The Role
Report and break original local news stories across Reading, covering courts, politics, education, business, crime, and community issues. Build contacts, attend events, conduct interviews, meet tight deadlines, and produce accurate print and digital journalism. Use SEO, audience insight, social media, photography, and video to expand reach. The role also involves investigations, breaking news, legal and ethical compliance, newsroom collaboration, and supporting less experienced reporters.
Summary Generated by Built In
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
About
A name you can trust - we’ve been a part of your community for generations.LOCALiQ is the name for all that Newsquest Media Group does today, from trusted local newspapers and websites to digital marketing services that can help you reach new customers as you’ve never been able to before.LOCALiQ is the name that combines your trusted local news brand with digital marketing.It hasn’t replaced the name of your local Newsquest newspaper and its website, but it encompasses everything we can offer.Those services include online advertising and best-in-class digital marketing, backed by data gathered from our 1.5 million local campaigns and 45 million monthly users.Put our experts to work for you, and we believe you’re hiring the best marketing partner a business can have.
Skills Required
- NCTJ Diploma in Journalism with 100 words-per-minute shorthand, or working toward the NCTJ Gold Standard Diploma
- Strong news writing skills and ability to explain complex issues clearly and accurately
- Experience working to daily deadlines in a fast-paced newsroom
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities independently
- Excellent understanding of media law, journalism ethics, and editorial standards
- Full driving licence
- Previous reporting experience, ideally in a busy local or regional newsroom
- Excellent news judgment and ability to identify original stories and exclusives
- Strong interviewing and newsgathering skills
- Confidence handling breaking news and changing priorities
- Digital skills, including SEO, social media, and audience engagement
- Willingness to work outside the office, meet people, and develop local contacts
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The Company
What We Do
We are a media company with a difference. We are committed to bringing a voice to your region by investing in a passionate team of journalists who proudly serve their communities by sharing authoritative news that readers trust. Our sales teams provide local businesses with highly responsive digital advertising and marketing solutions. We are one of the largest regional news publishers in the UK and have a portfolio of more than 250+ local news brands and magazines online and in print. With an online audience of 41 million users a month and 7 million readers a week in print, our content is read by a substantial proportion of the UK population. In addition to our local news brands, we own a number of digital pure play and specialist media businesses such as s1jobs and s1homes, Exchange & Mart, and Newsquest Specialist Media. We also own LOCALiQ, an award-winning digital marketing agency that specialises in driving more leads, increasing online growth and generating return on marketing investment on behalf of thousands of UK SMBs. Our parent company is Gannett Inc, the largest news publisher in the US. Gannett is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
