Reporting Intern

Job Description

Reporting Intern | The Lawrence Times

The Tone:
This is a reporting internship at The Lawrence Times, a hyperlocal, online-only news outlet located in Lawrence, Kansas. The Lawrence Times focuses on covering the Lawrence community and values people over profit and power. This role offers a unique opportunity to hone reporting skills, gain versatility, vast experience, and build a strong portfolio of clips within a tiny local newsroom setting.

The TL;DR
• Role: Reporting Intern
• Type: Seasonal
• Location: Hybrid; Lawrence, KS
• Pay: $18 per hour or more
• Mission: To find, report, and write hyperlocal stories across diverse topics, acting as a watchdog for accountability and transparency in the Lawrence community.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Content Development: Collaborate closely with editors to develop story pitches, identify and secure sources, formulate strong interview questions, structure and write articles, and refine copy through edits to achieve a professional final product.
• Community Reporting: Report extensively on various subjects within Lawrence and Douglas County, encompassing concise, quick-turnaround news articles, in-depth features, and longer-term enterprise projects.
• Story Generation: Actively identify and pitch unique, hyperlocal stories that resonate with and serve the Lawrence community.
• Topic Coverage: Cover a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from hard news such as government meetings, educational developments, court cases, and breaking public safety incidents, to engaging features and stories on arts and culture.
• Visual Coordination: Work directly with the photo editor to ensure all published articles are accompanied by appropriate and compelling visual art.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Currently enrolled in a college-level journalism program.
• Experience: Successfully completed at least one multimedia reporting class, such as JMC 415 at KU or an equivalent course, demonstrating foundational reporting skills.
• Skills:
* Possess a zealous drive to quickly pursue stories, always being on the lookout for news and ready to investigate leads thoroughly.
* Demonstrate fearlessness in pursuing accountability and transparency, acting as a vigilant watchdog for the community.
* Exhibit meticulous attention to accuracy in all aspects of reporting and writing, coupled with an understanding and adherence to basic journalistic ethics, while also treating all individuals respectfully and communicating effectively.
* Show strong self-motivation to complete work independently, maintain excellent communication throughout the reporting process, and think innovatively to improve traditional journalistic approaches.