Summer Multimedia Journalist

The Red & Black is hiring part-time multimedia reporter positions for our summer newsroom program, which takes place from June 1 to Aug. 1, 2025 in Athens, Ga and at The Red & Black Offices at 540 Baxter Street. 

Schedule:

Office hours are Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. There is flexibility, but generally speaking for reporter positions, you will be expected to be working in person at least three days a week for at least four hours, and work from home as needed during the rest of the day and the weekend in order to complete your workload.
 

The goal is get your daily work done during working hours, streamline communication, collaboration and foster positive environmental working in the office together, and so that you can have your evenings and weekends mostly free–depending on whether you have an assignment that requires you to work over the weekend or not and being on call for breaking news during the evening if it’s required of you.

Reporters will be assigned to two beats.

All reporter positions will receive some basic photojournalism training at the beginning of the summer term to be equipped to provide their own visuals if the photo editor is unavailable.

Workload is approximately three articles a week.

Multimedia news reporter 1 – picks two beats plus breaking news as needed. 

Pay is $150 every two weeks

Multimedia news reporter 2 – picks two beats plus breaking news as needed. 

Pay is $150 every two weeks

Breaking News Beat 

Responsible for writing press releases for breaking news in a timely manner, is responsive and communicative, writes weekly blotter reports. Breaking news on shifts: Sunday-Wednesday and Thursday-Saturday. 

Science Beat 

Focuses on environmental and scientific topics in the Athens area, including water issues, localized environmental trends and UGA research surrounding the environment, agriculture, veterinary science, engineering, public health and medicine. Content can include hard news stories to communicate new information, and human interest stories.

Education Beat 

Will primarily cover CCSD, with some higher education, USG and UGA coverage too. Attend and cover monthly CCSD School Board meetings. Also attend and cover University Council and USG meetings, which happen once every few months. 

Mayor & Commission/Politics Beat 

Focuses on state-level politics that impact Athens and happenings in the mayor and commission. They will focus on policy, legislation and the meetings and processes that bring policy and legislation into being. Attend weekly mayor and commission meetings to cover for news.

Courts & Crime Beat 

Focuses on following up on local breaking news and crime issues if it leads to a charge, covers the hearing and trial, especially cases of public interest. Research, write and report on criminal events. Follows up on old cases and story tips related to crime issues, as needed. 

Multimedia culture reporter 1 – Arts and music beat & general assignment 

Pay is $150 every two weeks

Multimedia culture reporter 2 – covers E&D & general assignment

Pay is $150 every two weeks

Both multimedia culture reporters will cover one of the biggest events of the summer: AthFest, the annual free, three-day festival that celebrates Athens’ vibrant creative culture, featuring local and regional musicians and visual artists.

Other events to be aware of include: PrideFest and Juneteenth in June

Eat & Drink Beat

Formerly the Eat & Drink desk, it is now under the umbrella of the culture desk and will be headed up by one beat reporter. Produces approximately two articles a week, which can include:

• Weekly restaurant roundup (mandatory, publishes every Tuesday)
• Q&A’s, profiles, industry updates, such as restaurants opening/closing 
• Breaking news on restaurant opening/closing write ups
   

Music Beat 

Primary focus is covering the Athens local music scene. Content can include concert event coverage, Q&A’s or profiles of musicians/bands, reviews of new albums. 1-2 stories per week.

Arts Beat 

Primary focus is covering the Athens local arts scene. Content can include gallery/exhibit event coverage, Q&A’s or profiles of artists, reviews of new artwork. Produces 1-2 stories per week.
 

Sports editor – primary role is to be an editor, but will also contribute reporting and stories, approximately two a week

Pay is $150 every two weeks

There won’t be actual games to cover since UGAAA is off for the summer, but there will be plenty of opportunities to write profiles, season previews and cover SEC Media Days, plus a big focus for July will be our Classic City Kickoff paper, which covers which is a preview paper for the 2025-2026 football season! 

Multimedia Sports Reporter – primarily works as a reporter, producing approximately three articles a week

Pay is $150 every two weeks