Nashville City Reporter at Gannett in Nashville, Tennessee

Job Description:

The Tennessean, located in Nashville and the state's largest news organization, is seeking a standout journalist with several years of reporting experience to be its next city government reporter. The right person will be passionate about serving the community, eager to collaborate with colleagues, and ambitious in the beat's reporting and storytelling.

Newsrooms traditionally have covered city government by focusing on local bureaucracy and political machinations, which narrows the lens and inevitably revolves around institutions. We aim to go beyond that definition to tell meaningful stories, focused on solutions, about how communities collectively address the past, deal with the present and plan for the future. While this beat entails coverage of city hall and elections, it also encompasses broader coverage of topics that matter most to Nashville's residents, from growth and development and its impact on the character of the city, to basic city services and how Nashvillians can best enjoy living here. This reporter will regularly collaborate with other journalists across the Tennessean newsroom.

Typical job duties
• Tells stories that accurately inform, engage and enlighten our audience.
• Serves as Nashville's leading voice on local government and politics - and how they affect residents' daily lives.
• Provides thoughtful analysis and produces watchdog journalism that leads to change.
• Demonstrates clear, concise writing skills and an emphasis on "why this is important to me."
• Works with editors and analytics to evaluate what's working and what's not and develops ongoing plans to better satisfy audience needs.
• Collaborates with our content team to provide all appropriate elements for stories (i.e. photos, videos and graphics). Captures basic photos and video as needed.
• Produces at least three stories each week along with working on longer-term projects and picking up briefs.
• Promotes personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
• Provides great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.
• Performs other duties as necessary.

Requirements
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in experience and education.
• Five or more years of experience in daily deadline reporting.
• Strong news judgment; commitment to develop and maintain sources; outstanding research skills; ability to meet deadlines, take initiative, receive constructive feedback and work as part of a team.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and stories in a fast-paced environment.
• Adept at using social media to report, tell stories, engage readers and cover breaking news.
• A valid driver's license, reliable transportation and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

When you apply, please include samples of your work and a cover letter along with your resume.

About The Tennessean and Nashville
The Tennessean is the state's largest news organization and is a fast-paced, collaborative operation full of ambitious journalists in every stage of their careers. Reporting frequently leads to rapid change at the state and local levels, and the newsroom frequently wins national awards such a Peabody Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards grand prize and the Scripps Howard Award in breaking news. In 2024, The Tennessean was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Its office is located in the heart of Nashville, one of the most vibrant cities in the country. Music City more than lives up to its name, and its live music offerings are supplemented by three professional sports teams, a vibrant food scene and abundant things to do. Middle Tennessee is rapidly growing and attracting a variety of new businesses on a regular basis.

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