What are the responsibilities and job description for the Entertainment News & Legal Reporter, USA TODAY Entertainment position at USA TODAY Co.?
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USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. To connect with us, visit www.usatodayco.com
Entertainment News & Legal Reporter, USA TODAY Entertainment
Location: Los Angeles
Team: USA TODAY Entertainment
Role Type: Full-time, exempt
Overview:
USA TODAY is seeking an experienced Entertainment News & Legal Reporter with a strong track record of breaking news and covering legal and sensitive stories involving celebrities, influencers and the broader entertainment industry. You will drive fast-turn coverage, develop original enterprise stories, and translate complex legal documents into clear, fact-forward reporting that serves a national audience.
What you’ll do:
- Break entertainment news with speed and accuracy, prioritizing legal and sensitive developments (lawsuits, criminal cases, countersuits, settlements, deaths, divorce, misconduct allegations, contract disputes, labor actions, etc.).
- Source, read and interpret legal documents (complaints, indictments, motions, settlements, probate filings, police reports, bankruptcy petitions, consent decrees, filings on PACER/state court portals) and use them to advance our coverage with precise context and fair framing.
- Develop and maintain sources across the legal community (lawyers, police sources, public officials, clerks, court spokespeople, agency PR) and inside entertainment ecosystems (labels, studios, streaming services, talent reps, unions).
- Report beyond the day-of cycle by identifying under‑told stories and explaining complex or systemic issues that break from the news churn—using data, documents, and human voices to show impact.
- Publish across platforms, including onsite, in print, newsletters, and social with vertical video explainers/updates, appearing on camera when needed.
- Use AI tools responsibly for research, discovery and analytics—always maintaining transparency, human judgment, and editorial standards.
- Collaborate with editors, visuals, audience, social/video, legal, standards & ethics teams to shape coverage plans, headlines, packaging, SEO and distribution.
- File quickly and cleanly under deadline while maintaining meticulous sourcing.
- Some nights/weekends/holiday work may be required, as driven by breaking news, entertainment events and court calendars and filings.
What you’ll bring:
- 5 years covering entertainment journalism with a track record of breaking stories and handling legal/sensitive topics with compassion and care.
- Document literacy: Comfort pulling, parsing and summarizing legal filings; familiarity with court systems (federal/state), PACER and public-records requests (FOIA/FOIL).
- A robust contact list across the legal community; proven ability to cultivate new sources and earn trust.
- Editorial judgment & ethics: Fluent in standards for fairness, accuracy, sensitivity, trauma‑informed reporting and cautious language around allegations/claims.
- Storycraft: Ability to write crisp updates and craft deeper enterprise narratives; comfort structuring timelines, fact boxes, and explainer formats.
- Familiarity with entertainment business reporting (contracts, box office/streaming economics, guild agreements).
- Enterprise mindset: Regular delivery of deeper pieces that illuminate under‑covered issues and move conversations forward.
Application Instructions
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
- Your resume – one to two pages.
- A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.
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The annualized base salary for this role will range between $60,000 and $93,750. Base compensation is reflective of many factors, including, but not limited to, the market in which one lives/works, individual education level, skills, certifications and experience. Note: variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable.
Salary : $60 - $94