Raleigh Accountability Reporter

Date Posted	February 24, 2026
Industry	Newspapers
Specialty	Other
Required Education	Bachelor's Degree
Job Status	Full-time
Salary	Not Specified

Description:

The News & Observer is seeking an aggressive, audience-focused accountability reporter to cover how priorities are set and power is exercised in Raleigh — at City Hall and beyond. This reporter will center the needs of Raleigh residents, taxpayers and employers, and examine how effectively city leaders are responding to those needs.

City Hall coverage is a key part of this job, but the role is much broader than a traditional “Raleigh City Council beat.” Your mission is to surface what matters most to Raleigh residents and the standards they set for their leaders, and to chronicle the city’s progress toward the future they want.

You’ll help answer questions about whether people can afford to keep living or operating businesses here as property values skyrocket, how neighborhoods and demographics are changing, whether Raleigh is a smart place to relocate or grow a company, and whether infrastructure, parks and services are keeping up with growth. You’ll look at growth and development from downtown to the bustling North Hills area and beyond, exploring gentrification and displacement, neighborhood tensions and the quality-of-life issues — housing costs, traffic, transit, public safety, noise, nightlife and more — that shape daily life.

We are looking for a watchdog of local government whose coverage starts with the community, not the City Council or County Board of Commissioners agenda. You’ll cover meetings and public hearings from the vantage point of what matters most in people’s lives, translating jargon-heavy policy debates and land-use decisions into clear, human-centered stories. You’ll test officials’ promises against residents’ expectations and, using data, public records and on-the-ground reporting, track whether the city is delivering on its commitments.

This is fertile ground for a high-metabolism reporter eager to build a following — who understands that earning a loyal audience around a topic requires publishing consistently and often. Success relies on your ability to break news, juggle quick-turn enterprise, build sourcing and navigate public records. We’re looking for a reporter with a strong record of accountability journalism, who is comfortable with investigative tools, writes with clarity and authority, and embraces digital platforms, service journalism and direct engagement with readers.

Raleigh is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, a diverse state capital with a vibrant downtown, strong universities and a robust tech and life sciences sector. The Research Triangle offers a rich cultural backdrop — with outstanding food, thriving music and art scenes, and abundant greenways and outdoor escapes. The area is home to leading universities, state government, corporate headquarters, fast-rising startups, and is just a short drive from both the coast and the mountains.

To apply, send a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.

What you’ll bring: 

• A college degree or equivalent experience.
• At least three years of professional experience.
• The ability to write quickly, accurately and engagingly on a wide variety of topics.
• Experience building diverse source networks and providing a constant flow of story ideas.
• The ability to quickly and accurately research and verify the authenticity of information, sources, photos and video.
• An understanding of audience metrics, SEO best practices, and social and search trends.
• Experience with, or a willingness to learn, producing engaging vertical video.
• The ability to find and analyze data to inform reporting.
• Excellent news judgment and commitment to ethical journalism.
• Fluency in digital storytelling and social media.
• A commitment to diverse coverage through community engagement and source building.

All McClatchy Media journalists 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. 

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.

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.

Apply

https://mcclatchy.rec.pro.ukg.net/MCC1008MCLTC/JobBoard/ff11d963-22db-4278-a2b7-709f3b882262/Opportunity/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=b269993e-ae7f-4a53-b140-4bc646774baf&sourceId=67be46c4-fd4b-47f3-8cbe-4f92d333fe43