North Texas Reporter, Chron
Chron is seeking a North Texas Reporter with sharp editorial skills and experience working for a digital-first newsroom. The ideal candidate has a deep understanding and appreciation for North Texas and the Panhandle region—a coverage area stretching from the Dallas-Fort Worth metro to Midland, Lubbock, Amarillo, and south Oklahoma. They have experience covering news and trending stories in the area and, importantly, know how to find and tell a good story while working independently. In a world of trending news, ideal candidates can quickly envision a fresh take on North Texas that no one else has and that Chron's audience wants. Candidates will understand how to tell stories that matter to the people who live in North Texas and to those located elsewhere, throughout Texas and beyond its borders; they will embrace the chance to write well-reported stories with voice; and they will be able to toggle between writing fast-paced daily news stories and well-sourced features on interesting personalities, places and trends that highlight what makes North Texas unique for readers in Houston and across the state.
Primary Responsibilities:
Excellent news judgement and news writing skills Excellent reporting, researching, and interviewing skills Familiarity with the people, issues, and culture that are reshaping North Texas High metabolism for turning out must-read stories every day Familiarity with national digital media landscape Familiarity with content management systems Strong copy-editing skills and knowledge of AP Style
Competencies/Critical Skills:
Find unique angles on North Texas, craft news and culture pieces that draw statewide attention Quickly cover newsworthy moments as they happen to capitalize on social and search traffic Juggle responsibilities, including reporting and writing multiple pieces daily across different topics Balance daily, weekly, and longer-lead deadlines, working with editor to establish your beat
Describe the most challenging aspect of this position:
Discovering unique stories about Houston and Texas that reflect regional knowledge & curiosity Working with an editor to craft stories and franchises exciting to readers inside and outside of Texas Covering a wide variety of topics, from news and weather to Texas culture and local drama
What type of decisions does this position refer to others for approval?
Development of long form features, franchises, and projects
Measures of success for this position include:
Overall traffic performance in aims of meeting daily and monthly goals Proven success establishing a new area of coverage for Chron’s audience Meeting deadlines and keeping pace with publishing schedule while improving work quality Mentions, links, shares, and pickups of stories from prominent third-party publications Reader shares and other engagement with stories on social media platforms Overall increase of unique in-DMA visitors and loyal in-DMA visitors
Experience, Qualifications, Technical Requirements, and Education
Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or English Experience: At least 3 years of news reporting experience, specifically covering North Texas Knowledge: Familiarity with key personalities and events in North Texas; a deep connection to the culture of the area is highly preferred. Technical Skills: Experience using analytics tools such as Chartbeat, Google Analytics, or Looker is preferred. Publishing Platforms: Proficiency in using a CMS and publishing to digital platforms is preferred.
Chron is an essential digital-first local news source serving more than 6 million unique readers a month in Houston and the surrounding region, including Galveston and the Gulf Coast. Once the digital home for the Houston Chronicle, Chron became its own distinctive site and newsroom in 2012, when HoustonChronicle.com launched. Focusing on stories that capture local culture and spark conversation, Chron covers trending sports, food and entertainment, travel, local TV personalities, real estate, space and more. Chron.com has become the go-to destination for metro and regional readers who are curious about what's new in Houston and what's affecting culture and life in the Bayou City.
About Hearst Newspapers:
With 2,500 employees across the nation, HNP encompasses a network of 24 daily and 52 weekly publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union, several top digital-only news and lifestyle sites, marketing services businesses, and entertainment businesses such as King Features Syndicate.
At HNP, we are investing in new and innovative ways to tell stories – growing newsrooms, diversifying tools, evolving platforms – to support the millions of people who trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action and be inspired.
Be a part of something bigger – your headline awaits.
Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at hnpemployment@hearst.com. Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.
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