Sports writer, Ellensburg Daily Record

[Pops]

Best way to prove "pro potential?" Rodeo coverage, of course.

Company: Ellensburg Daily Record
Position: Scouting for pro potential in a sports writer
Location: Ellensburg, Washington St.
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: $20,000 to $25,000
Ad Expires: January 31, 2007
Job ID: 622163

The Ellensburg Daily Record, a six-day-a week newspaper in Ellensburg, Wash., has an immediate opening for a full-time sports editor. The Daily Record — 5,500 circulation, Monday through Friday afternoon and Saturday a.m. — is located in Central Washington, 90 minutes from Seattle. This position offers the ambitious candidate a chance to prove themselves in the newspaper business with hands-on experience in writing, copy editing and design. The successful applicant will be primarily responsible for covering five high schools, a solid NCAA Division II college with a full slate of sports, and one of the nation’s oldest and best PRCA rodeos. You'll also get the chance to cover Seattle's pro sports teams on occasion. It's primarily a one-person job, but the paper also uses several talented sports correspondents. The paper's managing editor and assistant editor each have previous sports experience and have helped many reporters land jobs at the next level. The paper's outgoing sports editor made the leap to a 35,000 daily that was judged as a Top 10 paper under 40,000 circulation by the APSE.

Ellensburg is a lively, fast-growing town of 16,000 on the edge of the Cascade Mountains that offers some of the best outdoors opportunities in the nation. The Daily Record is an award-winning daily newspaper whose staff is driven to give its demanding readership the sort of coverage typically found at much larger papers. A bachelor’s degree in journalism or equivalent reporting experience is preferred. Knowledge of Quark X-Press and/or Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop a plus. Interested candidates may forward their resume and work samples to: Jeff Robinson, Ellensburg Daily Record, 401 N. Main Street, Ellensburg, WA 98926 or via e-mail to [email protected]

 

[micropolitan guy]

About 30 miles east on I-90 from Roslyn, where "Northern Exposure" was filmed. Central Washington is a pretty solid D-2 franchise.











locasNot

 

[Angola!]

My parents were getting gas in Ellensburg the other day and they said in the first time in their lives it wasn't windy. I think that means the world is ending or global warming is real.

 

[RFB-Boy]

They interviewed me for this job three years ago when I was a recent college graduate with no journalism experience other than 13 college paper columns and a few freelance clips. Of course I didn't get it, but I got the in-person interview. Not having design experience really submarined me.

So youngsters with better experience than I had might have a good shot. Ellensburg is pretty small-town cowboy-ish, but it seemed like a nice enough work environment and getting to cover the future John Kitnas of the world is a bonus. I think. If blowing wind gives you an earache though, you might want to reconsider.

 

[Basil Exposition]

Not sure who the outgoing sports editor is, but one graduate of this job -- the guy who DID cover Kitna -- is David Andriesen, now covering the Mariners for the P-I after an interim stop in Olympia. (Nope, I'm not Dave.)

Point being, this is a damn good paper to launch a career. Work like a dog, learn how to do it right, make some screwups, get some solid clips, and then after a year or two, get the hell out. The ad is pretty honest, although don't count too much on those Seattle trips. Covering Central is the primary perk, but local preps are always solid and, as folks have said, there's the rodeo.

Ellensburg is definitely a burg -- can't even call it a decent college town. Country-types will feel more at home than city folk. But the beer is always cold, the local talent ain't bad, and there is great four-season recreation nearby to get you out and about. Worst case scenario, Seattle is two hours away on I-90.

 

[Angola!]

Not sure who the outgoing sports editor is, but one graduate of this job -- the guy who DID cover Kitna -- is David Andriesen, now covering the Mariners for the P-I after an interim stop in Olympia. (Nope, I'm not Dave.)

Point being, this is a damn good paper to launch a career. Work like a dog, learn how to do it right, make some screwups, get some solid clips, and then after a year or two, get the hell out. The ad is pretty honest, although don't count too much on those Seattle trips. Covering Central is the primary perk, but local preps are always solid and, as folks have said, there's the rodeo.

Ellensburg is definitely a burg -- can't even call it a decent college town. Country-types will feel more at home than city folk. But the beer is always cold, the local talent ain't bad, and there is great four-season recreation nearby to get you out and about. Worst case scenario, Seattle is two hours away on I-90.

Don't forget the wind always, always blows. I lived in two areas of this country where the wind blows a lot - Idaho and West Texas - but it is nothing compared to Ellensburg. So, if you can handle that, you will be OK.

 

[Angola!]

Also, this is a part of the Pioneer Newspaper Group. Let me just say, this chain does not get the Angola! stamp of approval (ie. No raises. Ever. Unless you move to salary then they like to spin it as a raise.).