Hearst Communications, Inc. is hiring: North Texas Reporter, Chron in Houston

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.