USA TODAY Co., Inc. is hiring a Reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News/lcsun-news.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. We need an aggressive, digital-savvy journalist to cover public safety, criminal justice, and breaking news in Las Cruces, New Mexico. This role demands strong news judgment and the ability to find immediate, important stories that influence the community you serve.
What You'll Do
- Research, report, write, and help create compelling text and multimedia journalism about what matters to the community.
- Recognize newsworthy events and trends and understand how to connect with our audience on multiple platforms.
- Work with editors to shape storytelling to meet audience needs and interests on every platform.
- Shoot and edit video to enhance storytelling across digital and social platforms.
- Develop relationships with diverse sources, including officials, residents, and experts, to provide unique insights.
- Inform and engage readers through immediacy, enterprise reporting, and riveting storytelling.
- Act as a public ambassador through social media, video presentations, and some community outreach.
- Collaborate with editors and audience team members to provide appropriate elements for stories, capturing photos and videos as needed.
- Use independent judgment in day-to-day activities and demonstrate success in problem-solving.
- Execute primary forms of newsgathering at a commendable level, including source interviews, use of public records, data analysis, and primary and secondary source research.
- Develop ideas and write news stories with minimal guidance.
- Execute special projects by working closely with editors.
- Provide great customer service by helping readers find answers and solutions.
- Travel quickly to wherever the news occurs or is being disseminated.
What We're Looking For
- Strong news judgment and the ability to identify stories that are immediate, important, and influential.
- A mission-driven approach to inform and engage readers.
- Understanding of the standards and ethics around newsgathering.
- Proficiency in developing story ideas and writing news stories with minimal guidance.
- Ability to work collaboratively with editors and team members.
- Excellent communication skills for sourcing and public engagement.
- Readiness to travel quickly to news events.
Nice to Have
- Experience with public records requests.
- Skill in deciphering agendas, maps, site plans, and contracts.
- Experience working with databases.
Work Mode
This position is a local-city role based in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
