Journalist

Hey journos: The Plaindealer is hiring! Join an independently owned newspaper in the beautiful San Juan Mountains and help us produce meaningful, impactful journalism. Bonus: You get to hang with Walter Cronkite the Newshound.

Description:

COME WORK IN THE SWITZERLAND OF AMERICA

We're seeking a journalist who values serving the community, covering stories ranging from city council meetings to wildfires, human interest features and the occasional weird news in a rural place.

This job is a combination of reporting, writing and editing in the Switzerland of America, high in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. The Ouray County Plaindealer is an award-winning, small but mighty publication which has a reputation for punching above its weight. You might remember us from the story about our newspapers being stolen by a thief who didn't want the community to read a story about an alleged sex assault at the police chief's house.

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter who is detail-oriented and possesses strong reporting and writing skills. We aren't one of those big corporations that requires you to use AI to churn out your writing. We value critical thinking and real human skills.

You'll love it here if you're outdoorsy and enjoy fresh air. Our "traffic jams" are cattle drives.

Don't apply if you need malls, escalators or Trader Joe's. Please apply if you love doing meaningful work for a community that appreciates you.

You're not "fake news" or the enemy of the people here. We have an intelligent, engaged audience that supports local newspapers, even though someone is probably mad at us every week because we did our job holding power to account. This is an independently owned weekly newspaper that is invested in the community, not a paper with absentee owners or one that's being stripped for parts by a hedge fund.

For a county of 5,100 residents, there's a rich tapestry of stories. It's never boring here.

If you come to work here, you'll work alongside veteran journalists who have been repeatedly recognized for public service reporting and investigative reporting. You'll also work with a corps member from Report for America – we've been a host newsroom since 2020.

Essential job duties and responsibilities:

• Report and write articles on a wide variety of topics, with a particular focus on local government accountability.
• Consistently meet deadlines.
• Ensure journalism standards are met, including accuracy and objectivity.
• Practice the Society of Professional Journalists' code of ethics.
• Develop a wide range of sources in the community.
• Tell stories using reporting, writing, photos and social media.
• Help edit stories for publication in print and online, using AP style.
• Collaborate with publishers/editors to produce the newspaper and weekly newsletter.
• Pursue breaking news stories as needed.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle for transportation.

Minimum education and work experience requirements:

• Bachelor's degree – not necessarily in journalism. We know plenty of qualified, competent journalists who studied history, sociology, political science and other subjects.
• Minimum one year’s work experience for journalism outlets is preferred, specifically working in news, though we will also consider recent college graduates.
• Photography skills are a plus.
• Experience with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop are a plus, but if you're willing to learn that's great, too. 

Starting pay: $42,000 – $51,000/yr., depending on experience. There are opportunities for advancement for those who want to learn and grow their skills in our newsroom.

Benefits include subsidized health insurance, two weeks paid vacation, one week sick time, six paid holidays a year, and a profit-sharing 401(k) with company match after 1 year of employment. Some remote work is possible on occasion for visiting family and travel around holidays – we're pretty flexible.

How to apply: Send a letter of interest, resume (including references) and your three best clips to [click apply]. No calls, please.