Business and Education Reporter

Business and Education reporter

Are you a curious, ambitious journalist ready to develop expertise on two of the issues that matter most to local communities? The Telegraph is seeking a Business and Education Reporter to cover the schools, employers, institutions, and economic forces shaping life in and around Alton, Illinois, and across our portion of the Metro East.

This position is based in Alton, Illinois, on the Illinois side of the St. Louis metropolitan area. From our newsroom overlooking the Mississippi River, our journalists produce meaningful local reporting that informs readers, holds institutions accountable, and helps residents understand changes affecting their lives.

The Telegraph is a leader in covering Alton, Madison County and the broader Metro East region. Our newsroom values original reporting, strong community connections and journalism that goes beyond announcements and meeting agendas.

We offer a collaborative environment where reporters can develop their beats, pursue ambitious stories, experiment with digital storytelling and grow as journalists.

We are seeking an energetic and resourceful Business and Education Reporter to take primary responsibility for The Telegraph’s coverage of K-12 education and local business.

The position will have a roughly even split between the two beats.

The reporter will produce a mix of timely daily stories, explanatory journalism, enterprise reporting, and accountability work.

This is an excellent opportunity for an entry-level or early-career journalist who wants to develop strong reporting fundamentals, build expertise and take ownership of important local beats. The successful candidate will receive guidance from editors while also being expected to cultivate sources, pitch ideas and pursue original reporting.

The reporter may occasionally assist with other coverage when newsroom needs require.

• Own the Education and Business Beats:Develop authoritative coverage of K-12 schools, school districts, school boards, educators, students and families, as well as local businesses, major employers, economic development and workforce issues.
• Generate Original Reporting:Build relationships with parents, students, teachers, school employees, business owners, workers, public officials and community members. Regularly pitch stories based on source development, public records, data and firsthand reporting.
• Cover
  
  Education:
  
  Provide regular coverage of public school districts, school boards and administrators, teachers, students and families. Report on school budgets, enrollment, academic performance, staffing, curriculum, policy decisions, construction projects, consolidation proposals, potential closures and other issues affecting local schools. Follow state education policies when they have meaningful consequences for districts in the coverage area. Periodically cover local higher-education institutions, including the community college, nearby private colleges and the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, when developments are relevant to The Telegraph readers.
• Cover Local Business and the Economy:Report on business openings, closures and expansions; major employers; workforce and labor issues; downtown development; public incentives; commercial development; and the local effects of broader economic changes.
• Produce Daily and Enterprise Journalism:Balance quick-turn stories with deeper reporting that provides context, identifies patterns and explains why an issue matters to readers.
• Pursue Accountability Reporting:Use public records, budgets, contracts, regulatory documents and data to examine decisions involving public institutions, taxpayer money, economic incentives and community impact.
• Cover Relevant Public Meetings:Periodically cover evening meetings, including school board sessions and government meetings involving economic development or major business decisions. File accurate, clean stories on deadline.
• Provide Useful, Audience-Focused Coverage:Produce service journalism that helps families, employees, consumers and business owners understand important changes and make informed decisions.
• Tell Stories Digitally:Use photography, video, social media and other digital tools to strengthen reporting and reach audiences across platforms.
• Collaborate:Work closely with editors, reporters, and other colleagues to produce timely and impactful journalism.
• Assist With Major News Coverage:Occasionally contribute to breaking news or general assignment coverage when another reporter is unavailable or when a major story requires broader newsroom support.

• Strong Writing and Reporting: An ability to write clearly, accurately, and with authority across breaking news, daily, and enterprise formats.
• News Judgment: A strong sense of what makes a compelling local story and an ability to recognize how institutional decisions affect readers.
• Beat Development: The ability to establish sources,…