Culture Reporter, Chron

Chron is looking for a Culture Reporter who’s focused on what Houston is talking about today—from debates on whether Texas is part of the South, to the difference between natives and “Newstonians,” they’ll cover culturally relevant news from a Texas perspective, profile local personalities, cover celebrities passing through town, and find unique stories that celebrate the city. The ideal candidate can quickly write breaking news and drive cultural conversations surrounding Houston’s people, neighborhoods and events. We count on our Culture Reporter for everything from quick coverage of surprising moments to news about Houston subcultures, disputes taking place on social media, thoughtfully reported features, and nostalgic evergreens about Houston’s odd history. We’re looking for someone who can feed Houston’s audience and be Chron’s voice in on-going cultural conversations. Chron’s Culture Reporter should have a strong background writing and reporting, be able to type and publish stories quickly, and be eager to craft new angles on the daily news and find stories no one else is covering.

Your duties on the team:

• Pitch, report and write 8-10 high-quality quick hits, news and feature stories each week that take an innovative approach to covering the Houston's crowded culture and entertainment landscape. 
• Idea generation: Keep fresh ideas flowing to assure the site is fed with compelling content
• Local/regional perspective: you know Houston and Texas Culture well, understand what residents care about and what readers will be excited to read and share
• Reporting, writing and communications 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

Skills you would bring:

• Pitch and report a mix of high-quality short news pieces enterprise stories and features
• Write engaging articles that reflect sound reporting, voice and compelling headlines
• Develop a wide range of sources and track news and politics in Houston and Texas
• Work with editors to develop a beat that expands Chron’s coverage of Houston and deepens readers’ understanding of their city

Requirements:

• 2+ 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 hnpemployment@hearst.com.  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.

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