W42ST is looking to recruit a small team of experienced freelance news reporters/photojournalists to help cover the hottest 100 blocks of New York City — Hell’s Kitchen.

W42ST started nearly 10 years ago as a monthly lifestyle print magazine. After 63 issues, on March 13, 2020, we pivoted to a digital format in response to the pandemic-related needs of the Hell’s Kitchen community. At that time, our neighborhood quite literally sat at the center of world news. To the west, the Javits Center was a 1,500-bed field hospital and the USNS Comfort hospital ship arrived at the end of W48th Street at Pier 88. To the east, Times Square was empty and every Broadway theater was shuttered. We kept our neighbors “connected, updated and upbeat” with a daily newsletter.

Fast forward nearly 4 years, and we are a thriving news site (yes, we’re even profitable in a time of local news decline). We produce a daily morning newsletter 6 days a week. Over this time we have built our credential as a vital news service – with year over year growth of reader subscriptions and website visits doubled.

If you join the team, you could be covering anything from a carriage horse collapsed on 9th Avenue to a construction crane on fire over 10th Avenue. You might be investigating the story of an ignored drug death at a local gay bar or reporting on the replacement Port Authority Bus Terminal.

We are initially looking for experienced news freelancers, but we hope to be able to create a full-time position later this year.

Apply at w42st.info/freelancenewsreporters

Freelance News Reporter — W42ST.nyc

Established in 2014, W42ST is the fastest-growing news website on the West Side of Manhattan. It is the most popular resource for people looking for local, relevant, accurate and engaging stories about Hell’s Kitchen — New York’s hottest 100 blocks.

Every day, W42ST is a must-read for its coverage of everything Hell's Kitchen, from restaurant openings and cultural events to local politics and breaking news. We connect our readers with news, lifestyle, neighborhood people, culture and small businesses. To keep the neighborhood “connected, updated and upbeat” by producing at least 11 stories per week for a loyal and engaged daily newsletter audience — and via our social media channels. As a Reporter, you'll work directly with W42ST’s News Editorial team; in this role, you’ll be supervised by the Editor.

What You’ll Do

This is a fast-paced and fun contract role. You’llreport on regularly assigned news stories. In this role, you’ll:

Build relationships with local elected officials, block association heads and Community Board members to break news about plans and issues that affect Hell’s Kitchen
Monitor Community Board 4 meetings for the stories that matter to Hell's Kitchen residents.
Keep on top of readers' tips and concerns as they respond to our reporting.

The W42ST editor will strive to assign a mix of evergreen feature stories that can be developed over the course of a week or weeks and more pressing news stories that need to be developed in the moment to produce a timely story

You should apply if you:

Love New York and want to be in Hell’s Kitchen on a regular basis, on the ground, talking with people about stories of interest
Are genuinely curious about people, stories that affect New Yorkers, and local businesses
Are adaptable and can think on your feet. When faced with new challenges, or tough conversations, you are tenacious
Are self-motivated, a team player
Are an experienced photojournalist who wants to develop their writing
Are an experienced news reporter who wants to develop their photography skills
Can write in adherence to the W42ST style guidelines
Believe in, and love, W42ST and what we’re doing.

We want to meet to talk more if you have a track record that shows you have:

Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work well under pressure and as part of a small team
Excellent organizational skills that showcase an attention to detail
Fantastic time management skills
Are interested in developing your photography skills
Experience with content publishing tools (W42ST uses WordPress)

Compensation

W42ST uses a standard rate sheet for all commissioned stories; story type and fees will be agreed at time of commissioning.

Short Rewrite without reach outs/ ask for comment (approx)

Research and marrying of multiple sources for new story, writing, gathering/uploading images, editing

Approx Word Length: 400-500

Rate: $50

Short Rewrite with reach outs/ask for comment

Research and marrying of multiple sources, phone/email/text conversations with subjects (and arranging time to speak to them), travel to see subjects if necessary, writing, gathering/uploading images, editing

Approx Word Length: 400-700

Rate: $75

Story with additional Research OR Story with Interview

Research and marrying of multiple sources, phone/email/in-person interview and travel (and arranging time to speak to them), writing, gathering/uploading images, editing

Approx Word Length: 500-1000

Rate: $150

Story with Significant Research OR Story with Large-Scale Interview OR Story with Multiple Interviews

Research and marrying of multiple sources with additional time (watching multiple hour community board meetings or press conferences), phone/email/in-person interview(s) and travel (and arranging time to speak to them), writing, gathering/uploading images, editing

Approx Word Length: 700-2000

Rate: $250

Apply at w42st.info/freelancenewsreporters

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