Visual Journalist

McClatchy; Kansas City (MO); Remote; USD 42,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

McClatchy is seeking a visual journalist to create timely photo and video stories for our digital platforms. You will pitch ideas, respond to breaking news, and deliver engaging, ethically captured content that resonates with our diverse audience.

You’ll use Nikon gear, the Adobe suite, and CMS tools, writing captions and headlines that help your work get discovered. Remote work flexibility is encouraged as part of a collaborative team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 1–3 years of digital media or related experience.
• Strong photography and videography skills with solid news judgment.
• Experience with analytics, SEO, and audience engagement.
• Proficiency with Adobe suite, CMS and office tools.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Produce timely visual journalism—photo, video, and multi-format for digital platforms.
• Pitch and develop visual stories aligned with newsroom priorities and audience needs.
• Use analytics to inform coverage and measure impact.
• Build and maintain community contacts and sources.
• Edit captions, tag and archive assets, and manage rights and permissions.
• Use social media to distribute and highlight work.
• Respond quickly to breaking news and shifting priorities.
• Write accurate headlines, captions and video summaries.
• Embrace AI and automation to streamline routine tasks.

Skills

Photography

Videography

Analytics

SEO

News judgment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in journalism

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Camera equipment

CMS

Google Workspace

Job description

Bring stories to life in a fast-moving, digital-first newsroom. As a visual journalist at McClatchy, you’ll shape how our diverse and growing community sees itself—capturing moments, people and issues with photography and video that matter to our readers. You’ll work across formats, from original assignments to short-form verticals and multi-format versions of existing reporting, using company-provided tools that streamline production and let you focus on what counts: impactful storytelling.

You’ll pitch and develop your own visual story ideas, respond to breaking news and deliver timely, accurate and ethically captured photo and video content. Our visual journalists are audience-first, using analytics and feedback to inform coverage and drive growth. You’ll work with Nikon gear and the Adobe suite, and you’ll be expected to write clean, compelling captions and headlines that help your work get discovered and shared. We encourage you to experiment with AI and automation to take routine work off your plate—freeing you to focus on the stories that matter most.

What you’ll do:

• Produce timely, credible and relevant visual journalism—photo, video and multi-format for digital platforms
• Pitch, develop and execute visual stories that align with newsroom priorities and audience needs
• Use analytics and audience signals to inform coverage and measure impact
• Build and maintain strong community contacts and sources
• Edit, caption, tag and archive assets, managing rights and permissions
• Use social media to distribute and highlight your work
• Respond quickly to breaking news and shifting priorities
• Write accurate, context-rich headlines, captions and video summaries
• Embrace new tools, including AI and automation, to work smarter

What you’ll bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, photojournalism or a related field preferred, or equivalent experience
• 1–3 years of experience in digital media, entertainment journalism or related fields
• Strong photography and videography skills, with excellent news judgment
• Experience with digital audience engagement, analytics and SEO
• Technical proficiency with camera, lighting and audio equipment, editing software (Adobe suite), content management systems and Google Workspace or MS Office
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and required insurance
• Flexibility to work nights, weekends and holidays as needed
• Ability to work remotely and as part of a collaborative team

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.