General Assignment Reporter (Sun-Times)

WBEZ Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Chicago Public Media, a leading nonprofit newsroom, seeks a General Assignment Reporter to deliver breaking and trend coverage for the Chicago metro area. You will write with a lively voice, verify facts quickly from diverse sources, and may contribute multimedia elements as needed.

The role requires flexibility for nights, weekends, and some holidays, with a focus on accuracy, depth, and engaging storytelling in a dynamic newsroom environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of two years of experience as a reporter.
• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communication, or a related field.
• Focus on producing accurate and factual stories.
• Ability to collaborate with reporters and editors on stories.
• Ability to write in-depth stories.
• Ability to juggle multiple stories while working on longer pieces.
• Ability to work nights, weekends, and some holidays.
• Ability to fill in for vacationing beat reporters.

Responsibilities

• Provide breaking and trending news and feature coverage for the Chicago metropolitan area.
• Report clearly, accurately, and fairly to deliver fully sourced new stories on tight deadlines.
• Work collaboratively with editors and other reporters on breaking news and assigned stories.
• Conceptualize, research, plan, report, and produce accurate, original content, both independently and on assignment.
• Produce high-profile work that contributes something new, compelling and/or useful to the public conversation.
• Demonstrate strong reporting and storytelling skills, developing subject matter expertise and diverse sourcing.
• Demonstrate sound editorial judgment with attention to diversity and factual accuracy.
• Regularly meet deadlines and communicate effectively with managers, editors and colleagues.

Skills

Reporting

Writing

Collaboration

Deadline-driven

Education

Bachelor's degree in journalism

Job description

About Chicago Public Media

Chicago Public Media is one of the nation’s largest local nonprofit news organizations. Home to WBEZ 91.5FM, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Vocalo. Chicago Public Media reaches more than 3.3 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, we aspire to be the most trusted news source Chicagoans turn to for understanding the people, events, and ideas shaping our community.

About Chicago Public Media

Chicago Public Media is one of the nation’s largest local nonprofit news organizations. Home to WBEZ 91.5FM, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Vocalo. Chicago Public Media reaches more than 3.3 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, we aspire to be the most trusted news source Chicagoans turn to for understanding the people, events, and ideas shaping our community.

Chicago Public Media is a 100% community-funded newsroom powered by nearly 97,000 members whose support makes our journalism possible. This sustained community investment helped drive nationally recognized work in 2025, including 29 awards from esteemed organizations, including the Public Media Journalists Association, the Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the National Association of Black Journalists.

We believe independent journalism is essential to a healthy democracy and that access to objective, fact-based news is a right for every citizen. We serve the public interest by creating diverse content that informs and enriches our community, supported by a dedicated staff of approximately 250 professionals.

For more information, please see the Chicago Public Media Annual Report.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking an experienced General Assignment Reporter to join our growing newsroom. The General Assignment Reporter will provide breaking and trending news and feature coverage for and about the Chicago metropolitan area. The ideal candidate will be someone who can quickly discern facts from a political news conference or a crime scene as well as write with a fun, engaging voice on cultural trends. You may also be asked to provide multimedia elements for the stories you report.

This role may entail working nights, weekends and holidays.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide breaking and trending news and feature coverage as well as produce in-depth pieces on trends and a variety of topics
• Report clearly, accurately, and fairly to deliver fully sourced new stories on tight deadlines
• Work collaboratively with editors and other reporters on breaking news and assigned stories
• Conceptualize, research, plan, report, and produce accurate, original content, both independently and on assignment.
• Produce high-profile work that contributes something new, compelling and/or useful to the public conversation.
• Demonstrate strong reporting and storytelling skills, working to develop subject matter expertise - in the case of beat reporters - and diverse, strong sourcing.
• Demonstrate sound, trustworthy editorial judgment, including attention to diverse experiences and perspectives, prioritize factual accuracy in all content and comply with best ethical practices.
• Regularly meet deadlines and communicate effectively with managers, editors and colleagues, and help improve CST’s audience relationships, workplace culture, editorial excellence and impact

Qualifications

• A minimum of two years of experience as a reporter
• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communication, or a related field
• A focus on producing accurate and factual stories
• Ability to collaborate with reporters and editors on stories
• Ability to write in-depth stories
• Ability to juggle multiple stories while working on longer pieces
• Ability to work nights, weekends, and some holidays
• Ability to fill in for vacationing beat reporters

Compensation

The expected pay range for this position is $60,000 to $65,500 per ANNUM.

Chicago Public Media provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the organization reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographical location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Working at Chicago Public Media

At Chicago Public Media, we care deeply about our employees as we know attracting, developing, and growing talent is key to our success and enhancing our impact.

Our culture is one where collaboration, diversity of ideas, and innovation are encouraged. We value colleagues who will enhance our culture by bringing new ideas, divergent experiences, and talents to our dynamic workplace.

At Chicago Public Media we believe dedication to a great workplace includes supporting our employees and their families. As a result, we provide a broad and generous benefits package for employees at hire and in the years to come.

Our benefits include

a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, vacation, holidays, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings, and a commuter benefits plan.

Chicago Public Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer

and we actively seek and welcome people from all backgrounds, orientations, and life experiences to join our team.

The essential functions described above are not all-inclusive and are not intended to create any contractual or other legal commitment. Chicago Public Media may change the content or format of this job at any time in its sole and exclusive discretion without notice.