The Kent Stater
Reporting Staff application
Applications due: 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014 by email to Matthew Merchant
(
[email protected]) and Mitch McKenney (
[email protected]). Send copies to BOTH, with the
subject line (LASTNAMEFIRSTNAME_POSITION).
Positions announced: Via email.
This application is for those students and student-journalists who desire to work with student media,
reporting, writing, editing, designing or contributing photography to The Kent Stater, KSUBuzz and
KentWired. We must use the best ways to tell stories and reach the Kent State community, our
audience, and that means we need people who want to be involved.
Please note: You are required to attend training week, which starts the week before classes begin. We
can help find housing, if necessary. More details to follow.
*** Note: Please read the job descriptions carefully and include the required work samples for each of
your top four job choices. Anyone who applies for a copy desk position must complete the copyediting
test. Designers may be asked to test their skills if necessary.
Name:
Email:
Phone:
Graduation date:
Major:
Minor:
Spring 2015 credit hours (Please attach a copy of your schedule.):
Other outside jobs:
GPA:
What are you applying for (in priority)? Job descriptions are listed below. (Job descriptions are listed
below. If youre taking Print Beat and youre interested in a principle beat, specify which one.)
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1. Please list any relevant experience (professional or school, journalistic or otherwise) related to the
position you are applying for. If you prefer, you can attach your resume.
2. Please circle or highlight the grades youve received in your JMC classes.
Intro to Mass Communication
Media Writing
Newswriting
Print Beat Reporting
Copyediting
Reporting Public Affairs
Feature Writing
Online Journalism
Online Collaborative
Computer Assisted Reporting
News Design
Magazine Design
Infographics
Magazine Publishing
Magazine Writing and Editing
Media Ethics
Media Law
Editorial Writing
Photo Basics
Video Basics
Photography 22001
Photojournalism I
Photojournalism II
Internship
Multimedia Techniques
Non-traditional Journalism
Others:
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3. How would you rank your skills on the following computer programs?
InDesign
Photoshop
FinalCut Pro
Audacity
Flash
Joomla CMS
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Average
Average
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Beginner
Beginner
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Beginner
4. Please list your Spring 2015 extracurricular activities and jobs.
5. Are you involved or have you been involved in any organizations that would pose a conflict of interest
with this job? A conflict of interest would exist if you were assigned to report or edit content related to a
group or organization of which you are a member or have a vested interest. Please explain.
6. Why are you the best person for your top choice?
7. What experience do you have with multimedia? What would you be interested in learning more
about?
8. What were two strengths and two weaknesses of this semesters newspaper? What could you do in
the position you are applying for to make the Stater a better product for students?
9. Is there anything else we should consider before making our decision?
Suggestions for different positions certainly will be considered if you make a good case for them. Editors
also may contact you to suggest a position other than the ones you applied for or to schedule an
interview.
If you are applying for a copy editing position, please also include the copyediting test with your
application. You may use the APstylebook or any other resource to take the test.
Job descriptions:
News staff
Administration reporter
This person will cover the universitys administration, including the Board of Trustees, the president and
most of the vice presidents. The reporter will be concerned with students tuition dollars and how they
are being spent. This person is the newsroom's primary contact with President Beverly Warren. He or
she will be expected to do reporting in unfamiliar media. We want an aggressive reporter with an ability
to uncover important stories within the university's administration. With your application, please
include three published stories and/or video or audio samples.
Academic affairs reporter
This person will cover university faculty, as well as the Provosts Office and Faculty Senate. He or she
also should take a broad view of academic issues at the university, especially ones that directly affect
students. He or she will be expected to do reporting in unfamiliar media. With your application, please
include three published stories and/or video or audio samples.
Diversity reporter
This person will focus on issues, not events, relating to the people who make Kent State diverse. That
may include racial and sexual minority organizations and unorganized minority groups, religious
organizations and international students. But this reporter should not fall into the trap of just covering
student organizations. He or she will be expected to do reporting in unfamiliar media. With your
application, please include three published stories and/or video or audio samples.
Student finance reporter
This person will report on issues that directly affect students money, with extra emphasis on helpful
stories suggesting ways to save, etc. This reporter may cover the Bursars Office or the Financial Aid
Office but only if students wallets are greatly affected. The focus of this beat is the students. The
reporter will be expected to do reporting in unfamiliar media. With your application, please include
three published stories and/or video or audio samples.
General assignment reporter
These people will cover general assignment news and feature stories as needed. They are expected to
generate as many stories as the principal reporters and should be on call for breaking news stories. They
will be expected to do reporting in unfamiliar media. With your application, please include three
published stories and/ or video or audio samples. If you don't have published clips, please submit three
clean writing samples.
News correspondent
This reporting position is ideal for reporters looking for experience covering a variety of stories and
types of news. A correspondent could be asked to localize wire stories, cover breaking news or develop
feature stories. This is a great entry-level position. News correspondents will also be expected to do
reporting in unfamiliar media. With your application, please include three published stories. If you don't
have published clips, please submit three clean writing samples.
Opinion staff
Editorial Cartoonist
This persons job will be to create editorial cartoons for the Staters opinion page. The person will be
expected to produce an editorial cartoon a few times each week concerning world, national and campus
issues, with a focus on local events. With your application, please include three published or
unpublished editorial cartoons.
Columnist
A columnist must research and back up columns with facts not write for the sole purpose of
sensationalizing. In essence, columns must have substance. Columnists may base their work on personal
styles and interests, and the Stater is looking for people with a diverse range of ideas, a commitment to
accuracy and a flair for writing. Columnists should be willing to try expressing their opinion using other
multimedia platforms as well. With your application, please include three published or unpublished
columns or samples of your opinion writing.
