Los Angeles City Hall Reporter

Summary:
The Los Angeles Daily News is seeking a focused, enthusiastic, nimble reporter to cover local government news. You will cover the Los Angeles City Council and its related agencies and local advisory boards as well as the mayor's office. The role would also scope out local LA City Hall angles for Daily News' sister publication, the Daily Breeze.
We are looking for someone who can keep pace with the myriad developments in town, but also find stories that no one else is writing, stories that resonate with readers via tight, compelling writing, deep reporting and digital savvy.
The ideal candidate should be aggressive and resourceful while embracing the role of watchdog, keeping a close eye on public officials, City Hall developments and what's going on behind the scenes.
What you will do:

• Versatility is a must; stories will cover a variety of topics
• Write on deadline in a fast-paced environment
• Report, write and file in the field and from government offices in Downtown Los Angeles as well as the San Fernando Valley
• Along with producing stories that are assigned, pitch story ideas on a regular basis
• Research and develop stories to the utmost accuracy
• Cultivate sources both in person and via social media
• Understand and use company-provided hardware, software, and cloud-based equipment and systems for company business and tasks
• Discuss stories throughout the process with the assignment editor, including, but not limited to, idea development, overcoming hurdles, editing, strategy for presentation, and analysis of analytics
• Work with the photo and graphics teams to ensure exploration of all the visual ways stories can be told or enhanced
• Embrace the goal of collaborating with Southern California News Group reporters, editors and other staff members in a collegial, positive culture of teamwork

What you will bring:

• Strong news judgment and a drive to compete
• Ability to write clean, concise copy that draws readers in, including nut graphs and online headlines for SEO
• The skill to mine human sources, documents and data, including a facility for mining public records
• The ability to juggle multiple stories of varying complexity, from quick news posts under intense deadline pressure to daily news stories and longer-term enterprise
• Proficiency at using the web and social media to report stories and to share them
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required
• Prior local-government reporting experience
• Experience with Freedom of Information Act-propelled reporting
• Bilingual skills are a plus, Spanish tops the list but is not the only one that would be helpful
• 2+ years of professional journalism experience
• Ability to shoot and post photos and video clips

Who we are:
Southern California News Group (SCNG) publishes eleven (11) daily newspapers and associated websites in four counties: The Orange County Register in Orange County; The Los Angeles Daily News, Daily Breeze, Long Beach Press-Telegram, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News and Whittier Daily News in Los Angeles County; the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, The Sun and the Redlands Daily Facts in San Bernardino County; and The Press-Enterprise in Riverside County. We also publish more than 20 community weeklies and four magazines. SCNG's in-depth multi-platform reporting on local news, politics, sports and entertainment reaches 8.1 million adults every week, making it an indispensable source of news and information for Southern California readers. Our mission is to connect communities by providing readers with the area's best local news coverage on any channel or device.
The hourly wage is $19.23 - $24.04. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, time in role, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, MediaNews Group offers a comprehensive benefits package, and 401K plan (all benefits are based on eligibility).
We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
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