Sports Reporter-Rapid City, SD The Rapid City Journal in the Black Hills of western South Dakota is looking to hire an enthusiastic full-time sports reporter to cover high school, college, and semi-professional sports. This position will work with the sports editor on a daily basis and will manage the print production of the sports section once per week.
The Journal, known for its strong web presence and robust sports section, prints three times per week and produces an e-edition on other days. We foster a supportive work environment where candidates with a bachelor's degree in journalism or with equivalent experience can thrive. While experience is preferred, we also welcome recent and upcoming college graduates to apply.
This position is responsible to:
- Regularly produces content to accurately inform and engage area audiences
- Pitch unique feature and story ideas on a regular basis
- Develop reliable sources within area programs
- Take photo's and video at sporting events for the website
- Work closely with the Sports Editor to provide outstanding coverage
- Collaborate with Editors to ensure all elements of stories are provided
- Help post breaking news and press releases in a timely fashion
- Utilize social media to promote the Journal's coverage
- Work well in a team environment
- Other duties as assigned
The ideal candidate will have a strong knowledge of AP Style, excellent grammar and spelling skills, a bachelor's degree in journalism or a related field or equivalent experience, strong news sense, strong interpersonal skills, understanding of SEO and audience engagement tactics, ability to work on a deadline and turn stories quickly. A valid driver's license, proof of insurance and reliable transportation is required.
The Journal covers the South Dakota sports scene west of the Missouri River, a geographical and cultural marker that runs through the middle of the state. Western South Dakota features more than three dozen high schools, American Legion baseball, two Division II colleges, an Arena Football League team, an ECHL hockey team and several pivotal PRCA rodeos.
High school sports are king in the Rushmore State, but the region offers a wide range of opportunities to cover sports at the amateur and professional levels.
Rapid City is a scenic destination in the heart of America. Western South Dakota includes the Black Hills National Forest, Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, countless lakes, streams and outdoor recreation opportunities and the largest ski resort this side of the Rockies.
The Black Hills also holds claim to historic Deadwood, a relic of the Wild West and home to some of the best gaming resorts in the region. The nearby wide-open spaces reflect that same Western flair as well. We have mild winters, gorgeous summers and great people.
Why Join Us? Lee Enterprises offers competitive wages in a dynamic, interesting work environment with career growth opportunities. We offer an extensive benefit program that can be personalized to your needs. Our benefit program includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, company provided life insurance and supplemental life insurance. In addition, we offer a 401K retirement plan with company match. We also offer generous paid time off to allow the flexibility to balance personal life and work. This includes paid parental leave for new parents.
Lee Enterprises is a major subscription and advertising platform and a leading provider of local news and information, with daily newspapers, rapidly growing digital products and nearly 350 weekly and specialty publications serving 73 markets in 26 states. Year to date, Lee's newspapers have an average daily circulation of 1.0 million, and our legacy websites, including acquisitions, reach more than 33 million digital unique visitors.
Lee Enterprises is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We participate in Everify. We respect and celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. For more information about Lee, check us out at www.lee.net.
We are focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce. If you are excited about this role but do not meet 100% of the qualifications above, we encourage you to apply at https://lee.net/careers/ and search for Rapid City. Be sure to include your resume and examples of your work.