SE in Winter Haven, Fla.

[melock]

Thoughts?



Company: The News Chief
Position: Sports Editor
Location: Winter Haven, Florida
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: Not Specified
Ad Expires: July 16, 2008
Job ID: 936096
Website: http://www.newschief.com


Description:
Community daily in beautiful Central Florida is seeking a sports editor with a passion for local sports.

The successful candidate will have strong planning, writing, copy editing, headline writing, page design and people skills.

Duties include planning an implementing local sports coverage; leading two full-time sports writers; developing a reliable corps of sports correspondents; writing and editing copy for sports and other sections; designing and laying out pages for those sections; proofing pages; and assisting on the news desk as required.

Minimum qualifications include a four-year university or college degree in journalism or mass communications; three years' experience with a daily newspaper, including responsibilities as a sports writer and/or page designer; competency with Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator on the PC platform; and prior leadership training and/or experience. Photography/video skills and digital/Web knowledge will be helpful in a multimedia environment.

The News Chief is a 97-year-old, seven-day-a-week morning newspaper owned by The New York Times Company. It serves the readers and advertisers of east Polk County, Fla., a highly competitive newspaper market. We offer competitive pay and excellent benefits.

Applicants may apply by mail, fax or e-mail. Send resume, samples of work and references to:

News Chief Joe Braddy, Managing Editor 455 Sixth St., N.W. Winter Haven, FL 33881 Fax: (863) 401-6999 E-mail: [email protected]

 

[Sunshine Scooter]

The New York Times recently bought this paper and turned it into a "sister" paper of sorts. They used to compete with the Lakeland paper, but usually to no avail considering there's only three on the sports staff.

Unfortunately, the takeover is part of the reason this job is open.

PM if you're really interested.

 

[dixiehack]

Who own da (News) Chief?

Keep in mind also that there is no more spring training to cover here, thanks to the Indians dumping Chain O Lakes Park for new digs in Arizona.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Who own da (News) Chief?

Look one post above yours.

 

[Italian_Stallion]

I believe they also advertised for a features editor not long ago. Did they clean house? It's either indicative of an investment in the paper's quality upon the transfer of ownership or simply people jumping off the ship.

 

[Sunshine Scooter]

The features editor got married. They also were looking for a copy editor. Not sure if it got filled or not.

 

[Lollygaggers]

Pretty sure there was a little bit of cleaning house involved, which included (as mentioned above) the former sports editor, unfortunately.

 

[Jason Martin]

I am said former SE and had been for about three years. The "cleaning house" mentioned occurred when the NY Times corp. bought the paper from Gatehouse (which bought it from Morris a few months before). The offices were relocated down the street to the Lakeland Ledger's Winter Haven bureau.

However, of the 70 or so staff members working at the time of the purchase, only 25 were invited to the "new" office, excluding myself. We did get a severance package, but it was laughable. Basically, we came in on a Tuesday and were told Friday would be our last day.

What an industry.

 

[dixiehack]

Who own da (News) Chief?

Look one post above yours.

I know. I couldn't resist the line.

 

[BudMan]

Duties include planning an implementing local sports coverage; leading two full-time sports writers; developing a reliable corps of sports correspondents; writing and editing copy for sports and other sections; designing and laying out pages for those sections; proofing pages; and assisting on the news desk as required.

Are they looking for a sports editor or a universal desk copy editor?

 

[Tommy_Dreamer]

Duties include planning an implementing local sports coverage; leading two full-time sports writers; developing a reliable corps of sports correspondents; writing and editing copy for sports and other sections; designing and laying out pages for those sections; proofing pages; and assisting on the news desk as required.

Are they looking for a sports editor or a universal desk copy editor?

More than likely a little bit of both.

PM me if you need any more information about the area etc.

 

[Colton]

Jason: Sorry to hear how things went down. It could happen to any/all of us tomorrow.

Best of luck moving forward.

 

[Jason Martin]

Thanks, Colton. All this happened back in March, and I've bounced back pretty well. I just got married, moved into a house and am moving forward on a different career path. Whether I like to admit it some days, I think it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.

I thought people interested in the job should know what went down. There was a lot of talk that when the NYT bought the Chief that it would just shut the paper down to eliminate the Lakeland Ledger's main competition. Many have come out and said that won't happen, but it doesn't mean that one day, people could show up for work one day to find a padlock on the door.

The paper wasn't in great shape financially before the takeover. I'm not sure if things have gotten that much better since.

 

[Tommy_Dreamer]

Thanks, Colton. All this happened back in March, and I've bounced back pretty well. I just got married, moved into a house and am moving forward on a different career path. Whether I like to admit it some days, I think it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.

I thought people interested in the job should know what went down. There was a lot of talk that when the NYT bought the Chief that it would just shut the paper down to eliminate the Lakeland Ledger's main competition. Many have come out and said that won't happen, but it doesn't mean that one day, people could show up for work one day to find a padlock on the door.

The paper wasn't in great shape financially before the takeover. I'm not sure if things have gotten that much better since.

As someone who got out of the News Chief once and is looking to get back in, I can say that things when I was there weren't incredibly good. It seemed like everyone who worked at the Chief was just waiting for a position to open at the Ledger to go after it.

That being said, the Ledger, from what I've understood, has taken great lengths to integrate the Chief into the flow. Whether the Chief becomes just another bureau office for the Ledger is another matter up to speculation but I don't think it'll just be "shut down."

 

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Who own da (News) Chief?

OWNS!!!! OWNS!!!!! ;D

I interviewed at this shop many moons ago. Obviously, with NYTRENG taking over, things are much different now.

One thing that probably remains the same, though, is something I experienced after the interview.

I went out to a local restaurant for lunch and was the youngest person in the jernt by about 40 years (easy). Made me want to ask for a junior citizens discount. ;D

 

[deskslave]

And all these moons later, you'd probably STILL be youngest by 40 years.

 

[Italian_Stallion]

I had the ME of this paper call me twice for a job reference. Apparently, a kid from my time as an editor was interested in the job. I think he applied twice, was offered it twice and turned it down twice. I wish I knew the details.

 

[Sunshine Scooter]

I had the ME of this paper call me twice for a job reference. Apparently, a kid from my time as an editor was interested in the job. I think he applied twice, was offered it twice and turned it down twice. I wish I knew the details.

I'm sure it was something along the lines of . . .

ME: We'd like to offer you the job. The pay is magic beans and peanuts.

Person: No thanks.

A month later . . .

ME: We'd like to offer you the job again. We couldn't get anyone to take it for the magic bean/peanuts offer. We're prepared to offer you more. You can get 20 percent off at the local senior restaurant.

Person: Really? I'll pass.

 

[nafselon]

I wouldn't doubt the job pays a little better and The Chief under NTYRMG isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

The prep sports in East Polk County aren't bad. Decent football, obviously the main Lakeland schools are a little better, very good basketball (girls and boys), great baseball and softball. All kinds of other odds and ends like youth sports, stuff at Cypress Gardens. It's an inexpensive place to live, you aren't too far from Orlando and I'm pretty sure they will leave you alone and allow you to experiment with changes and different looks to the section.

I think it's probably a decent opportunity for someone who is trying to get their first taste of real management.

 

[Sunshine Scooter]

I'm pretty sure they will leave you alone and allow you to experiment with changes and different looks to the section.

Wrong.