Hearst Magazines

General Assignment Reporter

The Plainview Daily Herald seeks a General Assignment Reporter who will be responsible for developing and programming content on a wide range of topics for the Plainview Herald, on myplainview.com, its mobile pages and related sites, with the goals of expanding its audience, increasing reader engagement, and contributing to revenue growth.

Responsibilities:

• Report on a wide range of community-focused topics, including but not limited to local government, crime, education, human interest, breaking news and sports, with an emphasis on high-impact and timely storytelling
• Cultivate community engagement by developing compelling content that resonates with readers and encourages audience interaction, both in print and across digital platforms
• Build and maintain strong connections with sources across multiple beats, including local schools, civic groups, law enforcement and community organizations to generate leads and enhance coverage
• Monitor and respond quickly to developing stories, ensuring fast, accurate and complete coverage of urgent news events in the region
• Maintain a flexible schedule to accommodate the unpredictable nature of the news cycles, including evening and weekend assignments as needed
• Contribute to ongoing newsroom planning by pitching original story ideas and collaborating on special projects and broader enterprise reporting
• Serve as backup to the managing editor during absences, supporting newsroom workflow and editorial decision-making as needed
• Take part in advertiser-sponsored editorial projects and other collaborative initiatives balancing editorial integrity and organizational goals
• Assist in editing and curating content for digital and print products ensuring clarity, accuracy and alignment with publication standards
• Help manage the publication’s social media presence, sharing stories and updates to increase reach and reader engagement
• Maintain open, proactive communication with the editor and fellow reporters to facilitate coverage coordination and newsroom collaboration

Requirements:

• Preferred: At least three years experience gathering or producing news and information primarily on the Web.
• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field preferred
• Must have good writing and photography skills.
• Must be comfortable doing page design.
• Must be able and willing to forge and maintain relationships with sources.
• Must be mindful of representing the publication/company while out on assignment.
• Must practice good journalism ethics.
• Deadline-driven

About the Plainview Daily Herald

The Plainview Herald was acquired by Hearst in 1979. The Texas newspaper is published in the nation’s largest cotton-growing region and on the edge of the nation’s heaviest concentration of cattle-feeding and beef-packing operations. Hale County is home to an ethanol plant, and the area has realized recent growth in milk and wind energy production. The Herald is a multiple winner of both the Sweepstakes Award of the West Texas Press Association and the Panhandle Press Association’s General Excellence Award and has been recognized by the Texas Press Association. Its website, myplainview.com, also has won numerous awards.