We are looking for a reporter at the Hastings (Minnesota) Star Gazette who is passionate about telling stories that matter to our community — someone who is fair, accurate and ethical. The Star Gazette is owned by O’Rourke Media Group, a rapidly growing company that continues to invest in community journalism.
You’ll be joining a super-talented team of reporters equally excited to be writing about the people and events that make Hastings a great place to live.
The successful candidate for this position is someone who knows how to cover hard news and loves to write about people and their passions. Someone who knows that a good interview is often a good conversation and knows when to ask the tough questions but also when to listen. The ideal candidate has exceptional writing skills and is willing to put in the extra effort and research to deliver an engaging story. They will be passionate about their own photography.
Hastings is located southeast of Minneapolis-St. Paul with all of the excitement and activities a major metro area of 3.5 million people offers. It is an area rich in the arts, sporting events, parks and dining as well as year-round outdoor activities.
Preferred qualifications for this position include:
- Degree in journalism or a related field.
- Experience as a reporter covering local news and feature stories with an emphasis on enterprise stories. Recent college grads with internship or college newspaper experience will be considered.
- The ability to meet tight deadlines and report the news as it happens.
- Superior language, writing and editing skills.
- Some photography — both still and video — and associated editing software experience.
- Able to work a variety of schedules, including evenings, nights and weekends.
- Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and under pressure.
- Able to physically be in Hastings most days to cover stories and do interviews in-person.
- A valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle.
If this sounds like the perfect position for you, we would love to hear from you today. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume, along with relevant samples of your work to Chad Richardson, Vice President of News, at crichardson@orourkemediagroup.com.
About O’Rourke Media Group: O’Rourke Media Group currently operates in seven states with a full-service digital agency, print publications and hyperlocal websites. Our journalists provide in-depth coverage of our communities. Our team of marketing experts specialize in providing customized digital marketing strategies and solutions for any size business and budget. We’re a hyper-local community news publisher with an engaged audience of print subscribers, digital subscribers, website pageviews, social media followers and email newsletters.
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: $35,000.00 – $40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
401(k)
401(k) matching
Dental insurance
Flexible schedule
Health insurance
Paid time off
Vision insurance
Experience:
Journalism: 1 year (Preferred)
License/Certification:
Driver’s License (Preferred)