What are the responsibilities and job description for the Food and Entertainment Reporter position at The Post and Courier?
Free Times, a community paper in Columbia since 1987, and The Post and Courier, South Carolinas oldest daily newspaper and premier news source, is seeking a food and entertainment reporter to be part of our team in Columbia. The emphasis for this role will be on growing our audience reach through fast-paced, relevant food, culture and entertainment coverage in Columbia, the states capital with a diverse and growing population. This beat will focus on a mix of breaking food news, writing features and accountability pieces, and ensuring our readers are up-to-date on the latest in local entertainment news. Part of your job will be to provide helpful information to our readers in an efficient, competitive manner.
We are seeking an innovative journalist whose stories will delve into the sense-of-place culture found in the Midlands, as well as the lives of those entrenched in the local community, exploring their impact in Columbia and beyond. A background in food and entertainment is a bonus to help better understand the beat. A background in news coverage is also valued.
This position reports to the Senior Features Editor, who leads a statewide team of arts, culture and food reporters. This position will have the chance to regularly collaborate with the other food reporters in the newsroom, both of whom are award-winning. This reporter is responsible for a weekly newsletter, in addition to a mix of breaking news and feature stories. If you are hired, you will join an ambitious, Pulitzer Prize-winning culture where talented journalists have the opportunity to pursue the best work of their careers, limited only by their ambition and determination.
The Post and Courier procured Free Times in 2016. The Free Times is a 40-year-old brand known for covering the local arts, food and nightlife scenes with vigor. It is distributed weekly for free via newsstands across the capital city. We are a passionate, dedicated, digital-driven news organization, and seek someone who shares that journalistic passion and commitment to excellence.
Responsibilities
Cover quick-hit food and entertainment news in the Columbia area as well as produce thoughtful and innovative features in a consistent and timely manner.
Use a data-driven approach to providing content that grows our audience.
Run with assignments as well as plan and conceptualize long-form and enterprise story ideas that could warrant centerpieces.
Embrace a spirit of nimble experimentation to test nontraditional story formats.
At minimum, a bachelors degree in journalism or another field of study if you have journalism experience. Ideally, candidates will have at least 2 years of reporting experience, whether full-time or through internships.
Writing and editing skills.
Excellent news judgment.
A background that demonstrates dedication to impactful journalism as its own art form.
A background in the arts in some form is not a requirement but a bonus.
Video editing and production skills are preferred.
Working knowledge of SEO.
Must have reliable personal transportation.
Along with their resume, applicants should attach a cover letter and 5 of their best article clips. The Post and Courier is an equal opportunity employer.
