Law and Justice Reporter

KERA, the public media company of North Texas, is seeking an enterprising and ambitious Law and Justice Reporter to join the KERA News team.

Serving the country’s fourth-largest media market, KERA reaches more than 5 million people monthly through KERA TV, KERA News, KXT, WRR and The Denton Record-Chronicle as well as through national shows Think and From the Top. For more than 65 years, North Texans have turned to KERA as a destination for community engagement and lifelong learning.

As we seek to recognize and reflect our audience and communities, we encourage applicants from all backgrounds and points of view to consider employment opportunities at KERA.

KERA’s Law and Justice Reporter covers the intersection of civil and criminal law with public policy, and the real-world impact on Texans – with a strong focus on accountability journalism.

The Law and Justice Reporter will report on the role of the courts in shaping the lives of everyday people in North Texas. Coverage will focus on identifying important issues that affect people from all walks of life in North Texas that either have been raised in legal cases or are likely to end up in court. We’re interested in identifying malfeasance by government officials, civil rights violations, environmental hazards and dangerous products.

This will include coverage of the Texas Supreme Court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, lower state courts and the federal courts. While this reporter may occasionally cover a high-profile trial, this is not a traditional court reporting position. Rather, it’s about putting a human face on the major issues facing Texas – which is often a bellwether for the rest of the country.

This reporter would also cover access to justice, including indigent and public defense, but is not primarily responsible for covering police, jails, prisons or the criminal justice system.

The ideal candidate is a passionate journalist who knows the importance of putting a human face to complicated legal and cultural issues. The reporter will be comfortable digging through court documents and public records, developing sources and breaking stories on topics affecting all Texans — all while remaining firmly rooted in the ethics and standards of public media. This person will take the lead on all major breaking legal news and provide deep, nuanced and thoughtful analysis of not only what the judiciary decides but how they got there and why it matters.

We’re looking for a strong digital reporter who’s comfortable going live on the radio. On‑air experience is not a requirement for this job — we can teach you — but will include radio production.

The position is based in Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton, with statewide and national reach: KERA leads The Texas Newsroom - a landmark regional news hub of public radio stations across the state and NPR.

This position is classified as FLSA non‑exempt, is eligible for overtime and reports to the Managing Editor, KERA News.

• Write, voice and produce engaging stories for radio and digital platforms from interviews, research, data and analysis
• Find creative ways to report on news that touches everyone, with an emphasis on enterprise reporting delivered with the context and creativity public radio is known for. The goal:
  High impact with deep substance
• Develop distinctive digital and audio stories focused in the KERA listening area of North Texas, with statewide and national context and impact
• Work collaboratively as part of KERA’s team to contribute compelling story ideas and experiment with innovative storytelling techniques
• Create and participate in online and in‑person events
• Participate in extensive training opportunities in the newsroom, in…