Political Reporter

Company: McClatchy
Location: Miami
Posted on: February 25, 2021

Job Description:

The job of political reporter at the Miami Herald is among the highest-profile and most demanding roles in Florida journalism, covering the best (and worst) of local, state and federal politics.
The ideal candidate for this position understands the issues and the politics across the ideological spectrum has a passion for breaking news and the skill to step back and explain what the news means and how it will impact our audience.
The assignment is critical for both the Herald and McClatchy, given Florida's importance in the national landscape as the country's most populous battleground state.
It's a great time to come into the job: A new administration in Washington is just settling in. Miami-Dade County has a new mayor. And Florida is beginning an off-election year ahead of the 2022 midterms when there will be races for governor, the Florida cabinet, and seats in the U.S. Senate and House, as well as the state Legislature. No fewer than four Florida Republicans are considered likely 2024 presidential candidates. Oh, and that includes Donald Trump, now a full-time Florida Man living a short drive north in Palm Beach.
The job requires an experienced and versatile reporter who loves politics, can cultivate sources and break news in our multicultural community as well as write analysis and develop enterprise. Having a strong presence in social media is a must to reach the state and national political audience. It is a high-reward, high-visibility position that requires competing against national publications and some of the best reporters in the business. Appearances on local and national radio and TV shows come with the job, as does the need to work well across beats with other journalists, including our Tallahassee and Washington bureaus.
We're looking for someone who can observe local politics and surface stories that will be relevant to a national audience while also keeping an eye on the figures who make policy or make the policymakers of Florida and Washington.
The successful candidate must be an excellent reporter and writer, strong on social media, self-motivated and ready to challenge political figures. She or he should be skilled in developing sources across the political and cultural spectrum in multilingual Miami. Speaking Spanish, Portuguese and/or Haitian Creole are all plusses.
Key responsibilities:

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• Get connected in state, local and national political circles.
  
• Develop a steady stream of enterprise and news that tells Miami Herald readers what's happening now in the political realm, what it means to them and what will be happening next.
  
• Collaborate with the reporters in Tallahassee and Washington to connect those political worlds with the interests and passions of South Florida.
  
• Stake out a big spot in social media to amplify your reporting and further engage an audience that loves to get down in the political mud.
  
• Collaborate with the Audience Growth Team to engage readers and grow new subscribers. Be a digital ambassador for the Herald newsroom's politics and government reporting on a broad spectrum.
  
• Write with a digital-first mentality. That includes thinking about shareable headlines, SEO, using links in text and embedding videos, podcasts and other assets. The reporter will be responsible for creating online and print packages in our content management systems.
  
  Minimum requirements:
  
  • 
    
  • Bachelor's degree preferred.
    
  • 5 years of reporting experience in a news organization with some deep experience covering politics.
    
  • A track record of breaking news and developing impactful enterprise.
    
  • An understanding of audience metrics and social media trends, and an eagerness to respond to them.
    
  • Fresh writing style, with an engaging, conversational voice
    
  • Ability to work with and process data.
    
  • Collaborative approach that prioritizes getting the best story for our audience.
    
    
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Keywords: McClatchy, Miami , Political Reporter, Advertising , Miami, Florida