City Government and Politics Reporter

If you’re a journalist who likes to explore unexpected angles, be creative with formats and document a city in transformation, Louisville Public Media wants to hear from you.

We’re hiring a reporter at 89.3 WFPL News, our NPR affiliate, to cover the city’s major public officials and institutions. We’re looking for someone to dig into and explain the inner workings of Kentucky’s largest city and the political, economic and social forces shaping its future – and how they affect the people who live here.

To get this job, you must have professional daily reporting experience in a city, a keen eye for finding the stories that matter and the skill to hold an audience. The city government and politics reporter develops and stays current with key sources, information feeds, and emerging issues to ensure that WFPL coverage of the city is timely, relevant and context-rich. They work as a part of WFPL’s City Team on coverage and are expected to be the lead resource on newsroom coverage of city government, politics and policy. They must have or quickly develop deep knowledge of the city’s stakeholders, institutions, officials, and current and emerging issues. They will bring curiosity, ability to set an agenda when faced with too many opportunities, and proven ability to add context and engaging explanation to a reported story. They will balance a daily news pace with the pursuit of trend and analysis features. They will also cover breaking news on their beat. We want to see how you’ve contributed to an inclusive and supportive work environment in your previous positions. 

This position reports to the city editor.

You will join an award-winning news operation that includes the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting and the Ohio Valley ReSource news collaborative. Louisville Public Media’s trio of public radio stations (news, classical and indie music) is beloved in our city. 

We offer a job that is always new in a lively newsroom and an enchanting city. Louisville is a welcoming community with a thriving entrepreneurial scene, great food, amazing art and culture – and our bars stay open until 4 a.m.

What You’ll Do

• Foster an environment of diversity, equity and inclusion that upholds the organization's values and strategic goals 
• Produce daily and long-form journalism for all LPM platforms, including broadcast radio, the web, podcasts, occasional video, and social media
• Develop and maintain source networks
• Search public records and databases
• Fact-check and understand context
• Natural writing and voicing style
• Use community engagement best practices to tell stories with communities, not just about them.
• Develop skill at live interviewing 
• Commit to diversity in coverage and building sources across diverse races, genders and abilities

What We’ll Do

• Invest in your professional growth through individual direction and training
• Keep you connected with our industry through conferences and professional associations
• Provide you an excellent benefits package that includes paid time off, health insurance and 401(k)
• Invite you into a culture that is supportive, transparent, experimental and accountable

Key Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of professional journalism experience or equivalent experience 
• Impeccable journalistic integrity and judgment
• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently
• Broad interests in news, public affairs and policy
• Active social media posting as a journalist 

Preferred Qualifications

• Participates in professional journalism groups and listservs, including public radio 
• Stays on top of technology, nonprofit news and storytelling advances
• Public radio experience preferred 
• Fluency in multiple languages preferred

If this is you, send a resume, three references and three work samples (stories or projects you’ve edited, or your three best clips as a reporter) to resume@louisvillepublicmedia.org. For audio work samples, please provide links (SoundCloud, podcasts, or other hosted audio), not attachments via email as your application may not be received. Then complete this questionnaire in lieu of a cover letter. Applications without completed forms will not be considered.

Louisville Public Media is an equal opportunity employer that actively seeks diversity in its workplace and offers an excellent benefits package.