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Beacon Media Inc.

Editor/Senior Reporter

Beacon Media Inc., Wichita, Kansas, United States, 67232


The Wichita Beacon is seeking a seasoned journalist to lead its newsroom as the Editor/Senior Reporter, based in the Wichita area.You will manage a newsroom of three reporters (we have plans to grow more) with responsibility for the steady production of in-depth news stories designed to give the community the information it needs to understand its challenges and assess possible solutions to public policy.The position oversees daily editorial functions of the newsroom. That includes guiding reporters and self-directing your own reporting (the role may shift as the Wichita newsroom grows). This position reports to the editor-in-chief based in Kansas City, who sets a broader strategy for the newsroom. This position also supervises The Wichita Beacon’s community engagement manager to best identify the stories the Beacon invests its time in.You’ll have the chance to report as much or as little as you like. How much time you spend as a reporter will depend on your ability to help the reporters regularly file stories. We only very rarely cover breaking or daily news. Instead, we focus on in-depth stories. We need about two of those a week (perhaps more as we grow) from the Wichita newsroom. So if those reporters are filing regularly enough, any pressure for the Editor/Senior Reporter to write stories will wane. But you’ll retain the ability to pursue stories on your own or with our other reporters regardless.You’ll also be our liaison to the Wichita Journalism Collaborative, a collection of news outlets that include The Wichita Eagle, the local NPR affiliate and several other organizations. In that role, you’ll look to collaborate on stories with other outlets, to identify stories they produce that we should publish and pitch our independent work to them.About The Beacon:The Beacon stands as a bastion of independent, nonprofit journalism, committed to fostering a thriving ecosystem of independent newsrooms throughout Kansas and Missouri. Since our inception in April 2019 and the commencement of publishing in March 2020, we have dedicated ourselves as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit digital news outlet to produce journalism that serves the public interest. Our stories aim to be revelatory, contextual, data-driven, and solutions-focused, crafted with the utmost dedication to journalistic standards.Our Philosophy:The Beacon thrives on the principle that each newsroom is a unique entity, responsive to the specific needs of its community. We are a strong network, yet each newsroom under The Beacon banner is locally and independently led, ensuring that our storytelling is as varied and vibrant as the communities we serve. Our commitment to Wichita is unwavering as we strive to ensure that our local newsroom remains a cornerstone of the city's news landscape.Job Description

Chief Responsibilities:Lead the ICT Newsroom!Provide guidance and supervision to the news team to enhance reporting quality and professional development.Lead your team to deliver a minimum of two comprehensive, community-engaged stories weekly, adaptable to newsroom growth and changes.Report and write stories.Oversee the ICT publishing schedule, ensuring alignment with The Beacon’s editorial guidelines for regular, impactful news delivery.Produce explanatory and accountability journalism for the Wichita audience and where possible support The Beacon in transposing those stories for other Beacon audiences.Strategize content for both the regular newsletter and special editions, and additional platforms as we grow.Support The Beacon’s ability to track our impact.Represent The Beacon in Wichita as its local leader.Cultivate Relationships within the Wichita TeamFoster a vibrant environment that emphasizes nurturing talent and strong service-reporting.Promote a culture of cooperation, forward-thinking, and decision-making based on desired impact and data.Embed diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into newsroom practices, reflecting Wichita’s diverse community.Expand The Beacon’s Presence in ICTPartner with product and audience teams to develop content for new platforms and audience preferences to grow our reach and meet new audiences where they are.Collaborate with The Beacon’s leadership to improve editorial content and audience engagement in Wichita and Kansas especially.Foster Community Connections and Strengthen PartnershipsDirect the community engagement manager in building a network for rich community engagement, providing diverse sources, and editorial insights.Lead and bolster our partnerships with the Wichita Journalism Collaborative to advance shared objectives and the greater journalism ecosystem in Wichita.Qualifications

You are an experienced journalist with at least five to 10 years of experienceand a track record of producing and/or editing impactful journalism.You have a strong interest in and can rally support for local explanatory and accountability journalism and independent media.You enjoy collaborating with others and finding new ways to serve the community.You prioritize building an equitable and inclusive organizational culture.You are the kind of leader who brings teams together, fosters a healthy work environment, and motivates people to go the extra mile.You may see a list of job requirements and feel that you do not have the exact combination of skills listed here, but are still interested in this role, we suggest you apply anyway. Please tell us about your other assets not mentioned here that may be valuable to this role.Additional Information

The Beacon is proud to offer the following benefits to all of its employees:100% employer-paid health, vision, and dental monthly premiums for employees and partially paid premiums for dependents.Federal holidays, a birthday holiday, and the last week of the year paid time off, in addition to two weeks of sick/vacation time.Paid parental leave.$50 per month cell phone reimbursement.$50,000 in employer-paid life insurance with supplemental life insurance available.100% employer-paid long and short-term disability.Salary range: $70,000-$90,000.Travel:10%The Beacon is committed to building an equitable and inclusive organization that represents the people and communities we serve. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, or other marginalized groups. We are committed to reaching out to talent across a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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