Sports editor, Northwest Florida Daily News

[Breakyoself]

From journalismjobs.com: The Northwest Florida Daily News, a 40,000-circulation daily located in beautiful Fort Walton Beach, is accepting applications for the position of Sports Editor. We're looking for someone who knows how to do big things with a small staff. You must be passionate about prep sports, have strong editing skills, know a good enterprise idea when you hear one, and above all be a team player and leader. Some page design skills are desirable. But this is not a desk job; our next Sports Editor will write columns or stories when it makes sense to do so. If you are interested in this opportunity, email your resume, cover letter and any clips or pages to Editor Pat Rice at [email protected]. Or, mail your materials to: Northwest Florida Daily News, Attn: Pat Rice, 200 Racetrack Road NW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549. Candidates from the Southeast are encouraged to apply.

This position came open when Perry Ballard passed away in November.

 

[HackyMcHack]

This would be a real good gig for someone from a larger paper, especially a preps editor, who wants to break into management while starting/raising a family in an area that has a real strong quality of life. Paper has gone hyper-local in recent years, cutting out most travel, but there are plenty of non-sports things to do in the Fort Walton Beach-Destin area to keep you happy.

Local copy in the section is roughly 90 percent preps, 5 percent jucos and 5 percent fishing/local golf. There are 12 high schools in the coverage area, with four or five of those schools considered primary. Football is huge--Rush Propst and Ronnie Cottrell, among others, are candidates for the open head coaching/AD position at one of the paper's main schools. There are plenty of opportunities to do quality work.

 

[Breakyoself]

this is a good job to have. section wins plenty of state awards and the staff is good. PM if you have any questions.

 

[WScribblySh]

I pass through this paper's area from time to time, and I am continually impressed with what they do. A lot of places, including mine, could take lessons from how they cover their high schools. I've stolen an idea or two from them already.

 

[HackyMcHack]

My knowledge of the place is slightly dated, but I'll take PMs as well.....

 

[Nightcrawler]

What chain owns this paper?
Also, is Fort Walton Beach a nice place for families? Good schools (kids 13 and 11)?
Lastly, any guesses on the what the salary range would be?
Thanks in advance.

 

[ChollyTrippi]

It's a Freedom paper, one of the mid-sized papers in a chain that includes Orange County and Colorado Springs. The company also owns several smaller papers in the area.
FWB is a big Air Force town; Eglin AFB is, I believe, the largest AFB in the world; Hurlburt Field, home to an Air Force special operations wing, is a few miles to the west. Makes for some interesting stories sometimes. You don't find a lot of FWB natives, as most are your typical military families who move in and out within a few years.
The town itself is situated between Pensacola (roughly 50 miles to the west) and Panama City. Destin is a 15-minute drive away, except from April-September, when it can take an hour due to the influx of the unwashed masses. A couple of hurricanes have hit the area in recent years, with Ivan being the worst.
There are decent schools in the area. Fort Walton Beach HS, alma mater of Danny Wuerffel, also just built a new football stadium. The other local school, Choctawhatchee, is in the middle of a search for its next football coach. Both schools have two middle school feeder programs. Niceville HS is about 13 miles to the north and is generally regarded as an excellent school.
Cost of living has skyrocketed in the last few years but could be stabilizing somewhat. Home insurance can be expensive as well because of the hurricanes.
My guess on salary range would be anywhere from 45K-50K, but I could be off on that.

 

[black dude with pompano]

What's the size of the staff?

 

[ChollyTrippi]

Currently, there are four. In recent years, there were as many as six, including the sports editor.

 

[IBIS]

How quickly are they hoping to fill this?
And will it get a lot of interest considering this is basically a prep editor job?

 

[HackyMcHack]

From what I hear, they plan to move quickly, possibly by the end of the month. They have been without an SE since November.

This job should generate interest for no other reason than the prime beach location. And while there are a number of veterans on the news staff, it is possible to move on from FWB, especially if you have desk skills -- sports staffers have gone on to Macon, Melbourne, St. Pete and Gainesville in recent years, and news side has sent people to Sarasota, Tallahassee and Jackson, Miss., among other places.

That said, whomever lands this gig is going to have to accept the fact that the AP's Brent Kallestad is going to be your Florida State beat writer.

 

[Breakyoself]

it is not a preps editor job. the paper has one of those. not sure where you got that from the listing. there are many opportunities to try different things and expand the coverage with creative thinking.

 

[eek!gannett!]

Any word on a front runner?

 

[HackyMcHack]

Any word on a front runner?

YOU'RE HIRED!

No, not really, but I do hear that the ghost of Hunter S. Thompson has been campaigning really hard for this one. He actually worked for the paper (in sports, no less) under an assumed name while he was stationed at Eglin AFB way back when. The paper was known as the Playground News at the time (it wasn't a daily back then), and he had to quit once his CO found out.

 

[2underpar]

job posted on Jan. 2.Today is Jan. 9. Not sure they would move that fast to determine a frontrunner with resumes likely still coming in.

 

[Breakyoself]

Heard there are more than 50 applicants so far, and editor will be looking to narrow it down sometime late next week. have heard they would like to fill it by end of month.

 

[2underpar]

bump

 

[Breakyoself]

bumping for update - final tally for applicants was apparently around 100, and some people have been interviewed and a few more will be in the next few days, and I understand it.

 

[Your Huckleberry]

That's impressive. But considering everything, not surprising at all.

 

[eek!gannett!]

I heard that half the finalists are internal, but I don't know anything about the guys. Does it ever get cold there?