Freelance Reporter, Kids' Print Newspaper (Remote)

Description:

Reporters wanted: a new printed newspaper for curious kids

We’re starting a small, printed newspaper for curious kids (roughly ages 7 to 11), and the mission is the whole point: get kids off their screens and back to holding something real, reading true, surprising, hopeful stories about the world. Every word is written and edited by actual people, never AI, because kids deserve something made by humans who care. You can see what we're building at thejuniortimes.com. This is a real, launching publication, not a content farm: real pay, a live product, and a genuine plan to grow.

This is reporting, not content. That distinction matters, so we want to be plain about it. The Junior Times is a newspaper. We cover what is actually happening in the world right now, in the same month the paper goes to print. A kid who just won the national spelling bee, a new Mars rover that just landed or a species that just came off the endangered list. A twelve-year-old who just built something that works. These are real stories about real people and real events, reported and sourced, not encyclopedia entries about how volcanoes work. If a story could have run just as easily five years ago, it isn't right for us.

What the paper needs: reporters who can find a true, recent story a curious kid would love, verify it, and turn it into a short, vivid piece of 400 to 500 words that a 9-year-old can't put down. Warm, smart, curious, never talking down and never filler. Sourcing matters. Every piece comes with your sources, because a kids' paper cannot get facts wrong. You focus on the reporting and the words. Images, design, and page layout are handled separately, so there's no need to source photos or format anything.

The work: monthly, with flexible deadlines and a few short pieces per issue. It's a fully remote, work-from-anywhere contractor role (1099). $50 per published piece to start, paid per article, growing as the paper grows. You get a printed byline, clips for your portfolio, and the real reward of helping kids read something true and human again.

The kind of place it is: this paper is self-funded and mission-driven, not corporately owned, so there's real room to collaborate and bring your own ideas. Pitch stories, help shape sections, and use your creative license, as long as it serves the central mission of giving kids something true, hopeful, and worth reading. If you've felt boxed in by corporate media, this is the opposite of that.

The honest part: this won't replace a salary yet. It's a startup paper that is mission-focused, with fair, real pay for light and flexible work and a real plan for growth.

To apply, send:

• A line or two on why this appeals to you
• One short writing sample (any topic, any audience)
• A quick test that mirrors the real work: find a real, recent news story (from the last couple of weeks) that a curious kid would love. Something hopeful or fascinating, like a discovery, a space mission, an animal, a record, or a kid doing something great, and nothing political or upsetting. Turn it into a fun, curious story of about 300 words for a 9-year-old, give it a headline, and include a link to your source. This test does not require original reporting, so you can work from existing coverage. Regular paid assignments will.

How to apply: Email hello@thejuniortimes.com with the items above.