Career Development: Job Postings
Job type: Full-time Position
Location: New Orleans, LA
Position: Health Care Reporter
Organization: Gulf States Newsroom
Date posted: 03/21/23The Gulf States Newsroom is looking for an enterprising reporter to cover health care trends, disparities and outcomes across the South – in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The position is part of a regional collaboration in which NPR and Member stations in those three states share content and editorial resources. The reporter’s work will appear on the air and online at stations in all three states and occasionally on NPR.
Who We Are: The Gulf States Newsroom is an exciting partnership between WWNO in New Orleans, Mississippi Public Broadcasting in Jackson, WBHM in Birmingham, Alabama, and NPR. We’re working together as a regional newsroom to plan coverage, share resources and add reporting power in a story-rich region where too many local news outlets have disappeared. It’s part of NPR’s collaborative journalism network, an initiative designed to better connect NPR with local member stations to tell the story of the whole country from everywhere in the country. Check out our stories here.
About the Role: This reporter will be based in New Orleans, Louisiana, employed by WWNO, and will work with the managing editor of the Gulf States Newsroom. This reporter will join a team of award-winning editors and regional reporters whose beats include wealth and poverty, environmental justice, reproductive health and criminal justice. The health care reporter will pitch in on local coverage of their beat and breaking news and will have the opportunity to file for NPR.
A spirit of collaboration is key! We want someone who enjoys working as part of a team and is comfortable in an environment where local, regional and national needs may necessitate different approaches to storytelling. We’re seeking a journalist who listens and communicates well.
We also want a self-starter who can:
• center people over policy and cover trends and patterns in the three states, including health equity and racial disparities in chronic illness
• explore the social determinants that influence access to health care, quality of care and health outcomes
• follow the ongoing impact of the pandemicResponsibilities:
• Pitch, plan, report and produce audio and digital feature stories to air/publish locally, regionally and often nationally.
• Develop a robust network of sources that reflect the diversity of the region.
• Report local and regional news spots as assigned by the Gulf States Newsroom Managing Editor.
• Occasionally travel to report stories across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
• Participate in NPR‒Kaiser Health News‒Member Stations Reporting Partnership to expand and publish stories
• Collaborate with editors and show staff at local stations to shape on-air two-way discussions.
• Take photos for digital stories.
• Use social media to share work and develop contacts.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
This is a full-time position that is eligible for full benefits including medical, life, dental and vision, paid holidays and a retirement plan through the University of New Orleans. This is a grant-funded position, with funding guaranteed through April 2024; the Gulf States Newsroom intends to raise funds to sustain the position beyond that date.
Follow this link (https://ulsuno.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UniversityOfNewOrleans/job/New-Orleans-La/GSN-Health-Care-Reporter_R-000968) to apply through University of New Orleans.
Please upload the following documents in the Resume/Cover Letter section:
• A cover letter explaining why you are interested in being part of the Gulf States Newsroom and a story that you’d dream of covering
• Your resume
• A document containing two links to reporting samples you are proud of along with a couple of sentences explaining why
• Names and contact of three references