Job Description
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USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. To connect with us, visit www.usatodayco.com
Location: Portsmouth, NH
Brands: Seacoastonline.com, Portsmouth Herald, Exeter News Letter
Company: USA TODAY Network (Gannett)
About the Role
The USA TODAY Network is seeking a fast, competitive and digitally fluent Trending & Breaking News Reporter to join our Seacoast Media Group newsroom in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This reporter plays a critical role in covering breaking news, high interest developing stories and audience driven trends across the Seacoast region, with a strong emphasis on speed, accuracy and audience impact.
This role is central to our mission of being the first and most trusted source of local news in one of New England’s most competitive digital markets.
Core Responsibilities
• Lead coverage of breaking news and fast moving stories, including public safety, courts, weather, transportation, government actions and community impact events.
• Identify, report and publish trending stories that resonate with local and regional audiences, particularly in Portsmouth, Exeter and Hampton — among our highest value audience markets.
• Deliver quick, clean and accurate first versions, while continuing to update and deepen coverage as stories evolve.
• Work closely with editors to optimize headlines, alerts and presentation for search, social and subscriber engagement.
• Use analytics tools (including Parse.ly) to inform coverage priorities and improve performance.
• Collaborate across the newsroom to ensure strong coordination during major breaking news moments.
• Maintain strong ethical standards and verification practices under deadline pressure.
Audience & Performance Expectations
This position is directly responsible for driving high volume digital readership and subscriber engagement through timely coverage of breaking and trending news.
Performance expectations include:
• Consistent generation of high traffic stories and timely alerts
• Strong page view and subscriber start performance, consistent with prior benchmarks
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field, or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated experience covering breaking and developing news
• Proven ability to report, write and publish quickly without sacrificing accuracy
• Strong news judgment and ethical decision making
• Comfort working in a metrics informed newsroom
• Comfort working with emerging AI technologies.
• Flexibility to work nights, weekends, holidays and shifting schedules as news demands
Preferred Qualifications
• Prior experience in a digital first local newsroom
• Familiarity with New England or Seacoast communities
• Experience with live blogs, breaking news alerts, AI, newsletters or social distribution
• Ability to pivot quickly between urgent breaking news and short turn enterprise
Why Join Us
You’ll work in a high impact newsroom covering one of New England’s most engaged communities, with the backing of the USA TODAY Network’s digital scale, tools and support — and the autonomy to own fast moving, consequential stories that matter to readers.
Application Instructions:
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
1. Your resume – one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.
It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.
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USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where USA TODAY Co. employs employees. In addition, USA TODAY Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicant’s disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals’ application for employment with USA TODAY Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact USA TODAY Co., Inc.’s Recruitment Department at Recruit@usatodayco.com. Applicants must be authorized to work in the applicable location. Applications from outside these regions will be removed from our system after submission.
