Reporter

The Monitor, a dynamic weekly paper and online news site, is looking for a reporter to cover East Helena, Montana. 

The Monitor is launching coverage in East Helena, Montana in early 2025 — and we're looking for a thoughtful and ambitious journalist who will provide strong news and enterprise coverage. This can be a half-time or full-time position; either way, it’s an opportunity to produce innovative, high-impact local journalism that builds engagement and drives change in a complex and rapidly changing community. 

The Monitor has served Jefferson County for over a century, and has gained high levels of trust for our independent and authoritative local coverage. We're focused on the institutions that ground civic life: Schools, businesses, and public safety. But we’re also interested in the distinctively Western questions that will shape life in East Helena for generations to come: How, for one, will infrastructure and services keep pace with population growth? How do land and water use map against the demands of economic growth? How will East Helena's history inform its future? These are rich stories that matter to our audience.

We have made several strategic shifts to better serve our audience and community while ensuring financial sustainability:

• A gradual shift to a digital-first publication strategy.
• Deep investment in "tentpole" issues — economic development; aging and the elderly; mental health; land use; and housing — that drive great enterprise reporting.
• Market expansion: The Monitor's paid circulation is up 50% over the last three years. 
• Online and offline engagement activities that catalyze constructive and inclusive public discourse.

This is who we’re looking for:

• An entrepreneurial journalist who is passionate about local news.
• Someone who lives (or wants to) in East Helena, or nearby. This job is all about being there. 
• Understanding of and enthusiasm for a solutions-based approach to reporting (and/or an eagerness to learn).
• An entrepreneurial and collaborative mindset. We’re looking for someone who’s comfortable and confident charting their own course, a true partner who is excited to be a key part of this growing enterprise.

What we offer:

• Salary of $18-22/hour, with some flexibility in hours.
• A commitment to quality journalism: The Monitor has won the general excellence award among small papers in Montana for the last four years.
• An opportunity to experiment, take risks, and pursue big ideas.
• Flexibility and encouragement to combine weekly news reporting with longer-term enterprise projects. 

The reporter will cover some community events at night, and a few on weekends. We'll also expect this person to spend time in the community developing relationships and story ideas.

This is a great entry-level opportunity to gain real-world journalism experience in a dynamic context. For more experienced journalists, it's a chance to do meaningful reporting that reflects and strengthens the fabric of rural communities.

Diversity of perspective, identity, and experience is important to us. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to seek employment, and we make all employment decisions without regard to race, age, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factors protected by federal, state or local law. 

Interested? Send a letter explaining why, along with your resume and links to previous written work, to Keith Hammonds, keith@boulder-monitor.com