Who We Are:
Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) is a member-supported public media network whose mission is to strengthen the civic and cultural bonds that unite Southern California's diverse communities by providing the highest quality news and information service on air at LAist 89.3, online at LAist.com and through LAist Live Programming & Events. Since our founding in 1999, SCPR has been a fast growing, innovative, multi-platform public service newsroom. Every day, our staff helps audiences catch up on the latest headlines, solve the complexities of life in Southern California, and connect curious communities to one another.
Position Summary:
The digital divide in Los Angeles is profound. Slower, costlier, and less reliable internet access in lower-income neighborhoods makes it difficult, if not impossible, to access basic needs, including but not limited to:
- Banking and financial services
- Applications for government assistance
- Medical records and scheduling
- Employment applications
- Schoolwork at all levels
LAist is seeking a reporter who will help communities across Los Angeles navigate the digital divide and illustrate the direct, personal impacts of large tech companies that monopolize – but don’t democratize – internet access in Southern California. LAist’s work is grounded in engaged journalism; while the reporter will be expected to keep careful track of policy and regulations surrounding digital access, this is not primarily a business or infrastructure beat. Rather, the reporter will explore how all of Los Angeles suffers if large swaths of the population are disconnected from the technology that drives our society, and identify solutions for closing the digital gap. We’re looking for a reporter who is skilled in and enjoys collaboration — we will explore how the digital divide intersects with topics including housing, health, education, the economy, infrastructure, politics, and more. Working in LAist’s cross-platform newsroom, the reporter should come with a sense of discovery in reporting and writing digital stories, writing and producing on-air reports, and participating in live or recorded conversations for shows and newscasts. This beat will also emphasize serving our target audience through SMS messaging and some analog content. (Previous audio journalism experience is preferred but not required.)
This is a grant-funded position.
Compensation:
The pay rate for this opportunity will be no less than $32.94 per hour and no more than $40.24 per hour. Exact pay rate determined by experience and education related to the role, organizational compensation structure, budget and internal equity. The grade of this position is IS.
Position Responsibility:
- Establish priorities and coverage plans to deliver stories that break news, inform, educate, delight, and surprise.
- Produce cross-platform stories that emphasize an audience-centered approach for digital broadcast, on-demand audio and social media sites.
- Identify key themes and trends affecting the digital divide in Southern California; deliver ongoing investigatory and enterprise coverage providing depth, context and compelling storytelling.
- Generate ideas for engagement and visual presentation.
- Assist other reporters, producers and editors with information as needed.
- Develop diverse beat sources.
- Provide high quality “live” reports with newscasts, talk shows and host 2-ways.
- Assemble, edit and mix stories for air with compelling sounds and characters.
- Propose ideas, topics and guests for live events and participate in event promotion.
- Operate production and studio equipment with minimal training.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
- Three or more years of professional journalism experience.
Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
- Demonstrated reporting, digital news and production skills.
- Proven ability to identify and originate stories, report accurately and quickly and meet deadlines.
- Demonstrated capacity to use public documents, Internet research and other reporting methods to provide independent material that informs stories.
- Strong fundamental writing, reporting and interviewing skills.
- Creativity in using web, radio and social media platforms to convey information, engage listeners and users and utilize the capacity of different platforms.
- Commitment to carry out ethical and best journalism practices.
- Established, or demonstrated ability to develop with minimal training, professional on-air delivery.
- Experience in or familiarity with public media news.
- General and developing knowledge of beat.
- Competent in use of recording and production equipment.
- Established, or able to master with minimal training, ability to use sound, to create scenes that engage the listener and convey the emotion of the story.
- Ability to work simultaneously on short and long-term projects.
- Ability to deliver stories with fully developed on-air style and originality in writing for broadcast and web.
- Ability to evaluate sources, develop reporting and analyze facts to frame stories with strong narrative lines, well-drawn characters, compelling findings, deep context and scope.
- Ability to develop stories with multiple interviews, scene changes, and strong knowledge of subject matter.
- Become and remain a member in good standing of SAG-AFTRA by the thirtieth (30th) day of employment.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Fluency in Spanish preferred. Fluency in other languages desirable.
- Audio journalism experience desirable.
Reporting To This Position:
N/A
Physical Demands and Working Conditions:
- May travel at times.
- Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
Physical Demands:
- Required to move about in an office environment and sit for extended periods of time.
- Required to move about in the community.
- Frequent use of hands for data entry/keystrokes and simple grasping.
Working Conditions:
- Moderate noise level.
Southern California Public Radio (LAist 89.3/LAist.com/LAist Studios) is diverse in race, ethnicity, language, culture, social class, national origin, religious and political belief, age, ability, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation in addition to other markers protected by law.
At SCPR, we strive to create an inclusive environment where we all feel pride in who we are and what we do. We are encouraged to show up as we are – always embracing and recognizing that our diversity is what brings us together. Our fundamental commitment to diversity:
- Enriches SCPR and provides an atmosphere in which all human potential is valued
- Promotes learning through interactions among people of different backgrounds and many perspectives, and
- Enables the organization to prepare all employees to promote social responsibility, equity, freedom, and productive citizenship in a global society
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage you to apply.