Senior Reporter
Are you passionate about finding great stories, breaking news first and making a real impact in your community?
The Reading Chronicle is looking for an ambitious News Reporter to join our busy newsroom covering Reading and the surrounding area.
We want a journalist who is passionate about local news, has a strong instinct for a story and isn’t afraid to get out on patch to find it.
This is a role for someone who can build a brilliant contacts book, uncover exclusives, react quickly to breaking news and produce engaging journalism that gets people talking.
You’ll cover everything from breaking news, crime and courts to local politics, education, business, community issues and compelling human-interest stories.
Digital is at the heart of what we do, so you’ll also understand how to make stories work online, from writing strong headlines and using SEO to creating engaging social media content, pictures and video.
Key Responsibilities
As a News Reporter, you will:
- Find and break original and exclusive stories across Reading and the surrounding area.
- Build and maintain a strong network of local contacts.
- Get out on patch regularly to meet people, attend events and find stories.
- Cover breaking news quickly, confidently and accurately.
- Report from courts, inquests, council meetings and other key events.
- Produce strong human-interest stories, investigations and exclusives.
- Spot follow-ups and fresh angles to stories that matter to our readers.
- Write clean, engaging and accurate copy to tight deadlines.
- Use SEO, audience insight and social media to maximise the reach of your journalism.
- Capture photographs and video while reporting on the patch.
- Contribute ideas to the wider newsroom and help support less experienced reporters.
- Maintain high standards of accuracy, media law and journalistic ethics.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
You’ll be an experienced reporter who can demonstrate strong news judgment and a track record of finding your own stories.
- An NCTJ Diploma in Journalism with 100wpm shorthand, or working towards completion of the NCTJ Gold Standard Diploma
- Strong news writing skills with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and accurately.
- Experience working to daily deadlines in a fast-paced newsroom environment
- Highly organised with the ability to manage competing priorities and work independently.
- Excellent understanding of media law, journalism ethics and editorial standards.
- A full driving licence, as the role requires travel across the patch.
- Previous reporting experience, ideally within a busy local or regional newsroom.
- Excellent news judgement and the ability to identify original stories and exclusives.
- Strong interviewing and newsgathering skills.
- Confidence handling breaking news and changing priorities.
- Good digital skills, including an understanding of SEO, social media and audience engagement.
- A willingness to get out of the office, meet people and develop contacts across the patch
Benefits
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays + your birthday off
- Holiday buy scheme for extra flexibility
- Structured career progression & ongoing training
- Pension plan
- Employee Helpline counselling and advice
- Perks & discounts including:
- Gym membership
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Eye care
- Retail discounts
- Team building days & annual volunteer charity day
