Trending News Reporter, Chron

Job Description

Chron is seeking a breaking and trending news writer with sharp reporting skills and familiarity working for a fast-paced, digital-first newsroom. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of Houston, great news judgment and an ability to turn out multiple high-quality stories per day. The trending reporter will keep an eye on local news starting early in the morning and make quick decisions about which stories will matter most to Chron readers. The reporter will be expected to operate independently at the beginning of their shift but will have a collaborative working relationship with the news editor and the rest of the staff to ideate and execute stories.

Your duties on the team:

• Pitch and report 12-15 high-quality short news pieces each week
• Work a 7 am-4 pm shift
• Use the early hours to pick out critical breaking news stories and get to work on them fast
• Work with editors to develop a beat that expands Chron ’ s coverage of Houston and deepens readers ’ understanding of their city
• Write accurate and engaging news articles that reflect sound reporting and have voice and compelling headlines
  
  
  

Skills you would bring:

• Idea generation: Keep fresh ideas flowing to assure the site is fed with compelling content
• Passion for breaking news and experience writing multiple stories each day
• Local/regional perspective: You know Texas well and understand what residents care about
• Excellent reporting, writing and communication chops, particularly within news journalism
• Facility with analytics tools and ability to unpack those metrics to spot areas of opportunity and audience growth
• High metabolism for turning out must-read stories every day
  
  
  

Requirements:

• 3 years of relevant experience in reporting and writing in digital media
• Experience in, and understanding of, Texas
• Solid writing and communication skills
• Excellent news judgment and understanding of both media ethics and AP Style
• Facility with content management systems and analytics tools like Google Trends
  
  
  

About the Houston Chronicle:

The Houston Chronicle, recognized for its Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, serves its 2.3 million residents with content and marketing solutions across two of Houston’s largest websites — HoustonChronicle.com and Chron.com , along with our magazine, television and newspaper brands. Our mission is to spark conversations that inspire action to create a better Houston. All our content and the innovative business solutions we provide invite Houstonians to join conversations about a community we’ve been committed to covering and helping prosper for more than 120 years. The community we all call home.

WHAT WE OFFER:

There has never been a more exciting time to join the Houston Chronicle. Our business is growing and transforming every day. Advertisers are partnering with us to help them navigate new marketing strategies in today’s increasingly complex digital environment. Simply put, the Houston Chronicle is a media company that uses its rich history and data to deliver the most impactful media campaigns for our customers. We leverage our substantial audience reach, coupled with best in class advertising solutions to keep our customer’s brand in front of the right people at the right time.

Why are we different? Our people! Our company is diverse and filled with smart, passionate people who want to make a difference in their community, regardless of the role they play in the company. We offer an upbeat and collaborative working environment and expect our people to challenge the norm.

About Hearst Newspapers:

With 2,500 employees across the nation, HNP encompasses a network of 24 daily and 52 weekly publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union, several top digital-only news and lifestyle sites, marketing services businesses, and entertainment businesses such as King Features Syndicate.

At HNP, we are investing in new and innovative ways to tell stories – growing newsrooms, diversifying tools, evolving platforms – to support the millions of people who trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action and be inspired.

Be a part of something bigger – your headline awaits.

Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at [email protected]. Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.