Crime & Public Safety Reporter

Summary:
The Southern California News Group is seeking a talented and aggressive journalist to cover crime and public safety in Southern California. Part of a team that covers LA, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the ideal candidate is tenacious and able to write gracefully and quickly in response to breaking news for online and mobile platforms, writing through for print. Come join our team!
What you will do:

• Versatility is a must, as stories will cover a variety of topics
• Write on deadline in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to take your own photos is a plus
• Along with producing stories that are assigned, the reporter should also be able to pitch story ideas on a regular basis
• Research and develop stories to the utmost accuracy
• Cultivate sources both in person and via social media
• Maintain communication with a supervising editor
• Understand and use company-provided hardware, software and cloud-based equipment and systems for company business and tasks
• Contribute to a positive culture of teamwork and collaboration
• The reporter may work nights and weekends as needed
• This job focuses on covering public safety and spot news, but also includes opportunities (and expectations) for enterprise and investigative journalism

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
• We're looking for someone who is flexible, can cultivate sources in person and via social media, and is comfortable mining public records
• The skill to mine human sources, documents and data, including a facility for mining public records
• Eager 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
• Facility a language in addition to English is a plus. Spanish, Mandarin and Vietnamese are key languages in our coverage area, but there are many more that would be helpful
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required

Travel:

• 50% - Must have reliable transportation

Work Environment:

• Hybrid. Most reporters work remotely, but there is office space to use in parts of our coverage area. Must reside in Southern California

Who we are:
Established in March 2016, the Southern California News Group (SCNG) has virtually overnight become one of the most powerful and influential news organizations in the U.S. This dynamic union was created when the Los Angeles News Group (owners of nine local daily newspapers and websites) and its parent company Media News Group (MNG) acquired Freedom Communications (owners of the Orange County Register and Riverside Press-Enterprise).
By combining these two highly regarded and well-established institutions, SCNG has emerged as the largest news content provider in the five-county Los Angeles metropolitan area. As a leader in circulation among top publications nationwide, SCNG now owns and operates 11 local daily newspapers and more than a dozen community weeklies. Our mission is to connect communities by providing readers with the area's best local news coverage while providing advertisers with unprecedented access to one of the world's most diverse and dynamic audiences. No matter the distribution vehicle-newspaper, magazine, mobile, online-SCNG's in-depth reporting on local news, politics, sports and entertainment continues to attract a desirable audience for its customers. Combining print, online and social media, SCNG now delivers premium content to over 8.1 million adults every week, making it an indispensable marketing solution for advertisers across Southern California. No other local newspaper group reaches more households in our market than SCNG.
The hourly wage is $19.24 - $21.64. 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, incentive and recognition program, and 401K plan (all benefits are based on eligibility).
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