Sports editor; Pocatello, Idaho

[Stitch]

From JournalismJobs at http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1143906

Anyone know what happened with Tim Flagstad?

Company: Idaho State Journal
Position: Sports Editor
Location: Pocatello, Idaho
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: Negotiable
Ad Expires: February 22, 2010
Website: http://idahostatejournal.com

Description:
The Idaho State Journal is looking for a creative and hardworking individual to lead our sports staff. We are located in the mountain country of Southeast Idaho where outdoor activities abound, from skiing to mountain biking to hunting and fishing. We're also close enough to Salt Lake City and Boise to make for quick weekend getaways if a taste of big city life is needed. The Journal is based in Pocatello, the home of Division I-AA Idaho State University. Pocatello's a city of more than 50,000 people that's consistently ranked as one of the best places in the country for quality of life, outdoor recreation and small business climate. We're looking for a sports editor who wants to create a sports section that has a mix of traditional sports coverage and innovation to attract new readers to the section. We also want to improve on our already strong Internet presence, which currently includes sports blogs, video and regular updates on local games. The job requires night and weekend work as well as a strong passion for sports of all types, beyond the traditional favorites. Our sports coverage has been a winner of state and national awards and we want to be even more successful and creative by developing a section that captures the attention of all our readers, not just die-hard sports fans. Previous sports department or newsroom management experience is preferred for this position. A passion for newspapering-especially sports journalism-is required. Please send your resume and clips to Journal Editor Ian H. Fennell at 305 S. Arthur, Pocatello, ID 83204 or email everything to him at [email protected].

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Anyone know what happened with Tim Flagstad?

Per a mention in this piece from Idaho State's athletic department, he pulled the handle on his newspaper ejection seat.

 

[tflagstad]

I accepted a position — yes, out of newspapers — in my home state. I enjoyed my time in Pocatello immensely, though.

 

[Stitch]

Anyone know what happened with Tim Flagstad?

Per a mention in this piece from Idaho State's athletic department, he pulled the handle on his newspaper ejection seat.

This thread can't top a previous one for an SE opening here.

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/30425/

Unless you can beat a previous SE getting a DUI and getting busted for having pot after your farewell party.

 

[Larry Graham]

congrats on the new gig, Tim.

 

[Idaho]

As a previous SE at this paper, I can answer questions about the paper and town. Tim, obviously, knows it better because he's current.

But aside from covering really crappy college sports, this is a pretty good job in many ways. You will not get rich, but you will write a lot, edit a lot and learn a lot.

 

[Runnin Rebel]

Is this still a six-man shop, or has the State Journal seen cutbacks in staffing?

 

[Buckeye12]

Is designing pages part of the gig here?

 

[RFB-Boy]

You know, for someone who's put in a couple years as a reporter or sports desker, this'd be a good gig. I worked in sports in Twin Falls from 2003-08 and got to work with some of the ISJ folks during that span. It's always been fairly solid with seemingly agreeable folks.

Pocatello isn't the first place I'd want to live, but its a decent size and not too far from SLC if you're really desperate for a larger city. If you can come in with a solid nose for news, you could do some really great statewide work relating to the IHSAA, as few sports writers are delving into that pond right now.

And while ISU ain't Duke -- don't tell their grads that though -- it's still college sports, which offers you a wide variety of issues and personalities a lot of similar markets don't afford a writer with.

Oh, and if you write an off-base, understudied editorial on the football team moving down a notch in the NCAA ranks, they'll give the coach a contract extension in response. So you can do good for John Zamberlain too!

 

[Stitch]

Is this still a six-man shop, or has the State Journal seen cutbacks in staffing?

I thought it was less than that. At least full-timers anyway.

 

[NightHawk112005]

Counting the editor, there are three of us, and we all have both writing and page designing responsibilities. Also, to be honest, we're not sure it ever was six people in sports. It used to be four, but as far as we know, it's never been six.

 

[Idaho]

I was SE there several years ago. We had four FTs on staff and couple of quality part-timers covering games. Not sure if it exists now, but there was an extensive cooperative effort between newspapers in neighboring areas that had competing schools, but not overlapping circulation areas. A lot of story swapping, with appropriate alternate ledes, going on when Team A from Paper A was playing at Team B from Paper B and so on.

 

[NightHawk112005]

I was SE there several years ago. We had four FTs on staff and couple of quality part-timers covering games. Not sure if it exists now, but there was an extensive cooperative effort between newspapers in neighboring areas that had competing schools, but not overlapping circulation areas. A lot of story swapping, with appropriate alternate ledes, going on when Team A from Paper A was playing at Team B from Paper B and so on.

Yes, we still do a decent amount of that with Twin Falls, Idaho Falls and Logan (Utah)

 

[RFB-Boy]

We're all so very cooperative in southern Idaho. Of course, Twin Falls falling out of 5A changed things a little, but I don't think anyone's going to argue that eliminating two-hour drives for conference games was a bad thing.

 

[NightHawk112005]

Of course, Twin Falls falling out of 5A changed things a little, but I don't think anyone's going to argue that eliminating two-hour drives for conference games was a bad thing.

Definitely not, although all three Pocatello schools still play Twin and Canyon Ridge in most sports.

 

[micropolitan guy]

I worked with Tim Flagstad's grandfather at my first newspaper job more than 30 years ago. He was a legendary figure at our shop, an old-school newsman who could not have been nicer or more helpful to an industry newbie, a man who bought me many a beer after work, and who wrote me a most memorable note (which I still have) when I left that paper.

So Tim, best of luck in your new job back in ND. I still have many fond memories of your hometown.

 

[bpoindexter]

Two questions: How big is the paper? Does anyone have an update on this job?