Apply by August 8 to help us expand our political coverage.
Tone Madison is seeking a News and Politics Editor—a newly created position—to take charge of our independent, vital coverage of local political stories. Here’s everything you need to know about the position and how to apply.
Application Deadline: midnight on Monday, August 8
To apply, email [email protected] and include 1) at least three relevant work samples (links and attachments are both fine), 2) your resume, and 3) a few sentences introducing yourself. No formal cover letter is needed.
BIPOC, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and other members of underrepresented communities in the journalism field are strongly encouraged to apply.
Position Details
- Time commitment: 12-15 hours/week, as negotiated
- Pay rate: $16/hour (W2 hourly position)
- Reports to: Managing Editor
- Location: Remote, but must be based in Madison, WI
- Start date: Flexible between August – October
Summary
The News and Politics Editor(s) will coordinate with Tone Madison‘s freelance writers and other editors to write, assign, edit, and publish stories that deepen our coverage of local political news, and occasional breaking items related to arts and culture. Some of this will involve largely self-directed, quick-turnaround coverage, and some will involve developing more in-depth, long-term reporting projects. Tone Madison covers politics with an openly left-wing bent, a dedication to factual accuracy, and a commitment to holding the powerful accountable. The News and Politics Editor(s) will especially look for stories and perspectives that are otherwise neglected in local media, and will focus on original reporting—not aggregation or following the pack.
The end goals are to build on the strong voice Tone Madison has already developed in local political coverage, to make our publication more responsive to breaking events, and to follow through more thoroughly on important stories as they develop over time.
Responsibilities
- Monitor local news developments (during negotiated work hours) via social media, tips, and other news outlets. 25%
- Communicate promptly during negotiated work hours.
- Report and write quick-turnaround stories as necessary. 20%
- Brainstorm ideas with writers and other editors via email and Discord. 15%
- Coordinate with other team members to make sure stories get distributed via social media. 5%
- Pitch longer-term story ideas. 15%
- Work with freelance writers to field pitches and execute story ideas. 15%
- Participate in our partnerships with other independent publications, when it’s helpful to a story. 5%
Limitations on Responsibilities
- The News and Politics Editor(s) will not be expected to be on-call outside of negotiated work hours.
- The News and Politics Editor(s) will not be expected to make editorial decisions without the guidance of supervisors and colleagues, unless comfortable doing so.
- The News and Politics Editor(s) will not be held to unreasonable quotas.
Skills and Qualifications
- Ability to write, report, and edit on deadline.
- A familiarity with Madison’s local government and political landscape.
- Experience editing the work of others.
- A working grasp of journalism ethics.
- Ability to plan and publish with tools including a CMS, Google Docs, AirTable, etc.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Ability to follow an internal style guide.
Supervisors’ Responsibilities
- Provide prompt feedback on short-turnaround and long-turnaround story ideas.
- Assist with editing, writing, gathering images, and CMS entry as much as possible.
- Be open to new ideas and feedback.
- Respectful, supportive, and professional communication at all times.
- Re-assigning News and Politics Editor duties if the workload becomes unmanageable.
