Sports Writer, Huntsville Item

During football season, they cover Huntsville, New Waverly, Madisonville and a few other 3A schools. During the other seasons, mainly just Huntsville, with a smattering of New Waverly.

Their sports staff is two, their news staff is five or six, last I checked.

 

As I posted earlier, they usually send people to my place for football and men's basketball, so they do travel some. They don't ever come for baseball.

Tom told me this would be a hyrbrid position which would be position No. 3 on their staff.

 

Hmmm...then that's a new role of which I was unaware.

 

What do you mean by hybrid? Hopefully it's not like 60% sports and 40% news. I would rather design pages three times a week than be effectively a part time sports guy doing news too.

 

That may be what he's referring to ... a part-time designer/part-time reporter. The news (AME) and features editors typically did that same thing.

 

Sounds like someone knows how the Item does things.

Don't anyone misunderstand me. I enjoyed working at the Item because a majority of the people in the newsroom were absolutely fantastic. But as with many newspapers, the higher management and the expectations on a small and overworked staff really were issues.

 

I've never worked there. I'm just familiar with Tom and Cody from running across them on the beat so when they had an opening I called Tom to ask about it. I've since suggested it as a possibility to a couple of young reporters who are in worse situations or are looking for a first job.

 

Tom and Cody were both great guys.

 

would the absence of a degree hurt? i am thinking of getting some stuff together and sending it in.

 

Won't help but, as always, strong clips and experience overcomes all.

 

how often is an all local front expected in the A section? and are there just as many sports folks as there are news folks?