Reporter - Ohio State Job at Advance Local : Cleveland.com in Columbus

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Cleveland.com's award-winning sports team has an opening for an ambitious, aggressive and tech-savvy reporter to become part of our three-person team covering the Ohio State football program.
This reporter will live in Columbus and excel in developing sources, delivering insightful opinion and analysis, and producing the kind of stories fans cannot find anywhere else.
The ideal candidate understands that the modern sports reporter must be equally comfortable filing breaking news, building sources, appearing on podcasts, engaging audiences on social media, producing video and creating distinctive journalism that drives conversation.
A primary focus of this position will be on recruiting and roster management, as well as daily coverage of OSU football at home and on the road. The role also will include some coverage of Ohio State basketball.
Crucially, this reporter will be a key voice on Buckeye Talk, one of college football's most popular podcasts, and will help shape coverage strategies across written, audio and video platforms. The successful candidate will understand how audiences consume content differently across platforms and will be skilled at adapting reporting into compelling stories, videos, podcasts and social content.
The reporter will join one of the strongest sports newsrooms in the country and will have the opportunity to help define how Ohio State coverage evolves in a rapidly changing college sports landscape.
Examples of content may include:
Exclusive news and source-driven reporting
Recruiting coverage and analysis
Investigative and accountability reporting
Transfer portal and roster management coverage
Enterprise features and profiles
Podcast appearances and audio storytelling
Video explainers and social-first reporting
Live coverage from games, practices and major events

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Demonstrated ability to break news and develop sources
Demonstrated ability using AI tools to produce top-quality journalism
Experience covering college athletics, recruiting or a comparable high-profile beat
Strong reporting, interviewing and enterprise journalism skills
Ability to produce insightful analysis and informed opinion backed by reporting
Excellent news judgment and understanding of journalistic ethics
Experience appearing on podcasts, video programs or other audience-facing platforms
Experience shooting, editing and publishing video content for social media and YouTube
Strong social media instincts and audience engagement skills
Understanding of search engine optimization and digital publishing best practices
Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities and deadlines
Ability to build relationships with athletes, coaches, recruits, administrators and fans
Proven ability to reach and grow audiences across multiple platforms
Experience using analytics and audience data to inform content decisions
Willingness to work nights, weekends and travel as required by the beat

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Gather information and produce journalistically sound content across all platforms that is:
Accurate and well-sourced
Timely and competitive
Distinctive and audience-focused
Contextual and insightful

Coverage will include:
Attending games, practices, press conferences, recruiting events and other Ohio State athletic events
Breaking news and delivering exclusive reporting on Ohio State athletics
Building and maintaining a broad network of sources
Producing recruiting coverage with a primary focus on football
Identifying trends, controversies and story opportunities before competitors
Writing news stories, analysis, enterprise features and commentary
Producing video content for social platforms, YouTube and cleveland.com
Engaging audiences through social media, live coverage and community interaction
Using audience, analytics and listening tools to identify content opportunities
Publishing frequent updates throughout the day across digital platforms
Collaborating with editors, producers and fellow reporters to maximize the reach and impact of coverage
Monitoring and engaging with reader feedback and discussions when appropriate
Using AI-assisted and emerging digital tools to strengthen reporting and storytelling
Other duties as assigned

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