Housing & Real Estate Reporter

Summary:

The Southern California News Group is seeking an experienced reporter to join our Business team full-time, covering housing issues and real estate topics affecting millions of residents in the region. This is an especially critical beat in the wake of the recent wildfires in and around Los Angeles and the ongoing crisis in affordable housing throughout California. Housing availability, costs and legislative actions affect everyone who lives here and this is a topic that is particularly important to our news strategy. 

A good candidate for this position adeptly juggles daily beat coverage with ambitious enterprise and investigative reporting. While a main component of reporting on this beat is understanding trends and being able to render complex data points into clear and engaging storylines, the ability to identify and convey the lived experience of the Southern California housing market is also crucial.

Candidates must be passionate about journalism, familiar with the region and comfortable scouring documents, sifting through reports, compiling data for charts and graphics and surfing social media for story tips and coverage ideas. If you can produce strong enterprise and breaking news for digital and print platforms, cultivate sources in person and digitally, and have a passion for the Fourth Estate, we want to talk to you.

What you will do:

Versatility is a must, as stories will cover a variety of topics

Write often on deadline in a fast-paced environment

Produce stories that are assigned, and pitch story ideas on a regular basis

Research and develop stories to the utmost accuracy

Cultivate sources both in person and via social media

Understand and use company-provided hardware, software and cloud-based equipment and systems for company business and tasks

Discuss stories throughout the process with the assignment editor, including (but not limited to): idea development, overcoming hurdles, editing, strategy for presentation and analytics

Work with the photo and graphics teams to explore all the visual ways stories can be told or enhanced

Collaborate with others throughout SCNG’s four-county footprint and beyond in a positive culture of teamwork

Out-of-town travel is unlikely, but there will be a need to drive around Southern California

What you will bring:

Strong news judgment and a drive to compete

Ability to write clean, concise copy that draws readers in, including nut graphs and online headlines for SEO

The skill to mine human sources, documents and data, including a facility for mining public records 

The ability to juggle multiple stories of varying complexity, from quick news posts under deadline pressure to daily news stories and longer-term enterprise

Proficiency at using the web and social media to report stories and to share them

Ability to take own photos is a plus

Facility with multiple languages is a plus

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required

At least five years of professional journalism experience preferred

Benefits and Compensation:

The hourly range is $26.44 - $31.25. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to geographic location, education, work experience, time in role, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, the Company offers eligible employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, 401k, as well as paid time off and select paid holidays (all benefits are based on eligibility). Please click the following link for more detailed information: http://www.mybensite.com/mng

Who we are:

In 2016, the Southern California News Group (SCNG) rapidly became a major U.S. news organization bringing together prominent publications like the Orange County Register and Riverside Press-Enterprise under the MediaNews Group umbrella. SCNG has become the largest news content provider in the five-county Los Angeles metropolitan area, boasting a leading circulation nationwide with 11 daily newspapers and over a dozen community weeklies. Our mission is to connect communities by providing readers with top-notch local news coverage and offering advertisers unparalleled access to a diverse and engaged audience. No matter the distribution vehicle - newspaper, magazine, mobile, online - SCNG's in-depth reporting on local news, politics, sports, and entertainment attracts a highly desirable audience of over 8.1 million adults weekly. This makes SCNG the leading local news provider and an indispensable marketing solution for Southern California advertisers.

“3x Built In Best Places to Work Winner - 2023, 2024 & 2025”

EEO Statement:

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

How To Apply:

Please submit an online application along with your resume for this position here: https://myworkdaycenter.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/MNG/job/Irvine-California/Reporter_R2524. Along with your resume, please include a cover letter and links or attachments to three clips showcasing your skills and range in the resume section of your application.

Closing Date:

Continuous recruitment until the position is filled

Conditions of Employment: 

A full pre-employment background check, and MVR will be conducted as part of the selection process. Must be willing to submit and pass the necessary required checks

Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and have reliable transportation

Travel – This position entails occasional driving for work assignments, training sessions, and/or meetings. The employee will be responsible for transporting themselves between different sites as needed