The Columbia Journalism Review is seeking a Chicago-based correspondent to join its United States Project, which aims to support accountability journalism in local markets around the country by offering intelligent criticism of media coverage, fostering dialogue among journalists, and delivering original reporting on local and statewide news organizations.
The project monitors coverage of a variety of policy and political stories, from state and local government to police conduct to healthcare reform to elections, and reports on a wide range of media outlets that produce that coverage: broadcast, newspaper, and digital-startup; public, nonprofit, and for-profit. A substantial focus of the project is press freedom, transparency, and First Amendment concerns related to local journalism. An archive of our work is at cjr.org/united_states_project.
We are seeking a Chicago-based correspondent whose portfolio will include news organizations in the city and elsewhere in the state of Illinois. The correspondent may also be asked to occasionally cover or critique Indiana media. Responsibilities include writing a minimum of two posts per month for publication on CJR.org, cultivating relationships with journalists throughout the region and fostering discussion about how to produce strong journalism, and occasionally contributing reporting for stories written by other reporters or editors. Responsibilities may also include participating in or helping to organize occasional events, such as panel discussions about journalism.
This is an ongoing freelance position that pays $1500/month. Editors anticipate the correspondent will devote an average of 10-15 hours per week to the project, on a flexible schedule.
We’re seeking candidates who will bring an active social media presence, demonstrated reporting skills, and a high degree of energy and enthusiasm for the project’s mission. If this sounds like you, send a resume and cover letter to unitedstatesprojectcjr@gmail.com. In your cover letter, please briefly outline two stories you would cover.
The Editors are the staffers of the Columbia Journalism Review.