Free Press Indiana – Statewide Reporting Team

Free Press Indiana is launching a new statewide reporting team focused on community service journalism and storytelling that serves all 92 counties. This expansion builds on the proven success of Indianapolis-based news site, Mirror Indy. It also responds directly to what Hoosiers, particularly those outside metropolitan communities, have told us in interviews and surveys they need most. They want clear, fact-based, nonpartisan analysis reporting that explains how decisions made far away shape life in their communities, and also they seek stories that embrace and show how they live.

Few roles in local journalism offer a new chance like this: to help build something and to become one of the defining storytellers of Indiana at a moment when those stories are important and need to be told.

This is an opportunity for an ambitious storyteller and reporter who wants to earn trust, tell untold stories rooted in (capital-R) Real people’s lives, and make a true difference. The rural communities reporter will help set the tone for how Free Press Indiana shows up across the state — and for how Hoosiers see themselves reflected in journalism. Done well, this job can be a career-defining role.

The rural communities reporter is a key member of Free Press Indiana’s soon-to-be-named statewide news organization and one of four reporting positions working with the recently hired statewide editor. This reporter will focus on producing high-impact content that reflects the lived experiences, concerns and culture of rural and small-town Indiana. This role’s work will show how the decisions made in Indianapolis have real consequences for the people too often not represented in the coverage (that would be those among us who live outside Indy and its donut counties). 

So, you’re going to be on the road traveling to communities that have been ignored, stereotyped or underserved by us and our peers. You’re going to be meeting people, listening to them, understanding their POV. You’ll be illuminating their obstacles, setbacks and hurdles, but also revealing their milestones and breakthroughs. The person who is most successful in the role will want to bang out a lot of stories – in all their modern forms from social posts to newsletters to articles to whatever tech developers or your imagination brings next. Your work should most often live beyond the traditional long-form article to reach people where they are, not where we want them to be to get the news. 

So what does that mean in (capital-R) Real people talk? Success is spending more time at the Lemon Drop in Anderson talking with people, eating burgers and fries or reporting from the Cone Palace in Kokomo instead of spending too much time under the Capitol dome. Did you find a story out of a conversation at the Shoals Catfish Festival or at Paoli’s Lost River Co-op instead of at the 1933 Lounge down the street from the legislature? That’s a win and a way-more-fun way of saying this work should be grounded in people-centered reporting.

You’ll be doing this so the voices of Hoosiers can be considered and understood. And Hoosiers’ lives will be better because they have the news and information they need from your work. 

• Produce ambitious reporting focused on rural and small-town Indiana, including accountability, explanatory, enterprise, service and narrative journalism
• Develop deep community relationships across multiple regions of the state, especially in areas with limited local news coverage
• Identify emerging issues and story opportunities early, with an ability to connect local realities to broader policy, economic and cultural trends
• Report stories that help Hoosiers understand how state and federal decisions impact everyday life in rural communities, including issues like education, health care access, economic development, agriculture, infrastructure, housing, environment and local government
• Tell stories that reflect the full humanity and complexity of rural Indiana, moving beyond stereotypes and capturing how people live, work, build community and solve problems
• Collaborate with the statewide editor and teammates to build a steady pipeline of impactful reporting, including quick-turn content and longer-term projects
• Work closely with the audience development team to ensure stories are accessible, engaging and distributed effectively across platforms
• Embrace varied storytelling formats, including newsletters, social-first reporting, audio/video opportunities, and other forms that increase reach and impact
• Partner with Free Press Indiana’s strategic partnerships director and distribution partners to expand the reach of rural reporting and ensure stories travel across the state
• Support Free Press Indiana’s mission of serving all Hoosiers by maintaining strong journalistic ethics, fairness, accuracy and accountability
• Travel across Indiana for reporting assignments, community listening and relationship-building

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for a reporter who is relentless about building relationships built on equal trust, curious about the forces shaping life and energized by the opportunity to help build something new. We have a simple rule when it comes to identifying someone who is the right fit: Smart. Works hard. Ambitious. Nice.

The ideal candidate also brings:

• A demonstrated commitment to public service journalism and accountability reporting
• Strong reporting instincts and the ability to develop original story ideas rooted in community needs
• Experience producing stories that elevate people’s lived experiences
• The ability to translate complex topics into clear, engaging journalism
• A willingness to travel and report across Indiana, often independently and remotely
• Comfort working in a startup environment where you’ll help shape systems and routines
• An openness to experimenting with storytelling formats
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and projects
• Comfort working flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends as news demands

Salary: Up to $80,000 based on experience and skills.

Benefits:

• Full health benefits with 100% of employee medical premium covered
• Paid leave, including the final week of the year and the week of July 4 for all staff
• 401(k) with a 4% employer match
• Eligibility for annual organization-wide salary increases and performance-based bonuses
• Professional Development: $2,000 annual stipend for training and professional growth
• Location: Flexible within Indiana. Outside the Indianapolis area is actually preferred in order to most effectively execute this role. 

Free Press Indiana is committed to building an inclusive organization that reflects the people and communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from candidates from historically underrepresented communities, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants of all backgrounds.

About Free Press Indiana

Free Press Indiana is a nonprofit organization creating a statewide network of news teams working to strengthen Indiana’s communities, increase civic engagement and preserve its democracy. We produce original, community-centered journalism that is free to read and designed to meet people where they are. Our first newsroom, Mirror Indy, launched in December 2023 to serve Indianapolis-area residents. In a short period of time, Mirror Indy has established itself as a model local newsroom.

Free Press Indiana is financially stable and well-supported, with nearly $20 million raised from dozens of philanthropies and more than 1,500 individual supporters of our mission.

What to expect in the hiring process

We aim to fill this role as soon as possible. Candidates who advance can expect multiple interviews and finalists will complete a written assignment designed to show your thinking and approach. We aim to truly get to know you and to help you fully understand the role for which you’re applying.