Sports Reporter at The Dickinson (N.D.) Press

I am the managing editor and former sports editor at The Dickinson Press. Unfortunately, we are losing our sports reporter to a larger newspaper within our company. Because it's mid-April with spring tournaments quickly approaching, we're looking to act fast on hiring her replacement. This is a two-person department, so we're looking for someone who can do it all -- write, design, take pictures, tweet, etc. Below is the job posting as it appears on Journalism Jobs. Send me a PM if you have any questions.



The Dickinson (N.D.) Press has an immediate opening for a Sports Reporter.


The Press is a six-day morning newspaper (no Monday edition) with a 7,200 print circulation and a growing Web readership that serves one of the country’s fastest-growing micropolitan areas and the city livability.com recently named its No. 1 small town in America.


The ideal candidate joining our two-person sports department will be a self-starter able to produce a strong balance of features, columns and enterprise stories alongside standard game recaps and previews, develop a social media presence and help institute any other new ideas he or she may have. Page design experience is required. Our reporters also takes their own photographs with DSLR cameras and lenses provided by the newspaper, so photography experience is helpful.


Our coverage focus is on the 13 high school teams in southwest North Dakota and Dickinson State University, a successful NAIA program. In the summer, The Press covers a competitive American Legion baseball team, professional and amateur rodeo, and the local dirt-track auto racing scene. The summer also brings opportunities to cover golf tournaments, recreational sports and an annual high school football all-star game between North Dakota and Montana.


The sports reporter's primary beat focuses are Dickinson State athletics and rodeo while also helping the sports editor with a prep beat when necessary, while contributing to the production of a handful of special projects.


This is an excellent position for someone looking to gain valuable daily newspaper experience. We have recently lost four award-winning reporters and editors to larger newspapers or to higher positions within Forum Communications Co., which owns The Press and several other newspapers in the upper Midwest.


Applicants must:

– Have a journalism or English degree, or similar, from a four-year college.

– Have one year of journalism experience at either a daily newspaper, student newspaper or internship. Recent journalism school graduates are encouraged to apply.

– Be able to write, edit and produce a strong sports section under tight deadlines.

– Have the ability to design two to five pages daily in InDesign.

– Have strong decision-making, communication and interpersonal skills.

– Be a motivated, self-starter who can produce award-winning ideas.

– Have a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is insurable by the company, and transportation.


Please send a cover letter, resume and no more than five clips writing clips, samples of page design and photography, and three professional references to Managing Editor Dustin Monke at dmonke@thedickinsonpress.com no later than May 15.

 

Salary?

 

The position has been filled. Thanks to all who applied.