Strengthening and empowering all of the communities we serve.
Criminal Justice Reporter — Cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer
Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer are seeking an aggressive, curious criminal justice reporter to cover Northeast Ohio.
This role in Ohio's largest newsroom goes far beyond transcription and the police blotter. This reporter will be on the front lines of breaking news, expected to move fast and be among the first to publish accurate, hard-hitting crime and public safety stories as they unfold. We’re looking for a reporter who will step back from the daily churn to develop ambitious enterprise stories that explain how the system works and whom it affects. You’ll be part of a team committed to meaningful coverage of safety, equity and accountability in our communities.
We don't want to just recite the facts on a fatal shooting, for example. We aim to add clarity, accountability and humanity. Our criminal justice reporting has examined gun violence through the lens of public health, probed juvenile crime trends and explored local anxieties among immigrant communities in the wake of ICE aggression. This reporter will help push that work forward as part of a team led by editor Amy Russo.
What you’ll do…
Break news fast:
Cover breaking public safety news with speed and accuracy, often under tight deadlines. Then work to flesh out that initial report with detail, background and context.
Build sources and trust:
Develop strong relationships with law enforcement, attorneys, advocates, victims and impacted communities.
Dig deeper:
Pitch and produce enterprise stories that investigate law enforcement practices, crime trends and the justice system itself. This includes sourcing beyond official narratives and digging into data and records.
Be innovative:
Regularly use AI tools to knock out daily stories, understand data and deepen enterprise.
The base salary range is $50,000 to $65,000 per year.
What We’re Looking For
This job requires reliable transportation to meet sources and cover breaking news in the field.
Advance Local Media is one of the largest media groups in the United States, which operates the leading news and information companies in more than 20 cities, reaching 52+ million people monthly with our quality, real-time journalism and community engagement.
As home to some of the nation’s top local media groups, software and data platforms, and marketing agencies, Advance Local strives to make a positive and lasting impact in the communities we serve. A company grounded with rich history and driven by creative innovation, Advance Local’s mission is to strengthen and empower the communities we serve. Our media groups include Advance Ohio, Alabama Media Group, Advance Media New York, MassLive Media, MLive Media Group, NJ Advance Media, PA Media Group, and Staten Island Media Group.
We believe in our brands, our values, and each other and are united by our shared goals, culture of creative innovation and commitment to our communities we’ve been serving for more than a century.
We're part of Advance, a private, family-owned business that owns, operates and invests in companies spanning media, entertainment, technology, communications, education and other promising growth sectors. Their mission is to build the value of the company over the long-term by fostering growth and innovation across their diversified portfolio. Advance’s portfolio of exceptional companies includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders Group, Turnitin, and POP. Advance is also among the largest shareholders in Charter Communications, Warner Bros. Discovery and Reddit.
For more details, please visit AdvanceLocal.com.
