Education Reporter
WABE is looking for an education reporter to join its 25-person news team. The reporter will cover education in daily, feature, enterprise, and series stories, and help with breaking news as needed on other beats, in consultation with their editor.
This position will develop content for the multiple mediums that WABE utilizes, prioritizing radio, digital, and potentially TV and podcasts.
About WABE
WABE 90.1fm is one of the most listened-to stations in the Atlanta metro area, a top ten U.S. media market. WABE reporters regularly file for National Public Radio’s newscasts and shows. We continue to expand our metro area coverage as we work hard to tell stories from underrepresented and underreported parts of Atlanta.
WABE continues to see strong financial support from our community, board of directors, and foundations. The organization is expanding at a strong, sustainable pace to continue delivering on multiple content objectives as well as other departments.
This position is based in Atlanta. WABE’s newsroom is a flexible, hybrid work environment.
What we believe in
Collaboration
– We care about working with outside organizations to produce richer and more substantial content than we could possibly do on our own.
- Our collaboration with American Public Media helped us become one of the first public radio stations in the country to develop and implement a source diversity tracker.
- Our collaboration with National Public Radio led to NPR’s first-ever Pulitzer Prize for audio for the podcast No Compromise.
– Internally, we collaborate formally and informally, with occasional series and stories created from ad hoc brainstorming sessions.
- o Collaboration among our team members has led to powerful reporting, including the multi-part series The Heat Effect.
– We care about departments outside the organization and sometimes work with them, especially on events that showcase the newsroom’s work.
Diversity
– We want a diverse group of voices in the newsroom to speak up to ensure we are covering the right things at the right time and adding to our stories’ richness and accuracy.
– We believe in stretching our boundaries to tell stories that traditional media can often miss.
– We care about hearing from a variety of people in our reporting.
– We care about issuing feedback to management when problems and opportunities arise.
Development
– It is important to newsroom leadership that everyone learns and grows.
– We aim to play to each person’s strengths while we work together to improve areas that need more development.
– Newsroom leadership encourages cross-training, allowing some positions to learn about other positions within the team, including potential opportunities to report, host, produce and edit.
– We encourage staff to participate in fellowships, grants, and training opportunities outside WABE.
Wellness
– Our newsroom leaders believe journalists deliver more impactful and powerful stories when they are physically, emotionally, and mentally in a good place.
– Our newsroom is currently a hybrid of in-person and remote working with the flexibility to do both for most positions.
– Our newsroom provides free membership to scores of metro Atlanta YMCAs, free access to the Insight Timer app, and flexibility in scheduling in coordination with direct supervisors.
– See more in the benefits section for company time off and sick leave policy.
The team
Journalists with WABE’s multiple award-winning news teams have a variety of experiences. Some folks are new to Atlanta; others have been here for years. Some are newer to journalism or public media, while others are more seasoned.
WABE, with the creation of WABE Studios, is growing its video and TV unit and podcast division. Opportunities will exist to expand newsroom content on these platforms in consultation with leadership.
Your skills
–The basics: We’re looking for a strong writer who believes in the importance of news media, has a strong work ethic, a high level of journalistic integrity and an understanding of audio storytelling; someone who is reliable, trustworthy, receptive to feedback and willing to grow and adapt.
The education reporter should …
- Report daily news while balancing future feature and series stories, bringing thoughtfulness to knowing when to triage and pursue stories.
- Understand or be willing to learn about the Georgia education system to develop a deliberate coverage approach in collaboration with a direct editor.
- Challenge themselves creatively with sound, radio, and digital writing, as well as in story choice and reporting approach.
- Work as a team player who is willing to collaborate with reporters on other beats, radio and digital editors, and our newsroom photographer and to contribute to special projects.
Ideally, the person in this position will have experience in public media or a strong sense of what is needed from public media reporters. Creative journalists who don’t have public media experience are encouraged to apply, especially if they have ideas of where they think they could take this beat. While this is not an entry-level position, we encourage people with varying work histories to apply if they think they have relevant experience and ideas to bring to the job.
Compensation and benefits
This position has a salary range of $55-65,000 (based on the category of Reporter II-Reporter III. This full-time position is eligible for benefits (medical, dental, vision, retirement) and paid time off.
For consideration, submit a cover letter and resume to:
WABE
Attention: Human Resources
740 Bismark Rd. NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
Fax: 678-553-3026
