Sports Writer, Fairmount, W.Va.

The Times West Virginian, a seven-day, award-winning newspaper in Fairmont, W.Va., has an immediate opening for a full-time sports reporter. The reporter will be responsible for covering county high school and youth sports teams. The candidate should have a journalism background with a degree in journalism or a related field. Experience is preferred. Benefits include paid vacation, health and dental insurance and 401(k). Salary is based on experience. Please mail a cover letter, resume and clips relevant to the position to Misty Poe, Managing Editor, Times West Virginian, PO Box 2530, Fairmont WV 26555-2530 or e-mail mpoe@timeswv.com.

 

Never worked there, but familiar with it and the region. Relatively small coverage area as far as preps. I believe there are only three high schools in the county that Fairmont is in, and then they probably fringe cover a few others. Fairmont State is there, a D-II school. They do some WVU coverage too. It's only about half an hour from Morgantown, probably a little under two hours to Pittsburgh, a painless trip straight up I-79. I'd assume pay is really low, but the cost of living there is dirt cheap.

 

Good people there. Bob Hertzel is the columnist. Youngsters and some vets could learn from him.

 

Drip channels his inner Boom in the thread title ... nice.

The Hacker is spot-on, though. There is a small number of prep schools that get regular coverage, as well as WVU and Fairmont State. Also, this is a CNHI shop, so low pay and furloughs are simply a way of life. At the same time, the cost of living is so low, I still have the ability to put some money away.

All in all, there are worse places to work. Shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

 

Seems like a lot of bylines for a paper of its size. How big's the staff

 

Two full-time writers cover preps, along with out-of-the-office stringers who handle the WVU/Fairmont State stuff.

 

Do the full-time writers ever get the chance to cover West Virginia?

 

Not regularly.

 

Zero chance somebody will be covering WVU football or men's basketball ahead of Hertzel. Job would be as described in the ad.

No, W.Va. isn't a bad place for a number of reasons, but be prepared for intense winters that seemingly go on forever. Cost of living is cheap, but it's for reason. & best hope the job you'd take works out because otherwise, it's a tiny market run by a lot of homerism.

 

Provided he's willing to teach said youngsters, which he decidedly is not. Good writer, bitter guy. Also, there is absolutely nothing to do in Fairmont, and no, you will not get to smell the WVU beat. That is Hertzel's and he guards it.

 

I don't think Bob was ever in Morgantown.