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Summary:
The Morning Call is looking for a dedicated and self-motivated reporter to cover the Lehigh Valley’s flourishing restaurant and retail scenes. We want someone curious and savvy who can balance breaking/trending news with features and enterprise stories. The reporter will curate a restaurant/retail-focused newsletter and maintain an active presence on social media – engaging readers and using platforms to develop sources and story ideas.
The position is remote but must be local to the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania.
What you will do:
• Report on local restaurant/retail news with high audience interest – focusing on openings, closings and breaking/trending stories. Identify and write breaking news quickly and accurately
• Cover local dining and retail trends; for example: How staff shortages are affecting restaurants; what rising prices and shrinking menu options mean for diners; and how malls and shopping centers are reinventing themselves
• Produce seasonal dining guides (summer outdoor dining, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc.)
• Deliver regular “best of” dining lists (best pizza, best vegetarian spots, best hoagies, best burgers, etc.), soliciting audience suggestions in the process
• Develop features on some of the interesting people and places in the local retail and restaurant scenes; for example: An 18-year-old opening his first restaurant; how a local cafe is helping to launch startups; and how a local Walmart became a foodie hotspot
• Curate a roundup of retail/restaurant news each week for an email newsletter and a column for print (“Retail Watch”)
• Help supplement our coverage of “things to do” in the Lehigh Valley
• Maintain an active social media presence, using various platforms to develop sources and story ideas while promoting your content
• Work closely with visual journalists to provide clear explanations of assignments; shooting photos and videos when necessary
• Use SEO best practices to optimize your content
• Experiment with, adapt to and suggest digital storytelling approaches, formats and tools that better serve our readers
• Shift gears as needed, juggling quick-hit, short-term and long-term assignments simultaneously
• Utilize metrics to evaluate what content is engaging our audience, and use that data to inform story choices
• Complete duties on time with minimal oversight
What you will bring:
• College degree or equivalent experience
• Solid news judgment
• Strong writing, grammar, AP style and communication skills
• Digital and social media skills, with an understanding of SEO and metrics
• Ability to produce content quickly and accurately
• Expertise in cultivating sources, with the goal of becoming an authority on the area you cover
• Ability to work both independently and within a team
• An eagerness to learn and develop new skills
• Availability to support team needs with occasional night and weekend shifts
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required
Please include the following in your online application: a cover letter, resume and clips that show your skills and range.
Who we are:
The Morning Call is a Tribune Publishing newspaper, located in the thriving Lehigh Valley, the third-most populous region in the state, 60 miles north of Philadelphia and 90 miles west of New York City. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401K, paid vacation and sick days.
We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to hiring people with diverse backgrounds, voices and visions. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
Be yourself. Bring yourself. Because that’s the only way we will deliver on our mission to provide meaningful journalism to the diverse communities we serve. Join us.
