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Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reporter

Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK • Sioux Falls, SD, USA • 5d ago

Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reporter

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader/argusleader.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking an aggressive, enterprising reporter to be part of our rapid response team. This reporter will produce both quick-turn and in-depth reporting about public safety trends affecting South Dakota’s largest city.  

The reporter will use latest trends, metrics, social tools and public records to focus on the issues that will drive conversations in the community, with an emphasis on the South Dakota justice system, from the point of arrest to the point of conviction.

The successful applicant will demonstrate speed, accuracy, and skilled writing. A great public safety and criminal justice reporter is interested in not only covering the immediate or the high profile, but contextualizing and humanizing incidents.    

This person can juggle news, while staying focused on the digital details of story production: headlines, SEO, video, photo assets, and other points of optimization. They are also comfortable with live blogs, listicles, video and smart enterprise stories.   

We want someone who can work calmly and quickly under tight deadlines, deliver scoops, make a lot of phone calls, knock on doors, be creative, think about storytelling on different platforms, and deliver sharp headlines. We believe in constant improvement and want to support our journalists’ growth and ambition.  

Responsibilities: 

Report quickly, clearly and accurately and deliver news, via stories, video, newsletters, social media or any other methods available to reach our audience.
Use metrics to inform story choices and shape beat strategies.
Identify top trending stories of the day, based on analytics and audience potential, specific to attracting search and social audiences.
Work with editors to experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and alternate story forms. This includes experimenting with long-tail (evergreen) content.
Monitor real-time news and sniff out the most important and fascinating stories important to our audiences. Demonstrate solid news judgment on an ongoing basis, while following USA Today Co.'s best public safety reporting practices.

Requirements:  

Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Three or more years in the journalism industry.
Experience using social media accounts to identify stories a plus.
Experience creating visual news graphics optimized for social a plus.
This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Application Instructions

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

Your resume – one to two pages.
A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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