USC Sports/Lifestyle Influencer

The State is looking for a high-energy, self-starting journalist to serve as our Columbia culture influencer and become a leading face of our short-form video content and social media platforms.

This role is ideal for a digital storyteller who thrives in front of the camera, understands the power of short-form video, and is passionate and knowledgeable about two of our core audience topics: food and college sports.

This isn’t a typical reporting position. We’re seeking someone whose content separates us from our competition and ultimately provides the kind of value that compels people to become loyal followers who engage with, and subscribe to, our content.

In this role, you will collaborate with our sports and metro teams to deliver high-level content on the ever-changing retail, dining and lifestyle scene of the city as well as all things Gamecocks. This includes your own original work and providing video support for other reporters’ work on occasion. You will also be the face of our big breaking news coverage, bringing insight and clarity to our coverage.

Expectations include:

• Shoot, edit and post 5-10 short-form social videos per week for USC sports fans.
• Use callouts and other engagement tools to hear directly from readers.
• Engage with members of The State’s subscriber base in virtual and live events.
• Appear in, shoot, and upload videos to The State’s social media platforms and website. 
• Produce vertical video that will be used on YouTube, Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram and other platforms. 
• Experiment with new platforms and cross-promotion.
• Write short stories and explainers on occasion.

We are looking for candidates with strong interpersonal skills and an established social media audience.

All Mc Clatchy 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.

To apply, include a video explaining why you are the person for the job, your resume and four to six examples of your best work (video and writing, please).

What you'll bring:

• A deep and demonstrated understanding of social media storytelling, and what resonates with social audiences, particularly on Tik Tok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
• A passion for storytelling and high journalistic standards.
• An established following and examples of building an audience.
• A knack for breaking down news in a way that is entertaining, engaging and relatable.
• The ability to shoot and edit video efficiently and on tight deadlines using tools like Adobe Premiere or mobile editing apps.
• An ability to organize a schedule based on shooting and editing priorities.
• A finger on the pulse of social trends, digital culture, and digital audience behaviors.
• A self-starter with a strong personality and creative energy who can work independently while also collaborating with a team.
• Experience/knowledge in the sports and entertainment spheres.
• Knowledge of SEO (particularly for social platforms), analytics, and audience engagement strategies.
• Writing skills and excellent news judgment.
• The ability to work flexible hours that will include night and weekend shifts to be wherever the moment demands.

What we'll bring:

As a journalist at Mc Clatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. Mc Clatchy 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, Mc Clatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on Mc Clatchy's benefit plan, please visit Mc Clatchy Livewell.com.

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