About the position
The Ventura County Star, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking a passionate Breaking News Reporter to join our team in Camarillo, CA. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is eager to cover breaking news stories as they unfold. The successful candidate will be responsible for reporting quickly, clearly, and accurately, delivering news through various mediums including stories, video, and social media. The position requires a self-starter who can identify conversation starters and is ready to jump on the story of the day, recognizing that breaking news extends beyond just fires and crashes. As a daily newspaper with a primary focus on digital content, the Ventura County Star covers all of Ventura County, which includes 10 cities and unincorporated areas. Reporters in this role will have opportunities to collaborate with journalists across California and the nation on enterprise projects and breaking news. The ideal candidate will cultivate a beat, knowing the ins and outs of the beat and its key players, while also being able to juggle longer-term stories between assignments. The work environment is located on the Southern California coast, offering beautiful beaches and mountains, with mild temperatures most of the year, making it a perfect location for outdoor enthusiasts. The Breaking News Reporter will engage with the audience on social media, experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences, and monitor real-time news to uncover important stories. Source development will be critical, requiring the reporter to cultivate contacts among first responders, police, judges, and court staff. This role demands fast news judgment and the ability to produce clean, accurate, and publication-ready content under pressure.
Responsibilities
- Report quickly, clearly and accurately and deliver news via stories, video, social media or any other methods available to reach our audience.
- Use metrics to inform story choices and shape beat strategies.
- Identify top news stories of the day based on analytics and audience potential.
- Cultivate a beat, knowing the ins/outs of the beat and its key players.
- Write and/or produce multimedia content that appeals to key audience targets and maximizes user experience on digital and social platforms.
- Jump on breaking news and research, write, report, photograph, video and/or voice a variety of stories.
- Engage on social media with sources and audience.
- Experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and alternate story forms.
- Monitor real-time news and pursue enterprise/investigative work to uncover stories that no one else is reporting.
- Demonstrate fast news judgment on an ongoing basis.
- Develop sources and cultivate contacts among first responders, police, judges and court staff.
Requirements
- Bachelor's or master's in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Some reporting/newsroom experience.
- Experience shooting photos and videos is required and an ability to file quickly across platforms: mobile, desktop and social media.
- Strong command of grammar and AP style.
- Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and 'publication ready.'
- Passionate and enthusiastic about news and content that will work well with audiences on social platforms.
- Comfortable in fluid, fast-breaking, stressful situations.
- Desire to grow and develop a key beat in the newsroom.
- Comfortable using social media to enhance reporting and promote stories.
- Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
- Excels in a fast-paced news environment and understands the digital-first mission.
- Collaborates well with others and can work with a team on the biggest stories.
- Ability to speak Spanish is desired.
- Valid driver's license, reliable transportation and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
Nice-to-haves
- Ability to speak Spanish is desired.
