Political Correspondent, Wisconsin - UpNorthNews

Courier Newsroom, Inc.; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 75,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Health benefits

$500 home office reimbursement

401k

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Courier Newsroom in Wisconsin seeks a seasoned Political Correspondent to lead coverage of state and local politics from Madison. You’ll produce sharp journalism across video, graphics, and email, breaking news and explaining developments for diverse audiences.

You’ll build a trusted presence on social and in inboxes, use data to refine reporting, collaborate with editorial, social, and marketing teams, and contribute to growth and monetization of state-level media products.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of political reporting or content creation.
• Deep understanding of Wisconsin politics and community dynamics.
• Proven track record of building an audience through content or product.
• Strong writing/reporting skills with an ability to translate complex politics into accessible, values-rooted storytelling with minimal editing oversight.
• Experience creating content for social platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube).
• Comfort on camera and willingness to appear in videos or host short-form segments.
• Familiarity with tools such as Canva, Emplifi, Descript; willingness to learn new tools.
• Ability to work independently in a startup-like, fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Break and explain local and state political news.
• Develop and distribute ongoing media content tailored to a specific audience.
• Build a personal, trusted presence across social platforms and in inboxes.
• Use audience insights, data, and experimentation to refine your content and reporting approach.
• Work closely with social, political editorial, newsletter, and marketing teams to ensure consistent messaging and high-quality content.
• Share learnings and collaborate with other correspondents and editors across the Courier network.
• Contribute to growth and monetization strategies for state-level media products.

Skills

Political reporting

Audience development

Strong writing & reporting

Social content creation

On-camera presence

Canva

Emplifi

Descript

Independent startup mindset

Tools

Canva

Emplifi

Descript

Job description

Political Correspondent, Wisconsin - UpNorthNews

Madison, WI

Political Correspondent, Wisconsin - UpNorthNews

Who We Are

COURIER Newsroom is committed to building an inclusive workplace that values diverse perspectives and lived experiences. We strongly encourage women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ candidates, and those from all backgrounds to apply. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to break down barriers and ensure every team member feels seen, heard, and supported.

Courier Newsroom empowers individuals and communities through local reporting that helps people understand—and act on—the issues shaping their lives. Through original reporting, human-focused storytelling, and values-aligned audience engagement, we reach people where they already are and build trust at the local level.

We are presently looking for a Wisconsin Political Correspondent—someone who is an audience-savvy storyteller, can break news, contextualize politics for everyday readers, and reach people through the formats they prefer (email, social, video, or a hybrid).

Additionally, a reliable form of transportation is required to ensure you're able to cover stories where they happen. Either a personal vehicle or reliable public transportation are ok!

Summary of the Role

You will be the lead political correspondent for Courier Newsroom in Wisconsin. You will produce sharp, accessible political journalism that’s delivered in multiple formats such as on-camera videos, skimmable web graphics, and stories optimized for email.

You will:

• Break and explain local and state political news
• Develop and distribute ongoing media content tailored to a specific audience
• Build a personal, trusted presence across social platforms and in inboxes
• Use audience insights, data, and experimentation to refine your content and reporting approach

This is a highly entrepreneurial role for someone excited to reach new audiences underserved by legacy media and help strengthen civic engagement in Wisconsin.

Key Responsibilities

Political Reporting & Coverage

• Report, write, and produce clear, compelling political journalism rooted in local communities.
• Break news and deliver fast-turnaround coverage on political developments, legislation, elections, and policy impacts.
• Build and maintain a strong network of on-the-ground sources: lawmakers, organizers, community leaders, campaign staff, and advocates.
• Provide additional state-level political coverage for the newsroom as needed.

Multimedia & Social Content

• Collaborate with the social media team to translate reporting into social-ready content (carousels, graphics, and videos) that captures attention in under five seconds.
• Build and grow a personal social presence that positions you as a trusted, relatable political communicator in Wisconsin.
• Work closely with social, political editorial, newsletter, and marketing teams to ensure consistent messaging and high-quality content.
• Share learnings and collaborate with other correspondents and editors across the Courier network.
• Contribute to growth and monetization strategies for state-level media products.

The Ideal Candidate

Experience & Skills

• 5+ years of political reporting or political content creation.
• Deep understanding of Wisconsin’s political landscape and community dynamics.
• Demonstrated track record of building an audience through content or product.
• Strong writing/reporting skills with an ability to translate complex politics into accessible, values-rooted storytelling with minimal editing oversight.
• Experience creating content for social platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube).
• Comfort on camera and willingness to appear in videos or host short-form segments.
• Familiarity with tools such as Canva, Emplifi, Descript; willingness to learn new tools.
• Comfort experimenting with tone, formats, and approaches to meet audience needs.
• Ability to work independently in a startup-like, fast-paced environment.

Mindset

• Excited to build something from the ground up and own content end-to-end.
• Passionate about reaching audiences in more accessible ways and engaging them to act.
• Values-driven, mission-centered, and committed to factual, helpful political journalism.
• Collaborative, flexible, and comfortable adapting to changing priorities.
• Interested in growing a personal brand as a trusted local messenger.

Courier Newsroom offers the following benefits:

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO), 11 paid holidays a year
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Full suite of health benefits
• $500 home office reimbursement
• 401k
• Flexible working arrangements