Public Safety & Accountability Reporter (Temporary)

Public Safety & Accountability Reporter (Temporary)

The Desert Sun / desertsun.com in Palm Springs, California, part of the
USA TODAY NETWORK, seeks a temporary watchdog reporter with a passion for reporting on breaking public safety news, with an interest in bringing an accountability to lens to how communities find solutions to public safety needs. A balance of breaking news, crime and courts, and deep enterprise is key to this beat.

The Coachella Valley is an area east of Los Angeles that is bursting with amazing stories to chase or conceive, ranging the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, which presently is under scrutiny from the California Attorney General's office, to the very real effects of climate change and associated extreme weather conditions -- including high heat and flooding -- that can threaten the public safety of the residents who live here. This journalist also will be involved in other general breaking news or topics as needed, including but not limited to infrastructure fails including chronic road closures; traffic; and hiker rescues and deaths.

The ideal journalist for this position will have a demonstrated track record of developing law-enforcement sources and building trust in city, county, local and state policing organizations to ensure timely and accurate communication of urgent and essential public safety information. The right candidate also will have an eye for important details buried in local government agendas, budgets and public records. You should have work samples that demonstrate an aptitude for data-driven stories and familiarity with FOIA requests, and a track record of producing compelling, timely, well-sourced stories. We expect that you can recognize compelling, socially shareable stories and that you will be quick to jump on them.

This is a temporary position that will expire in April 2025.

Minimum Salary: $54,000

Responsibilities:

• Creates storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
• Works toward becoming the community's leading voice in area of expertise.
• Connects with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.) Provides thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
• Works with content strategist to evaluate what's working and what's not and develops ongoing plans to better satisfy audience needs.
• Collaborates with content team to provide all appropriate elements for stories (i.e. photos, videos and graphics). Captures basic photos and video as needed.
• Promotes personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
• Provides great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or master's degree in communications, journalism, marketing or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two to five years of reporting experience. Experience with datasets and/or retrieving public records through the FOIA process.
• Candidates fluent in Spanish will be given preference.
• Work samples that demonstrate storytelling techniques on multiple platforms.
• Proven experience producing accurate reports under deadline pressure, in a style that resonates with mobile and social audiences.
• Proficiency on social media platforms including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit.
• Effective communicator; able to get along with diverse personalities.
• Ability to shoot basic photos and videos in a breaking news situation.
• Strong news judgement and ability to multitask.
• Strong writing, spelling and grammar skills; familiarity with AP style.
• Must be able to work occasional night and weekend shifts.
• This role requires a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Application Instructions

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don't limit your upload to a resume; show us what you've done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.


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