Date Posted	December 19, 2025
Industry	Digital Media
Specialty	Not Specified
Job Status	Not Specified
Salary	Not Specified

Description:

Community Reporter 

The Current, a Deep South Today newsroom in Lafayette, La., is seeking a Community Reporter to join our growing newsroom. 

The Community Reporter covers the beating heart of Lafayette — its people and its culture — through relatable, social-ready journalism, including multimedia engagement and vertical video, that connects locals to what’s up, what’s trending and why it matters. This is a general assignment position but with an emphasis on community content.

The beat is oriented to culture in the broadest sense: what people create, how they live, and what that says about who we are. You’ll interview musicians and chefs, influencers and thought leaders, neighborhood regulars and the Lafayette-famous alike. 

You’ll also extend The Current’s brand of enterprise and investigative journalism to the culture beat, taking a critical eye to the institutions and powerbrokers who influence our civic, social and cultural lives. 

As the urban center of the Acadiana region, Lafayette is one of Louisiana’s cultural capitals. Home to Cajuns and Creoles, it’s a place of national consequence and renown. It produces some of Louisiana’s best known festivals and foods. It’s virtually synonymous with Francophone Louisiana. 

But there’s more to Acadiana than tradition. This is a dynamic place, home to a public university and a vibrant art, music and culinary scene that flirts with the avant garde. There’s a cultural flavor for everyone here. And it’s your job to help our readers sample it all, understand who is behind it, and where it all comes from. 

The ideal candidate is curious, charismatic and comfortable with being a digital persona. They have an instinct for how to use digital tools to connect with audiences, source stories and tell them. And they have a command of basic reporting practices and principles. 

The Current is a small team and we put a premium on colleagues who are thoughtful, creative and agile — i.e. willing and able to stretch outside of their normal course of work when duty calls.  

Expectations:

• Pitch, report and file stories regularly on Lafayette’s community and culture to web and social media 

• Produce vertical video content in collaboration with our audience and social media team 

• Engage the digital/social scene, enabling you to develop sources and story ideas and stay on what’s happening 

• Use proficiently the digital tools required to do modern storytelling on web and on social media 

• Have command of journalism ethics and basic reporting skills and principles 

• Take assignments off-beat as needed 

• Produce on target and on deadline  

It’s a plus if you have: 

• Some local connection and/or familiarity with the region 

• Adjacent multimedia skills i.e. photography, graphic design 

• Prior experience as a creator or multimedia journalist 

• Experience in social media marketing or audience development 

What you’ll get: 

• The opportunity to work alongside award-winning journalists and make an impact 

• Latitude to try stuff and see what works 

• Highly competitive salary with medical insurance, and options for vision and dental insurance

• 29 days paid time off 

• Up to 12 weeks of parental family leave, with return-to-work flexibility.

• Simple IRA with 3 percent company matching. Group-term life insurance provided to employees ($15,000 policy) 

• Support for professional training and attending industry conferences 

• Access to the resources and talent in the Deep South Today network, including our sister newsrooms at Mississippi Today, winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize, and Verite News in New Orleans 

How to Apply:

We’re committed to building an inclusive newsroom that represents the people and communities we serve. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply for this position, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people who are differently abled.

Please apply here:

Apply

https://thecurrentla.com/jobs/community-reporter/