Special Writer - Travel

Newsday's lifestyle team has an opening for a reporter to cover Long Island, NYC and upstate travel news, daytrips and weekend destinations through stories, videos and social media content.

We need a curious, travel-savvy journalist who can produce a lively mix of consumer travel news, localize national travel trends and curate close-to-home daytrip and weekend itineraries for Newsday readers across platforms. From inexpensive overnight trips to ways Long Islanders can play tourist at NYC attractions, you'll develop a range of coverage that appeals to modern travelers and helps Newsday reach new and diverse audiences.

Coverage entails reporting and writing deep-dive guides to LI destinations like Shelter Island and Montauk, as well as exploring the Catskills, Hudson Valley, Adirondacks and Finger Lakes regions. Assignments will also include breaking travel industry news, soliciting reader tips and alternative digital storytelling formats.

Essential Duties & Functions:

• Report and write breaking travel industry news with context that matters to Long Islanders.
• Scout attractions and destinations in Nassau/Suffolk counties, NYC and upstate NY, interviewing sources for stories and shooting photo/video content. Reporting includes a range of settings-campgrounds, theme parks, Airbnbs, shops, restaurants, state parks.
• Pitch and produce written stories with companion video/social content for cross-platform storytelling.
• Collaborate with the Lifestyle, Restaurants and Business teams to coordinate coverage between desks and update standing seasonal guides to key destinations, like Greenport and Long Beach.

Essential Job Knowledge & Skills:

• 3+ years daily reporting experience. Demonstrated portfolio of work focused on travel and food industries is a plus.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule - some night and weekend assignments are required as well as occasional overnight trips.
• Proficiency in shooting iPhone photos and video for editorial use.
• Comfortable making appearances on video and social platforms.
• Strong organization and time management skills, including the ability to prioritize and multitask while working on multiple assignments. Meticulous research skills and an eye for mapping out all the logistical aspects of trip- planning are essential.

Physical Requirements

• A valid driver's license and car.
• Ability to travel to assignment locations throughout Long Island, NYC and the tri-state area.
• This is a hybrid position. Employees are generally required to work in the office a minimum of three (3) days per week.

Compensation

• The salary range for this position is $109,000 - $116,000, commensurate with experience.
• This position is represented by the Graphics Communication Conference, PPPWU.

Newsday Media Group is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants and incumbents are selected, placed, trained, compensated and promoted without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, or disability or other classifications protected by applicable law. In addition, Newsday Media Group provides a reasonable accommodation for applicants/incumbents with disabilities. Please advise Human Resources if you require a reasonable accommodation.