Service Journalism Reporter

McClatchy Media is seeking an audience‑focused reporter to join its collaborative and hard‑working Herald‑Leader newsroom as a service journalism reporter.

The reporter will be based in Lexington, known as the Horse Capital of the World, and will join a team‑oriented reporting group that is always looking for new ways to reach readers and tell the unique stories of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region.

The service journalism team is focused on utility journalism with a mission to help local readers navigate day‑to‑day life. Service journalists use an accessible approach to write explainers, Q&As, fact checks and answer questions locally trending online. Reporters in this role also contribute to local and regional news and breaking news coverage.

This reporter should be able to craft stories based on local users’ needs and interests, engage directly with readers online and potentially in person.

The reporter in this position will write frequently – they will welcome daily assignments as well as cultivate and pitch their own ideas, finding stories and questions in every corner of the community, online and in person. Service journalists dig into city curiosities as well as “talkers” on sites like Nextdoor and Reddit.

An enthusiasm for working in a team‑centered environment that emphasizes support and occasional shared bylines is essential. A willingness to learn audience development skills, such as digital headline writing and SEO, is a must.

Expertise in a particular subject area is not required, but the successful candidate will bring to the role areas of interest and a deep understanding of what’s important to local readers, preferably earned by working as part of a local news outlet. The ideal candidate will also have an excellent gauge of digital storytelling and the ability to work under the pressure of quick, daily deadlines.

McClatchy Media’s journalists are expected to take advantage of opportunities to ethically harness and leverage AI and other automation to enhance and elevate their work and to find efficiencies that free them to focus on source‑building and high quality, deeply reported journalism.

• Pitch stories that are off the beaten track and will resonate with many readers across our region.
• Report and write stories quickly in user‑friendly formats.
• Find questions the community is asking and figure out the answers.
• Collaborate with other journalists from across the newsroom on major news events and local happenings.
• Demonstrate versatility, initiative and SEO savvy.
• Work in a team environment, both virtually and in person.

• 1–3 years of reporting or writing experience.
• A college degree or work equivalent.
• Strong reporting and writing skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to see the story that is going to matter to readers.
• Flexibility and speed in writing to respond to evolving news events and user needs.
• Excellent news judgment and journalism ethics.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• A willingness to cover a variety of topics.
• A passion for utility journalism that helps readers in their daily lives.
• Must have reliable transportation. Must have valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance required (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).

• A track record of community engagement and audience‑centered reporting.
• Willingness to do some multimedia storytelling, including recording vertical video.
• Familiarity with Google Trends, social media platforms, public records requests and data.
• Familiarity with measuring and tracking success using metrics and analytics.
• A track record for innovation, learning and using new skills and technologies, especially AI.

As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well‑being, wealth and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no‑cost wellness resources and even coverage for…