| Date Posted | September 30, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Industry | Newspapers |
| Specialty | Other |
| Required Education | Bachelor's Degree |
| Job Status | Full-time |
| Salary | $45,011 to $51,875 |
Description:
McClatchy Media is seeking an audience-focused reporter to join its collaborative and hard-working Bellingham Herald newsroom as a service journalism reporter.
The reporter will be based in Bellingham, a beautiful coastal city near the Canadian border, joining a reporting group that is fun, team-oriented and always looking for new ways to reach readers and tell the unique stories of western Washington state.
The service journalism reporter, part of a regional team, is focused on utility journalism with a mission to help local readers navigate day-to-day life. Service journalists use an accessible approach to write explainers, Q&As, fact checks and answer questions locally trending online. Reporters in this role also contribute to local and regional news and breaking news coverage.
This reporter should be able to craft stories based on local users’ needs and interests, engage directly with readers online and in person.
The reporter in this position will write frequently – they will welcome daily assignments as well as cultivate and pitch their own ideas, finding stories and questions in every corner of the community. Service journalists dig into city curiosities as well as “talkers” on sites including Nextdoor and Reddit.
An enthusiasm for working in a team-centered environment that emphasizes support and occasional shared bylines is essential. A willingness to learn audience development skills, such as digital headline writing and Google Trends, is a must.
Expertise in a particular subject area is not required, but the successful candidate will bring to the role areas of interest and a deep understanding of what’s important to local readers, preferably earned by working as part of a local news outlet. The ideal candidate will also have an excellent gauge of digital storytelling and the ability to work under the pressure of quick, daily deadlines.
McClatchy Media’s journalists are expected to take advantage of opportunities to ethically harness and leverage AI and other automation to enhance and elevate their work and to find efficiencies that free them to focus on source-building and high quality, deeply reported journalism.
We have fun, and we write on the news, covering a little bit of everything. Here are just a few of the team’s stories:
- Will WA reach its climate goals? New report shows big step forward, followed by setback
- One of America’s best small cities is in WA, says US News & World Report
- Trump’s federal hiring freeze could have a ‘disastrous’ impact on national parks in summer
- You can be fined for taking seaweed from the water in WA. Here are the rules
- It’s seal pup season in WA. You could be fined over $30k if you harass or approach them
- Can insurance companies cancel fire coverage in Washington state? Here’s what to know
In this role, you will need to:
- Pitch stories that are off the beaten track and will resonate with many readers across our region.
- Report and write stories quickly in user-friendly formats.
- Find questions the community is asking and figure out the answers.
- Collaborate with other journalists from across the newsroom on major news events and local happenings.
- Demonstrate versatility, initiative and SEO savvy.
- Work in a team environment.
- Live in Whatcom County
What you'll bring:
Must have:
- 1-3 years of reporting or writing experience.
- A college degree or work equivalent.
- Strong reporting and writing skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to see the story that is going to matter to readers.
- Flexibility and speed in writing to respond to evolving news events and user needs.
- Excellent news judgment and journalism ethics.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- A willingness to cover a variety of topics.
- A passion for utility journalism that helps readers in their daily lives.
- Reliable transportation. Must have a valid driver's license and vehicle insurance (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works.)
Nice to have:
- A track record of community engagement and audience-centered reporting.
- Willingness to do some multimedia storytelling, including recording vertical video.
- Familiarity with Google Trends, social media platforms, public records requests and data.
- Familiarity with measuring and tracking success using metrics and analytics.
- A track record for innovation, learning and using new skills and technologies, especially AI.
What we'll bring:
As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends.
Our overall benefits package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.
Bellingham, with a population of 90,000, sits between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, and offers stunning views of Cascade Mountain and easy access to San Juan Islands – perfect for whale-watching! The city has a celebrated craft brewery scene and is a great place for hikers, snow skiers and kayakers.
To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, 3-6 work samples for full consideration. References may be requested.
The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $21.64 and $24.94 per hour. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant education, department equity, training, geography and local wage and hours laws.
About the McClatchy Media Company
The McClatchy Media Company features a portfolio of vibrant and trusted news, lifestyle, entertainment brands and a robust retail distribution network. Our iconic local news brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star and The Sacramento Bee, have collectively earned a total of 57 Pulitzer prizes and are complemented by popular lifestyle and entertainment brands such as Us Weekly and Woman’s World. Together, our brands reach more than 100 million unique visitors a month. The McClatchy Retail Network, our distribution and logistics arm, offers delivery to more than 56,000 retail locations weekly.
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