News media now look for “storytelling” expertise in new hires

What does a “storytelling reporter” job entail? A job ad by Arizona’s Republic Media explains what they are looking for in this new hire:

We are seeking a reporter to tell powerful stories – some that are developed over time, some in the immediacy of the news. This reporter must have an eye for the telling detail that encapsulates the story and a sense for human drama that will surprise, sadden or inspire. The job is not to write a column or to showcase a particular kind of voice. The job is to find the heart of a story and collaborate with an editor to tell it in a sophisticated way. This reporter will become a presence on all platforms, so an eye for multimedia possibilities will be essential. He or she will have the chance to write breaking news for the newspaper and azcentral.com, and to craft some of the memorable stories that come afterward.

Other than this “storytelling reporter” on that job ad page, which lists more than 20 media jobs, five other jobs also include the mentioning of “storytelling.” These jobs are Assistant News Director/Content Manager, News Producer, Community News Watchdog Reporter, Editor, and Digital Optimizer/Editor.

About Mu Lin

Dr. Mu Lin is a digital journalism professional and educator in New Jersey, United States. Dr. Lin manages an online marketing company. He also manages MulinBlog Online J-School (www.mulinblog.com/mooc), a free online journalism training program, which offers courses such as Audio Slideshow Storytelling; Introduction to Social Media Marketing; Writing for the Web; Google Mapping for Communicators; Introduction to Data Visualization; Introduction to Web Metrics and Google Analytics.
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