News Reporter

Job Description

Central Current is Central New York’s nonprofit, independent news source. We provide a diverse selection of coverage spanning politics, criminal justice, arts, and culture reporting at no cost to our readers. Since we first launched in 2022, we have earned 12 press awards, collaborated with national publications like USA Today, and have impacted public policy through investigative reporting. 

As we continue to expand, our top priority is growing our newsroom. Central Current is seeking a motivated and curious journalist with a passion for digging into systems and reporting on tough issues. We are looking to give a reporter the freedom to explore a topic that excites them. 

If you came to Syracuse, what would you want to cover? We’d love for you to pitch us on a beat. Some of Syracuse’s most critical issues include: 

• Having one of the highest rates of childhood poverty in the nation 

• Ever-increasing rents and housing instability 

• Historic infrastructure investments such as the removal of the I-81 viaduct 

• The incoming $100 billion Micron chip manufacturing facility 

We aim to equip Central New York residents with the knowledge and perspective necessary to understand and participate in the transformational changes currently unfolding in our region. 

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To Apply:  

1. Your resume  

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 done or had a hand in that best demonstrates what you can do in this job. 
 
Please put all of these items into a single PDF and email it to Managing Editor Chris Libonati at libonati@centralcurrent.org. Put "reporter application” in the subject line.  

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Salary: $45,000 - $60,000 depending on experience 

Benefits: 

Central Current is committed to offering a competitive salary and a generous benefits package that collectively provide staff with the security and resources necessary to build a balanced life in Central New York. The reporter position has a salary of between $45,000 and $60,000 depending on experience, and includes a generous package of additional benefits as summarized below: 

• Up to $2,000 reimbursement of travel/relocation expenses.  

• 15 days of paid vacation to start, plus 10 sick days per year and 10 holidays for a total of at least 35 paid days off per year. 

• Paid family leave 

• $1,000 minimum annual professional development stipend 

• 100% employer-paid health insurance for the employee including full medical, vision, and dental. 

• Company-supplied computer 

• Life insurance, long and short-term disability  

• $60 monthly phone stipend  

• 2% employer retirement match  

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Our Mission: 

Central Current is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to bringing independent online news to Central New York. We provide fact-based news and analysis about the challenges, solutions, and opportunities we all share living in this region. 

Our news and multimedia storytelling is exclusively published and distributed online through our website, newsletters, and social media. We strive to be an inclusive and responsive resource for news and information. 

Our goal is to foster civic engagement and democratic governance, and to help build a healthy and more prosperous community. 

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Equal Opportunity Statement 

Central Current, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind based on race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status, national origin, disability, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We welcome qualified applicants of all races, ethnicities, physical abilities, genders and sexual orientations, including people who have been incarcerated. We view diversity and inclusion as central to our mission and seek to work with journalists who are representative of the demographics of the community we aim to serve. 

Job Requirements

Expectations & Responsibilities: 

• This position will be hybrid in nature, with opportunities for remote and in-office work. Because of the regional nature of our coverage, we ask that applicants either live in Syracuse, NY or be willing to relocate here. 

• The reporter should have prior experience working in journalism.

• The reporter will be expected to submit between 3–6 stories per month, balancing short-term and long-term stories.  

• They must be comfortable building a strong and diverse network of sources and developing a robust institutional, cultural, and political knowledge of our region. 

• This role is highly collaborative and requires an ability to partner with other staff members and freelance reporters to share information and develop stories.  

• The reporter will work closely with and report to the managing editor. 

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