Sports staff
Sports reporter:
This reporters main focus will be covering the games and stories associated with the universitys sports
teams. He or she should plan to write a story after every home and away game. The reporter will also
cover non-sports related stories concerning the team and produce multimedia and Web features about
the team. The reporter will be asked to directly collaborate on stories with TV2 employees. With your
application, please include three published stories, preferably sports.
Sports enterprise reporter:
The sports enterprise reporters main focus will be long-term stories beyond the playing field. The
reporter will investigate issues within the Kent State athletic department and on a national level,
examples of which include Title IX, budget issues and recruiting issues. He or she may also work closely
with the special projects team on certain stories. With your application, please include three published
stories, preferably sports.
Sports correspondent:
The correspondents main focus will be assisting the sports staff in its coverage of university sports
teams. The correspondent will be encouraged to work on multimedia and Web content as well as stories
for the newspaper. With your application, please include three published stories, preferably sports. If
you dont have published clips, please submit three clean writing samples.
Features staff
Features reporter:
This reporter will write personality profiles and other general interest feature stories. He or she is
encouraged to generate his or her own story ideas and is required to work with photographers and
designers to come up with creative packages. Feature reporters will also be asked to incorporate
multimedia into their feature packages. With your application, please include three published stories,
preferably features.
Features correspondent
This correspondent will be encouraged to come up with feature story ideas but also may be assigned
stories by the features editor. Feature correspondents also will be asked to incorporate multimedia into
their features packages. This is a great entry-level position. With your application, please include three
published stories, preferably features. If you don't have published clips, please submit three clean
writing samples.
Film, music, art and theater reviewers
These reporters will generate entertainment-based reviews and write blogs for the features page, ALL
section and KentWired. They also will be asked to incorporate multimedia into their reviews for
KentWired.com. Reviewers are expected to have knowledge and expertise in their assigned areas, and
to back up their opinions with good reporting and context reviews should present a responsible and
mature point of view about the work being critiqued. With your application, please include three
reviews, preferably published, and a description of your expertise in the area you prefer to review.
Design staff
Full-time designer
This person must take all of the elements of the newspaper (photos, graphics, stories and illustrations)
and organize them into a coherent, readable page. This person also must be willing to take risks in
design. Knowledge in design software is essential. (You dont have to be an expert, but the kinds of
pages you are expected to design will most likely increase in complexity as your skills improve.) He or
she will work two shifts per week. Designers are expected to communicate with reporters and
photographers ahead of time. With your application, please include three pages youve designed,
preferably published.
Part-time designer
This person must take all of the elements of the newspaper (photos, graphics, stories and illustrations)
and organize them into a coherent, readable page. This person also must be willing to take risks in
design. Knowledge in design software is essential. (You dont have to be an expert, but the kinds of
pages you are expected to design will most likely increase in complexity as your skills improve.) He or
she will work one shift per week. Designers are expected to communicate with reporters and
photographers ahead of time. With your application, please include three pages youve designed,
preferably published.
Informational graphic artist
This person must be able to interpret stories and significant numbers using bar charts, graphs, timelines
and illustrative design to make them understandable and informative. Knowledge in design and
illustration software is essential. The informational graphic artist is expected to communicate with
reporters, editors, designers and photographers to gather the data and information they will need. With
your application, please include three informational graphics you've designed, preferably published.
Illustrator
This person must be able to interpret conceptual stories and topics and produce a relevant and
thoughtful illustration, produced by hand, computer, or a combination of techniques to capture the
attention of our audiences. Knowledge in design, drawing and illustration software is essential. The
illustrator is expected to communicate with reporters, editors, and designers in order to understand the
material they are illustrating. With your application, please include at least three examples of your
illustration techniques.
Copy editing staff
Copy editor
A copy editor should correct grammar, spelling, punctuation and style errors. They also will be required
to write headlines. But they should also read for content; if something doesnt make sense, it probably
wont to a reader. This person will be expected to work about 10 hours a week, or about two shifts per
week. Copy editors are expected to attend weekly copy desk meetings. With your application, please
include: three published stories and the copyediting test.
Photo staff
Full-time photographer
This person will shoot news and feature art assigned by the photo editors. A photographer who is able
will create photo illustrations as needed. Photographers should be expected to shoot between four to
six assignments each week, in addition to any breaking news assignments. All photographers will be
required to produce multimedia, including photo slideshows, audio slideshows and video. With your
application, please include no more than 15 photos and/or photo illustrations with the accompanying
cut-lines you have written, examples of storytelling video stories you have created, and any other
multimedia examples you feel showcase your skills.
Part-time photographer
This person will shoot news and feature art assigned by the photo editors. A photographer who is able
will create photo illustrations as needed. Photographers should be expected to shoot between three to
five assignments each week, in addition to any breaking news assignments. All photographers will
required to produce multimedia, including photo slideshows, audio slideshows and video. With your
application, please include no more than 15 photos and/or photo illustrations with the accompanying
cutlines you have written, examples of storytelling video stories you have created, and any other
multimedia examples you feel showcase your skills.
Photo stringer
Photo stringers will get assignments from the photo editors. This is a great entry-level position. With
your application, please include no more than 15 photos and/or photo illustrations with the
accompanying cutlines you have written, examples of storytelling video stories you have created, and
any other multimedia examples you feel showcase your skills.
Multimedia reporter/editor
This person will focus on creating multimedia content for KentWired.com. He/she will receive regular
assignments from the photo editor to accompany stories that reporters are working on. This person will
also be a mentor for other reporters and should be available to help train interested staff members on
video, audio and other relevant multimedia techniques. He/she will also be responsible for monitoring
upcoming stories and spotting where more multimedia can happen. With your application, please
include 4-8 examples of your work you feel showcase your skills.
