City Cast DC, General Assignment Reporter

City Cast; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

City Cast DC is seeking an ambitious reporter to cover and break news shaping daily life across the DMV. You will build deep relationships with sources, break and explain stories that matter to Washingtonians, and contribute to the City Cast DC podcast and social channels with clear, engaging reporting.

You\'ll work with autonomy in a newsroom that prizes urgency, scoops, depth and voice, while translating reporting into compelling prose and conversations with our audience.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of reporting in a deadline-driven newsroom.
• Sharp writing with fast turnaround.
• Strong network or ability to build sources quickly.
• Experience with social media to grow audience.

Responsibilities

• Pitch original, timely story ideas that reflect what DC residents are talking about.
• Cover your beat independently and build relationships for exclusives and tips.
• Produce enterprise and accountability journalism that explains what\'s really happening in DC.
• Contribute to the City Cast DC podcast, speaking clearly about your reporting.
• Create regular social posts and videos to extend reporting reach.
• Support Neighbors membership campaigns during outreach drives.

Skills

Nose for news

Excellent writing

Social media proficiency

Audience engagement

Multitasking

Deadline-driven

Job description

City Cast DC is hiring an ambitious, talented reporter to report on and break news about issues that shape daily life across the region. The reporter in this role will build deep relationships with sources across the DMV, and break and explain stories that matter to Washingtonians. In addition to writing several pieces a week for the website, the reporter will regularly discuss their work on the City Cast DC podcast and create engaging content on social media, translating strong reporting into clear, compelling conversation. You'll have the autonomy to pursue meaningful stories, backed by a collaborative newsroom that values urgency, scoops, depth, and voice.

The ideal candidate is a sharp writer with strong news instincts who thrives on original reporting and fast deadlines, and who is energized by translating that work into clear, compelling prose and engaging conversations with our audience. City Cast DC reporters help shape the city's daily civic conversation by explaining what's happening, why it matters, and talking about it in a smart and entertaining way wherever our audience finds us.

What You'll Do

• Pitch original, timely story ideas that reflect what DC residents are talking about—and what they will be talking about next.
• Cover your beat independently and with dogged persistence, building and maintaining relationships with key sources so City Cast becomes the first call for exclusives, previews, and tips.
• Produce original enterprise and accountability journalism that holds power to account and helps residents understand what's really happening in DC.
• Contribute regularly on the City Cast DC podcast, preparing as needed, speaking clearly and engagingly about your reporting while bringing your local knowledge and personality to the conversation.
• Create regular social media posts and videos that extend the reach of your reporting and connect with the City Cast DC audience.
• Contribute to regular efforts to grow support for the City Cast DC Neighbors membership program, including pitching during campaigns

What You Bring

• A nose for news: When you see developments on your beat, you know which stories are worth pursuing and can clearly identify and pitch how to cover them, often before your editor brings them to your attention.
• An ability to recognize key and distinctive angles on a story to differentiate our coverage so that we can distinguish ourselves from the competition.
• A deep passion and curiosity for DC and an appreciation for and understanding of its complexity.
• Strong connections and an existing network of sources, or the demonstrated ability to build sources quickly.
• Excellent writing skills and an ability to turn around daily stories quickly and cleanly.
• 3+ years of reporting experience in a deadline-driven editorial environment.
• Enthusiasm for and experience with using social media to build audience.
• You are flexible, good at multitasking and have an endless energy for writing. We are a fast-paced news organization. The job requires someone who is happiest when they are itching for their next assignment and is out looking for it before it is brought to them. Often plans change throughout the day depending on news developments; a facility with switching gears is a must.

The Reporters will report to the Executive Producer of City CastDC. This position is full-time, with excellent benefits. The annual salary range is $70,000-$110,000 depending on experience. You must be local, though work will be primarily remote. City Cast is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity, which involves attracting talented people from diverse backgrounds and traditions. Read about our mission and core values here.