Seeking Local Writers

The Armenian Weekly; New York (NY); Remote; USD 28,000 - 50,000; Part time

Job summary

A dedicated community newspaper is seeking a freelance correspondent based in the Eastern United States. The role involves pitching and writing stories about the Armenian community, conducting interviews, and meeting tight deadlines. Candidates should demonstrate strong critical thinking skills and a commitment to journalistic integrity. If interested, please apply with your resume and writing samples to the provided email.

Qualifications

• Strong candidates can think outside the box and uncover local stories.
• Must have an understanding of the Armenian community.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Pitch and write stories that explore the Armenian Diaspora.
• Conduct interviews and provide factual coverage.
• Manage tight deadlines while maintaining quality.
• Remain objective and present all information for readers to form opinions.
• Plan story ideas ahead and meet deadlines to avoid gaps in coverage.

Skills

Creative storytelling

Journalistic writing

Interviewing skills

Time management

Critical thinking

Tools

Camera

Job description

Overview

The Armenian Weekly—a small, but fiercely dedicated newsroom with over a century of history under its belt—seeks savvy individuals to act as our liaison to news and events in the United States’ Eastern region. Ideal candidates will:

Responsibilities

• Always be on the look out for the next story. Every now and then, we’ll send you out on assignment, but we want someone who is also willing to seek out ideas on their own. We expect this person to regularly pitch stories to our editorial team, and always be striving to provide coverage that is unique and thoughtful.
• Flex their writing muscles in a big way. The applicant should be a versatile writer and able to shift between writing quick, time-sensitive news briefs to lengthier, investigative stories. The applicant should have a basic understanding of journalistic form, style, and content.
• Be committed to providing facts and context. A strong candidate will not shy away from interviewing community members, or calling local officials to back up their claims. This is absolutely crucial.
• Remain objective. You may have your personal stance on a particular issue, but we expect that you will provide all the information available on a given situation, allowing readers to make their own, informed opinions.
• Be independent. Correspondents will work closely with our editorial staff, who are committed to providing the oversight necessary to create a great piece, but if you need hand-holding every single step of the way, you are not the right person for this job.
• Always be thinking ahead. The ideal candidate will have their story plan for the next month mapped out in their head. There should never be a lack of things to write about.
• Be conscious of deadlines. We are a small print newspaper and if you don’t make your deadline, there can be blank space in the paper our editorial team must scramble to fill. If you’re someone who doesn’t do well with tight deadlines, you need not apply.

Qualifications

This is a freelance position, but we are looking for writers who are able to contribute regularly to our paper, wherever they’re based. The ideal candidate should have their finger on the pulse of the Armenian community in their region and should be based in the Eastern region of the U.S. (major cities include Chicago, Detroit, Boston, DC, NYC, but we strongly encourage those living outside major cities to apply, as well). Experience reporting and writing in a journalistic capacity is great, but not required. We’re looking for strong thinkers who will tell stories that paint a portrait of the Armenian Diaspora in America today. The ideal candidate will be someone who can deftly explain the complexities behind what makes (or doesn’t make) these communities tick. We want to hear the how’s, why’s, and what’s behind the new Armenian restaurant that just opened down the street, or the Armenian language school that was forced to shut its doors, or the local high school which offers Armenian as a second language. Critical thinking is an absolute must. If you can work a camera, even better. We are looking for people who can think outside the box, uncover the local stories around them, and relate them to the larger picture. Those wishing to apply should send over their resume, two writing samples, and a statement of interest to [e-mail].