Reporter - Clearwater and Scientology

Clearwater may be best known to the outside world for its white sand beaches, crystal waters, luxury hotels and nightly sunset celebrations at Pier 60. It is also home to nearly 120,000 people, spring training and minor league baseball and top entertainment venues such as Ruth Eckerd Hall and the Sound. The region’s third-largest city has its share of familiar problems, including crippling traffic, runaway rents and conflict between developers and people interested in preserving its few remaining green spaces. It’s also uniquely situated as the international spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology. The church is in the background on almost every decision made by this community’s elected leaders, and often at the forefront. As the Tampa Bay Times has documented, the church and related entities own most of downtown and have not made public their plans for it. As downtowns across the country have enjoyed a rebirth as places in which people live, work and play, Clearwater’s is strangely deserted day and night because buildings are kept vacant by the church-related entities that own them. The Times has a record of reporting aggressively on the church, how it operates and how it interacts with the community.

The Tampa Bay Times is seeking a fearless reporter to cover the city of Clearwater and some of its surrounding north Pinellas cities, including Dunedin and Tarpon Springs, and to lead our coverage of Scientology. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated record of tenacious reporting and a strong command of Florida’s public records law.

Responsibilities

• Find great stories that are fast-moving and highly readable.
• Understand and use audience metrics to help increase readership.
• Write quickly and often.

Requirements

• Strong news judgment, well-versed in journalism ethics.
• A deep curiosity and high energy.
• Experience at a college publication is a plus. Ideally, applicants have completed at least one professional internship or job.
• Eagerness to collaborate across the newsroom and ask questions.
• Open to early morning and late evening work and an occasional weekend shift.
• Must have reliable transportation.

Please submit a resume, cover letter and include any relevant work samples.

Benefits for Full-Time Eligible Employees:

• Health coverage for you and your family through medical, dental and vision plans.
• 100% employer-paid short term and long-term disability.
• 100% employer-paid basic life insurance.
• Supplemental life insurance.
• Tax advantages through flexible spending accounts that allow you to pay for specific health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Tax-Deferred Savings Plan for retirement.
• A generous PTO program and much more.

Our organization is committed to building an inclusive newsroom that represents the vibrant and diverse communities we serve. We welcome qualified applicants of all races, ethnicities, physical abilities, genders and sexual orientations.