Northwest Louisiana Reporter (Remote)
Description
The Center Square is seeking a highly motivated, experienced reporter to lead our taxpayer-focused coverage of government and other issues in Northwest Louisiana. We're looking for a passionate journalist who has government reporting experience, and a strong interest and understanding of politics and public policy. The Center Square covers government from a taxpayers’ perspective, not from government’s perspective. We hold government officials accountable for their actions and decisions, and inform our readers how those decisions affect them.
The media industry in the U.S. is shrinking, leaving fewer options for readers to digest the decisions made by their state and local government officials. The Center Square, the state-focused reporting division of the non-partisan, non-profit Franklin News Foundation, seeks to fill this journalistic void in northwest Louisiana, with a particular focus on the Shreveport and Caddo Parish region.
This key role will be joining other state news operations as we expand our impact in the states.
The Northwest Louisiana Reporter will report to the Southeast Regional Editor, and is expected to live within the Northwest Louisiana region. Relocation expense stipend is available.
Essential Responsibilities
• Report on state, local and regional government activity, monitor legislative and policy developments that affect the region, and use public records and databases to ferret out waste, fraud and abuse.
• Promote The Center Square stories to local and regional media partners in the states.
• Cultivate trusted sources to provide leads on potential stories, including those inside and outside government, think tanks, academia, and the business community.
• Monitor the state media landscape to identify popular topics and potential media partners.
Expectations
• 2+ years of experience in journalism, particularly government reporting, or in a journalism program.
• Have excellent writing and research abilities, and adhere to Associated Press style.
• Take direction well, and be willing to learn from The Center Square's experienced editors and other journalists.
• Alignment with the mission of The Center Square and the Franklin News Foundation.
• Live in the region you are assigned. Meet sources both inside and outside of government.
• Look beyond government-mandated press releases and reports to determine the real impact of policy on taxpayers and job creators.
• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, political science, or a related field is preferred but not required.
About The Center Square
The Center Square is a project of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Franklin News Foundation, headquartered in Chicago. The focus of their work is state- and local-level government and economic reporting. A taxpayer sensibility distinguishes their work from other coverage of state and local issues. As a result of this approach, their readers are better informed about the focus of state and local government and its cost to the citizens whose tax dollars fund governmental decisions.
The Center Square is staffed by editors and reporters with extensive professional journalism experience. They engage readers with essential news, data and analysis – delivered with velocity, frequency, and consistency.