We’re looking for freelance reporters and writers who want an ongoing relationship with a newsroom, working on your own schedule.
We publish two regional publications covering local news and arts & culture. We’re hiring for two different beats, and they want two different kinds of writers. Read both tracks below and apply to the one that’s right for you.
We’re a small team, so everyone we work with is critical to what we do. You’ll need to be willing to work quickly, stay flexible, and understand that what we create is bigger than any one person.
Track One: Civic & Government News
We need reporters to cover city councils, fiscal courts, school boards, planning commissions, and public meetings across our region. This is essential journalism — covering the meetings and decisions that shape your community, even when they’re long and the important moments come late.
You’ll be a good fit for this track if you:
Can read meeting agendas beforehand and identify what actually matters
Are comfortable speaking with elected officials
Can file clean, polished copy on deadline the same night or next morning
Understand that zoning or planning decisions can be major local stories
Know the difference between what was voted on and what was said
Bonus skills: familiarity with local government structures, ability to read budget documents, or experience filing public records requests.
Track Two: Arts & Culture
We cover music, theater, visual art, film, food and nightlife. We need reporters who are already part of the scene — at shows, galleries, and restaurants — and can write about them with a real perspective and voice.
You’ll be a good fit for this track if you:
Have a genuine focus within the scene: a music genre, art form, neighborhood, or community
Can write quick previews when tour dates or events are announced
Understand the difference between a real profile and a favor piece
Bonus skills: you shoot your own photos, have relationships with venues and galleries, or cover an underreported part of the local scene.
What We Expect from You (Both Tracks)
Manage assigned stories and pitch additional stories in your areas of interest
Publish digital and multimedia reports
Accept assignments and follow up on news tips
Maintain strong journalistic integrity and creativity
Keep notes and audio recordings from interviews for verification
Work collaboratively with our editorial team
Hit your deadline — or tell us early if you won’t. Early notice is fine. Silence is not.
Disclose conflicts of interest before filing, not after. If you’re in a band, on a board, related to a subject, or your day job is at a covered institution, we need to know upfront. This usually doesn’t disqualify you; hiding it does.
Skills/background needed: Experience or education as a news reporter, strong writing and speaking skills, multimedia knowledge (websites, photos, audio, video editing), comfort in public meetings and social settings, and reliable transportation to cover stories in person.
What You Can Expect from Us
Per-story rates with bi-weekly payment for published stories
Editorial support and coaching to help you develop as a writer
Flexibility to write on your own schedule without full-time hours
Your byline and clips remain yours to use
Contract length: Ongoing freelance contributor arrangement
Rate: Competitive entry-level pay, details shared upon application.
Location: Open to applicants worldwide. (Note: both beats require in-person attendance at local meetings and events.)
The Business Side
This is an independent contractor arrangement, not employment. You’ll be paid as a contractor, set your own hours, and are free to write for other outlets — though we ask that you don’t assign the same story to a competing publication.
On AI: You can use AI to transcribe interviews, organize notes, and check your own work. You must not use it to write, report, or generate quotes, facts, or sources. Everything you file must be reported and verified by you. Any undisclosed AI-generated content will end the working relationship immediately.
Our Mission & Values
We strengthen communities through independent, sustainable local journalism. We dig deeper than daily headlines to help our audience understand how communities can solve big issues. We’re unapologetic advocates for our region’s potential, committed to inclusive coverage that reaches all readers, good stewards of our resources, and fiercely independent — we don’t endorse candidates or causes, and we seek multiple viewpoints on every issue.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
Ready to get started? Submit your application below.