Equity Reporter
Economic Mobility Lab Project 2 Year funded position
There are two sides of Modesto: Residents living west of Highway 99 and those living east. Residents living to the east of 99 enjoy sidewalks and street lights, and those living to the west in county pockets go without. Residents to the east have easy access to food, education, healthcare and transportation. Those to the west live largely without. Residents to the east feel they are engaged by city and county leaders. Those to the west, as witnessed during the pandemic, do not.
The gap in equity both before, and now accentuated with the coronavirus pandemic, is widening in Modesto and Stanislaus County. Hit especially hard are people of color, especially Latinos, who make up 47% of Stanislaus County’s population. How do we change this trajectory and quicken the pace of equity among all residents? Answering these and related questions are at the center of the Economic Mobility Lab Project and its mission to provide revealing, solutions-oriented journalism.
Our Economic Mobility Lab will consist of reporters to cover our Latino and underserved neighborhoods (our equity reporter), economic development and education – with an acute focus on how residents in all areas of Modesto and Stanislaus County can overcome systemic roadblocks like neighborhood infrastructure, access to government and political strength to help improve their lives.
As an equity reporter, you will be part of a three-person team that includes an education reporter and an economic development reporter, who already is hired. They will work closely with an editor, and be active in community engagement. You’re reporting will be to write about and for the underserved communities.
The Economic Mobility Project’s content will go deep; it is not a breaking news assignment (though we will write stories that should be told immediately). The successful candidate will have the skills to build audience loyalty, engagement and growth via a thorough understanding of the metrics that drive them.
The team will tell its stories through text and multimedia. Video and audio will accompany most stories, and reporters should show the ability to switch between formats as needed. Familiarity with data journalism skills are essential.
The equity reporter will report to one of three editors to be announced. It is a two-year position, with potential to discuss future opportunities in Modesto and/or McClatchy. Spanish language skills are a significant plus, please denote in your application.
Requirements:
-
At least one year of full-time reporting experience, with demonstrated success in accountability or watchdog work
- Must be bilingual (Spanish)
-
Strong writing and reporting skills and excellent news judgment
-
Commitment to accurate, ethical journalism
-
Ability to network and quickly establish sources
-
Ability to use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to reach audiences
-
Fluency in the science of readership and engagement, including an understanding of how to use analytics such as pageviews, time on site and referral sources to determine which stories resonate
-
Ability to tell stories using a variety of tools and platforms, including video
-
Experience in learning new skills and technologies, including content management systems, social media platforms, video editing software, Omniture, Parse.ly, Crowdtangle and other analytics tools and emerging storytelling platforms
-
Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism
-
Demonstrated ability to work comfortably in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven, shaped by feedback and experimentation and always evolving