Service Journalism Reporter

McClatchy Media is seeking an audience-focused reporter to join its collaborative and hard-working Island Packet newsroom as a service journalism reporter. 

The reporter will be based in Hilton Head, a coastal resort town with a rich heritage, and will join a team-oriented reporting group that is always looking for new ways to reach readers and tell the unique stories of South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

The service journalism team is focused on utility journalism with a mission to help local readers navigate day-to-day life. Service journalists use an accessible approach to write explainers, Q&As, fact checks and answer questions locally trending online. Reporters in this role also contribute to local and regional news and breaking news coverage. 

This reporter should be able to craft stories based on local users’ needs and interests, engage directly with readers online and potentially in person. 

The reporter in this position will write frequently – they will welcome daily assignments as well as cultivate and pitch their own ideas, finding stories and questions in every corner of the community, online and in person. Service journalists dig into city curiosities as well as “talkers” on sites like Nextdoor and Reddit. 

An enthusiasm for working in a team-centered environment that emphasizes support and occasional shared bylines is essential. A willingness to learn audience development skills, such as digital headline writing and SEO, is a must.

Expertise in a particular subject area is not required, but the successful candidate will bring to the role areas of interest and a deep understanding of what’s important to local readers, preferably earned by working as part of a local news outlet. The ideal candidate will also have an excellent gauge of digital storytelling and the ability to work under the pressure of quick, daily deadlines.

McClatchy Media’s journalists are expected to take advantage of opportunities to ethically harness and leverage AI and other automation to enhance and elevate their work and to find efficiencies that free them to focus on source-building and high quality, deeply reported journalism.

We have fun, and we write on the news, covering a little bit of everything. Here are just a few of the team’s stories:

• Abandoned SC mall could soon become the state’s first casino. What we know
• Here’s what will be built across from the planned Buc-ee’s in Hardeeville
• SC has fastest growing county in the US, Census says. Here’s why it’s doing so well
• Here’s your guide to the new Hilton Head area restaurants of 2025 and those that closed forever
• Here are among the best and worst Lowcountry nursing homes in 2025, a new report shows
• Which schools, roads & offices are open or closed after Beaufort County snow?

In this role, you will need to:

• Pitch stories that are off the beaten track and will resonate with many readers across our region.
• Report and write stories quickly in user-friendly formats.
• Find questions the community is asking and figure out the answers.
• Collaborate with other journalists from across the newsroom on major news events and local happenings.
• Demonstrate versatility, initiative and SEO savvy.
• Work in a team environment, both virtually and in person.

Must have:

• 1-3 years of reporting or writing experience.
• A college degree or work equivalent.
• Strong reporting and writing skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to see the story that is going to matter to readers.
• Flexibility and speed in writing to respond to evolving news events and user needs.
• Excellent news judgment and journalism ethics.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• A willingness to cover a variety of topics.
• A passion for utility journalism that helps readers in their daily lives.
• A drive for innovation, learning and using new skills and technologies, especially AI.
• Must have reliable transportation. Must have valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance required (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).

Nice to have:

• A track record of community engagement and audience-centered reporting.
• Willingness to do some multimedia storytelling, including recording vertical video.
• Familiarity with Google Trends, social media platforms, public records requests and data.
• Familiarity with measuring and tracking success using metrics and analytics.

What we'll bring:

As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends. 

Our overall benefits package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.

Hilton Head is a highly desirable place to live, a standout among East Coast beach towns. The family-oriented island town is 20 miles from Savannah, Georgia, and 95 miles from Charleston, South Carolina. Golf is popular on Hilton Head, but so are paddleboarding, kayaking, boating, fishing and tennis. The mild climate makes it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts. Hilton Head has deep Gullah Geechee heritage and a thriving restaurant scene, and locals take pride in the island’s  strong sense of community. 

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, 3-6 work samples for full consideration. References may be requested.

About the McClatchy Media Company

The McClatchy Media Company features a portfolio of vibrant and trusted news, lifestyle, entertainment brands and a robust retail distribution network. Our iconic local news brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star and The Sacramento Bee, have collectively earned a total of 57 Pulitzer prizes and are complemented by popular lifestyle and entertainment brands such as Us Weekly and Woman’s World. Together, our brands reach more than 100 million unique visitors a month. The McClatchy Retail Network, our distribution and logistics arm, offers delivery to more than 56,000 retail locations weekly.

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