Edwardsville, IL Production Jobs

This position demands initiative, accuracy, urgency and insight. It also demands strong news judgement and the ability to find and identify stories and trends that are im *** te, important and i *** uential across a variety of small community markets. Quick writing and reporting skills are crucial. This person can juggle a high volume of stories across multiple markets daily, all while staying focused on the digital details of story production: Headlines, SEO, multi- *** assets and other points of optimization.

The person who fills this position needs to be able to self-assign and re-prioritize in real time. Additionally, this person needs to feel comfortable with being edited by peers - and to contribute to peer editing.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Pitch and write 3 to 5 stories a day based on what's trending in local market (s).
• Report quickly, clearly and accurately and deliver news via stories, video, newsletters, social *** platforms or any other methods available to reach new audiences.
• Identify top news stories of the day based on analytics and audience potential.
• Quickly recognize and jump on breaking news for assigned markets and coordinate with other *** newspapers regionally.
• Work with local and regional editors as well as the *** development team to experiment with new ways of finding and engaging new audiences on social platforms and alternative storyforms.

• Create and maintain a steady supply of sources for story ideas that allows a depth of ideas each day that can provide different options to choose from

• Be familiar with contact information for various agencies to obtain information as quickly as possible

• Pitch and create alternative forms of content, including listicles, slideshows, and timelines

• Work with other newsroom staff on shard byline projects as necessary

Competencies/Critical Skills:

• Solid news judgment and a strong understanding of the local market. Awareness of *** standards around fair use and an accurate citation for content

• Proficient writer, fact-checker, and familiar with AP Style

• Understand web metrics to guide story choices toward KPI growth. Knowledge of analytics and CMS tools such as Chartbeat and Google Analytics

• Organized and able to meet deadlines in daily and breaking news situations
• Open to off-typical schedules including early mornings, late evenings and/or weekends.

What are the measures of success for this position?

• Deliver stories quickly, accurately and at a consistent pace

• Meeting daily and weekly KPIs for audience growth, including story visits and subscriber traffic

• Grow your social *** base and regularly promote links to stories

• Great teamwork with digital and newsroom staff

Experience, Qualifications, Technical Requirements, Education

• Bachelor's degree in journalism or related field required

• Minimum 2 years of journalism/newsroom experience required

• Understanding of audience engagement metrics is preferred

News writing experience and familiarity with AP style required

About Us:

*** Community Newspaper group is a division of *** Newspapers and *** Communications. We are vital news and information sources for communities in the Midwest and Texas and work to provide information, news and marketing solutions to subscribers and local businesses in the towns we serve. We accomplish this goal by being an integral part of our local communities while tapping into the world-wide resources offered by *** Communications