Online News Reporter – Asheville Media Group

828 News Now in Asheville, NC is looking for a full-time online news reporter. The reporter is responsible for reporting, writing and publishing timely, accurate and useful local news for 828newsNOW.com. This position covers Asheville, Buncombe County and communities across Western North Carolina, with a focus on breaking news, public safety, local government, courts, schools, housing and development, weather impacts, transportation, community issues and local culture.

This is a digital-first reporting role. The reporter is expected to produce daily news content, identify local story opportunities, develop trusted sources and support the growth of 828newsNow as a reliable local news source. The role requires strong news judgment, clean writing, accuracy under deadline pressure, and the ability to report beyond press releases by asking follow-up questions and providing context for readers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Local Reporting and Writing

• Report, write and publish accurate digital news stories on deadline
• Create, produce and voice radio briefs
• Produce daily local news coverage, including breaking news, follow-up stories, public-service reporting and community-focused stories
• Identify local angles that are relevant to Asheville, Buncombe County and Western North Carolina readers
• Ask follow-up questions, verify information and provide context rather than relying only on press releases or announcements
• Maintain strong standards for accuracy, fairness, clarity and professionalism

Breaking News and Developing Coverage

• Monitor and respond to breaking news, including public safety incidents, traffic disruptions, severe weather impacts, emergency response and other urgent local developments
• Update stories as new information becomes available
• Coordinate with editor and digital staff on story priority, timing and presentation

Government and Civic Coverage

• Attend and report on Asheville City Council, Buncombe County Commission and other public meetings as assigned
• Track local government decisions, public debates and policy issues that affect readers
• Develop follow-up stories from public meetings, agendas, records and community concerns

Source Development

• Build and maintain professional relationships with public officials, emergency agencies, community leaders, business owners, nonprofit organizations, neighborhood groups and local residents
• Develop a reliable network of sources throughout Asheville and Western North Carolina
• Use source relationships to identify original story ideas and provide more complete reporting

Digital Publishing and SEO

• Write headlines, excerpts and story copy using digital best practices and SEO principles
• Use WordPress or other content management systems to publish and update stories
• Structure stories for clarity, readability and search discovery
• Monitor audience trends and use available digital tools to help inform coverage decisions while maintaining editorial standards

Multimedia and Field Reporting

• Capture clear smartphone photos and short video clips from the field when appropriate
• Provide accurate captions and relevant visual information for digital stories
• Use multimedia to support and enhance reporting

Social Media and Live Coverage

• Write and publish social media posts that reflect a professional news voice. Social media post is required for each news story that is published
• Provide Facebook Live updates or real-time coverage when needed
• Use social platforms responsibly as both a reporting and distribution tool

Email Newsletter

• Curate and build 828newsNOW’s daily Trending in the 828 newsletter using Audience, the company’s email campaign platform
• Select timely and relevant stories for newsletter inclusion
• Write clear newsletter copy and subject lines
• Review links, images, formatting and story placement for accuracy before deployment

Story Development

• Pitch timely, relevant and locally grounded story ideas
• Balance quick-turn daily coverage with original reporting and enterprise angles
• Look for stories that help 828newNOW stand out in the Asheville market

Send writing samples and a resume to: srichards@ashevillemediagroup.com

Asheville Media Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer