California Political Reporter
The Sacramento Bee Capitol Bureau is seeking a competitive reporter to break news and develop exclusive reporting on one of our marquee beats: California’s governor.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is grappling with housing costs, climate change, criminal justice, COVID and more as he seeks a second term in office, all while a state with the fifth-largest economy in the world deliberates spending budget surpluses running in the tens of billions of dollars. We’re looking for a reporter who can deliver coverage that interprets his role, holds him accountable for his words and actions and keeps a close eye on his future political ambitions.
This reporter will have opportunities to collaborate with experienced journalists in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., and with colleagues in other McClatchy California newsrooms.
Candidates should have exceptional reporting and writing skills, along with experience in government reporting and a talent for explaining complex information in terms that are engaging and easy to understand. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to fairness and accuracy, in fact and in tone, and a strong grounding in journalism ethics. Like all McClatchy journalists, the reporter must have demonstrated the desire and skills to build audience loyalty, engagement and growth around compelling public service journalism.
At The Sacramento Bee, the reader comes first. Serving readers in a crowded media marketplace means being the best and most relevant source of journalism that matters to them — and ensuring that our work reaches them, wherever they are. This will require a keen understanding of what’s important to readers, developed through reporting on and familiarity with the region; through the use of audience analytics such as social media referrals and time spent on a story; and through awareness of what people are sharing and talking about on social media.
Minimum requirements:
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At least 5 years of reporting experience
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Strong writing and reporting skills and excellent news judgment
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The ability to break news in a competitive media market
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Unwavering commitment to accurate, ethical journalism
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Fluency in Spanish desirable
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Demonstrated ability to use social media platforms to reach and engage with audiences
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Fluency in the science of readership and engagement, including an understanding of how to use analytics to help determine which stories resonate with which audiences
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Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism. The new workflows require constant conversations between reporters and editors and between reporters and their audience as a story evolves.
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Demonstrated ability to work comfortably in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven and shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation.