The Oregonian/OregonLive seeks a full-time, temporary Community Reporter to help our newsroom expand its coverage outside the city of Portland. This role requires someone who does not rely solely on officials or institutions for story ideas, but listens closely to the buzz in the community, and turns that curiosity into useful and trusted journalism.
This position is responsible for monitoring community calendars, public information feeds, meeting agendas and community conversations – in person and on social media – to stay on top of daily news and identify the questions readers want answered. The reporter needs to move quickly from listening to reporting: making calls and getting into the community to produce several timely posts daily. They should be on the hunt for stories people are already talking about as well as those that will surprise and bring joy to our readers.
Candidates should also feel comfortable using AI responsibly as a tool to work smarter, surface story ideas, build context and go deeper on important topics.
The pay rate for this position is $28.00 - $32.00 per hour. This is a full-time, temporary position for up to six months.
This job requires reliable transportation to meet with sources or cover events.
Our ideal candidate will have the following:
- A degree in journalism, communications or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- At least one year of professional journalism experience with a demonstrated ability to produce clear, compelling and accurate reporting.
- Ability to identify, verify and develop stories that resonate with everyday residents, including ideas surfaced through reader questions, social media conversation, search trends and public records.
- Comfort appearing on camera and producing short, engaging social videos that bring reporting to wider audiences.
- Comfort working at a high tempo, balancing fast, accurate daily updates that readers can’t find elsewhere and will subscribe to receive.
- Ability to work independently and remotely, as well as in The Oregonian/OregonLive office.
Skills Required
- Degree in journalism, communications, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience
- At least one year of professional journalism experience
- Ability to produce clear, compelling, and accurate reporting
- Ability to identify, verify, and develop stories using reader questions, social media, search trends, and public records
- Comfort appearing on camera and producing short social videos
- Ability to work at a high tempo while balancing fast, accurate daily updates
- Ability to work independently and remotely, as well as in the newsroom office
- Reliable transportation to meet sources or cover events
Advance Local Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Advance Local and has not been reviewed or approved by Advance Local.
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Parental & Family Support — Parental leave, caregiver leave, and adoption support are presented as notable strengths within the package. These family-focused provisions stand out for employees who prioritize care-related benefits.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — Coverage includes gender-affirming care, autism habilitative services, and digital physical therapy. This breadth of inclusive options is described as broader than many standard employer plans.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off and holidays are highlighted as solid components of the overall offering. These provisions help position the benefits as decent even when base pay is seen as average.
Advance Local Insights
What We Do
Advance Local, one of the largest media groups in the United States, operates the leading news and information companies in more than 20 cities, reaching more than 50 million people monthly with its quality journalism and community engagement.
