| Date Posted | December 04, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Industry | Newspapers |
| Specialty | Politics |
| Required Education | Bachelor's Degree |
| Job Status | Full-time |
| Salary | $64,993 to $84,981 |
Description:
The Sacramento Bee seeks a veteran journalist to show how politics and policies in Washington, D.C., affect Californians’ lives by reporting and writing through a distinctly local lens.
Based in The Bee newsroom, this reporter will cover our state’s Congressional delegation and the recalibration of Congressional representation in the wake of Proposition 50’s passage. But this journalist also will go beyond traditional political coverage, forging relationships with federal workers and everyday people to identify problems that require federal government intervention, report on possible solutions and then hold elected officials’ accountable for fixing them.
Accountability reporting sits at the center of this role. We’re looking for a journalist who can flip the script on traditional political reporting, generating stories based on issues faced by people in our core audiences — Greater Sacramento, the Central Valley and San Luis Obispo County — rather than letting Washington decision-making drive our reporting. You must be fair, fearless and enterprising, with a successful track record of source-building and revelatory reporting that rights wrongs and changes lives.
Given the enormity of issues facing our state — immigration, housing affordability and homelessness, environmental justice, educational and income equity, just to name a few — you'll work closely with colleagues on our Capitol Reporting Team and others throughout California.
Journalism that engages our subscribers and attracts new ones is our North Star, and we’re developing deeper relationships with our subscribers through live and virtual events, personality-driven newsletters and by answering readers’ questions. McClatchy Media’s journalists also are expected to take advantage of opportunities to ethically harness and leverage artificial intelligence 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. This reporter must be adept at doing all of the above.
WHAT YOU'LL BRING:
- An ability to flip the political reporting lens from inside-out (policy-making institution to constituents) to outside-in (constituents to policy-making institutions.)
- An unyielding intellectual curiosity, where the "why" and "what it means" are equivalent to the "what happened."
- Strong writing skills, excellent news judgment and a demonstrated ability to "see the story" that is going to matter to readers.
- Ability to build source networks and bring a constant flow of story ideas.
- Understanding of open records laws and the ability to file, manage and oversee requests pertinent to beat work.
- The ability to shoot basic photos and videos.
- A track record for innovation, learning and using new skills and technologies, especially AI.
- A willingness to represent The Sacramento Bee in community events or live journalism initiatives.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
- Break news, write accountability stories and produce enterprise on the issues and the politicians and public officials whose decisions affect our readers' daily lives. You'll routinely produce "Reality Check" stories.
- Leverage AI tools and platforms to strengthen your reporting while finding efficiencies and expanding the sophistication of your work.
- Find creative, audience-focused ways to tell political stories that connect with a wide range of readers.
- Embrace alternative story formats, experimenting with multimedia storytelling and collaborating with colleagues on our visual and data teams.
- Be accurate, fair and unbiased in your reporting and the stories you write.
- Bring an unflinching focus on our audience, with a commitment to grow readership.
Requirements:
A degree in journalism or related field and eight years of experience in a digitally oriented newsroom environment is required.
The ability to work flexible hours is essential. This position may require some evening shifts to cover local events. Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance.
To apply, include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.
The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $33.33 and $43.58 per hour based on 37.5 hours per week. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience and relevant education.
What we’ll bring:
Ninety miles northeast of San Francisco and 100 miles southwest of Lake Tahoe, Sacramento is a vibrant capital city with a Mediterranean climate, a world-class food and music scene and numerous recreational opportunities, including the 31-mile American River Trail and 2,000 acres of parkland in the city alone. Our Bee office in East Sacramento lies within two miles of the Capitol, Midtown, Downtown and Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings.
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.
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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