and paginating when it's time to work on the desk and writing. We're also looking for someone proficient in web editing and video production who can bring fresh ideas to our burgeoning website. The 40-hour-a-week position also has opportunities for blogging about youth, prep, and college sports. Our newspaper covers Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi, and the University of Alabama, East Mississippi and Itawamba community colleges, and follows 28 high schools in North Mississippi and West Alabama. We are looking to fill this position immediately. Salary is commensurate with experience. Interested applicants should send a resume, cover letter, writing and design samples, and references to: The Dispatch, c/o Sports Editor Adam Minichino, P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703.
     
  2. If it's only a three-man section, I can't see you doing a fantastic job with all of those schools. It looks like this place does a great job covering Mississippi State since it's a mere half-hour from Starkville, but I didn't see much coverage of Ole Miss or Alabama, and what I saw was wire stuff.
     
  3. JoJo

    JoJo Member

    What's the circulation?
     
  4. Adam Minichino

    Adam Minichino New Member

    Thanks to everyone who has sent me applications so far.
    A little more information to follow up on the postings:
    Our main focus is MSU and preps. I think a good way to describe our prep coverage is we try to "pay attention to" 28 schools, specifically in prep football season. We have a lot of strong programs, and many of the teams play each other, so we try to use our correspondent budget to overlap as much as possible. In other seasons, our focus on preps narrows simply because the area we have is so big. Our main coverage area is the Golden Triangle area, Oktibbeha County, Clay County, Noxubee County, and Monroe County, probably in that order. If the economy picks up, like everyone hopes, it will allow us to do more and to use more correspondents in hopes of boosting our penetration into those areas.
    The good news is our circulation is growing. We recently had a promotion selling subscriptions and we attracted more than 1,100 new readers, which pushed our circulation over 15,000. I don't know the exact number, but I have been told by someone in the know at the paper we have eclipsed 15,000.
    There are opportunities to do more coverage with Ole Miss and Alabama, but other areas come first. The job description includes a lot, but the right candidate will have the opportunity to incorporate as much college, prep, or youth coverage into their responsibilities. It is a 40-hour-a-week position, though, and the reality is 40 hours only goes so far.
    Thanks.
    Adam
     
  5. wicked

    wicked Well-Known Member

    I believe Columbus has started a Starkville edition, for lack of a better term, in the past year.

    I've glimpsed at both, and from what I've seen, I'd take Columbus over Starkville any day. Again, that's based on a small sample size.
     
  6. That makes a lot more sense. It'd be virtually impossible if you tried to cover all three schools equally.
     
  7. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    I will note, from my nearby vantage point, that Adam knows his sh_t. Lord knows I don't say that too often.
     
  8. albert77

    albert77 Well-Known Member

    My parents were both born and raised in Columbus, and I've still got some family there. One of the curious things that I always liked about the Dispatch was the Five Questions trivia feature they've run on their front page for as long as I can remember.

    One question I do have: is this paper still owned by the Imes family?
     
  9. Adam Minichino

    Adam Minichino New Member

    Birney Imes III is our editor/publisher. His son, Peter, is operations manager.
     
  10. Bamadog

    Bamadog Well-Known Member

    Adam is good peeps for sure. He did some excellent work in Athens and has done nothing but the same in Columbus. A good gig in this state.
     
  11. He is...safe!

    He is...safe! Member

    Ditto here, Adam is a good, hard-working dude. I work nearby and enjoy dealing with him.
     
  12. thebigd

    thebigd Member

    Anybody heard anything, and what is the cost of living like?
     
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