Trending & Breaking News Reporter

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Location:

Portsmouth, NH
Brands:

Seacoastonline.com, Portsmouth Herald, Exeter News-Letter
Company:

USA TODAY Network (Gannett)

About the Role

The USA TODAY Network is seeking a

fast, competitive and digitally fluent Trending & Breaking News Reporter

to join our Seacoast Media Group newsroom in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This reporter plays a critical role in covering

breaking news, high-interest developing stories and audience-driven trends

across the Seacoast region, with a strong emphasis on

speed, accuracy and audience impact .

This role is central to our mission of being the

first and most trusted source of local news

in one of New England's most competitive digital markets.

Core Responsibilities
Lead coverage of

breaking news and fast-moving stories , including public safety, courts, weather, transportation, government actions and community impact events.
Identify, report and publish

trending stories

that resonate with local and regional audiences, particularly in

Portsmouth, Exeter and Hampton

- among our highest-value audience markets.
Deliver

quick, clean and accurate first versions , while continuing to update and deepen coverage as stories evolve.
Work closely with editors to optimize headlines, alerts and presentation for

search, social and subscriber engagement .
Use analytics tools (including Parse.ly) to inform coverage priorities and improve performance.
Collaborate across the newsroom to ensure strong coordination during major breaking news moments.
Maintain strong ethical standards and verification practices under deadline pressure.
Audience & Performance Expectations

This position is directly responsible for driving

high-volume digital readership and subscriber engagement

through timely coverage of breaking and trending news.

Performance expectations include:

Consistent generation of high-traffic stories and timely alerts
Strong

page-view and subscriber start performance , consistent with prior benchmarks
Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in journalism or related field, or equivalent experience
Demonstrated experience covering

breaking and developing news
Proven ability to report, write and publish quickly without sacrificing accuracy
Strong news judgment and ethical decision-making
Comfort working in a

metrics-informed newsroom
Comfort working with emerging AI technologies.
Flexibility to work nights, weekends, holidays and shifting schedules as news demands
Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience in a

digital-first local newsroom
Familiarity with New England or Seacoast communities
Experience with live blogs, breaking news alerts, AI, newsletters or social distribution
Ability to pivot quickly between urgent breaking news and short-turn enterprise

Why Join Us

You'll work in a high-impact newsroom covering one of New England's most engaged communities, with the backing of the

USA TODAY Network's digital scale, tools and support

- and the autonomy to own fast-moving, consequential stories that matter to readers.

Application Instructions:

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don't limit your upload to a resume; show us what you've done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

Your resume - one to two pages.
A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you've produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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