Reporter – Disinformation, Extremism, and Technology

Position description

Company Overview: Join a team dedicated to telling the truth, making a difference, and empowering audiences at a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Center for Investigative Reporting, a storied nonprofit news organization that produces Mother Jonesand Reveal, strives to inform and empower our audience with groundbreaking investigative and narrative reporting. As we continue to expand our coverage, we are seeking a skilled Reporter to join our team, focusing on the intersection of disinformation, extremism, politics, and technology. This is a union position. The terms of this job are covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with Local 2103, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, AFL-CIO.

Position Overview:

Big Tech shapes every news cycle, but its influence remains dangerously undercovered. Digital platforms, with new boosts from A.I., are flooded with disinformation. Search is broken. Access to quality information is imperiled. That chaos is damaging our democracy, and tilting public discourse toward deep-pocketed actors exploiting it for political and financial gain. All this gives extreme ideologies, and their accompanying conspiracies, a glide-path into the mainstream. How can readers make sense of it all—and fight back?

That’s where you come in. As a reporter specializing in disinformation, extremism, and technology, you will expose falsehoods, challenge extremism, and illuminate the role of technology in shaping politics and society. You have the fast-twitch instincts to go hard after a breaking story, as well as the sources to land big scoops in a highly competitive media environment. You’re equally at home turning around a short explanatory piece about the news of the day, as you are following the money for a deep-dive enterprise feature. You’re hungry to publish and to be part of the bigger conversations on the very platforms you’re covering.

Bottom line: You’re our in-house expert on the dynamics corroding our online ecosystem, and most importantly, what our readers need to know about it right now. You will conduct rigorous investigations, and provide critical analysis to deepen our understanding of this high-stakes drama playing out in real time. During an election year in which these issues will take center stage, you’ll be a go-to source for frequent and reliable reporting; in a word: indispensable.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Research and Investigation: Cover disinformation campaigns, extremist movements, and the technological infrastructure enabling their spread. Utilize data analysis and digital forensics, to Reveal hidden truths and expose misinformation networks.
2. Reporting and Writing: Produce compelling stories that bring to light the connections between disinformation, extremism, and technology. Craft a combination of short and long form stories that engage our audience while upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity and accuracy. Jump on big news that needs to be explained and reported now, while having an eye for connecting joining up all the dots into longer, revelatory enterprise features.
3. Analysis and Contextualization: Your work should provide nuanced analysis of the complex forces driving disinformation and extremism, exploring their societal, political, and technological impact. Your journalism offers critical insights into the strategies employed by malicious actors and the broader implications for democracy and public discourse.
4. Collaboration: Collaborate closely with colleagues across various parts of the newsroom, including editors, data analysts, and video and radio producers, to enhance the depth and impact of investigative projects. Develop and maintain a network of sources within relevant communities, fostering relationships with technology companies, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.
5. Stay Current with Trends: Stay abreast of emerging trends, developments, and controversies in the fields of disinformation, extremism, and technology. Monitor online platforms, social media channels, and academic research to identify new story opportunities and anticipate evolving challenges. Know the story before it breaks in the mainstream; better yet: Be the one who breaks it.
6. Audience Engagement and Outreach: Actively engage with our audience to foster a two-way conversation. Maintain a visible presence on platforms to disseminate your work and stimulate public dialogue. Be willing and prepared to represent our organization at live events, panels, and discussions, facilitating a deeper understanding and engagement with the issues you cover.

Qualifications:

• At least 3-5 years of reporting experience with a proven ability to break news and produce impactful stories about disinformation, extremism, or technology.
• Excellent writing ability, with a demonstrated track record of producing high-quality journalistic content under tight deadlines.
• Deep understanding of online platforms, social media dynamics, and the broader digital media landscape.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to contextualize complex issues for a diverse audience.
• Strong research skills, including proficiency in data analysis and digital investigation techniques.
• Commitment to journalistic ethics, accuracy, and integrity.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Team player.

Salary Range: $70,000 – $100,000

A Note to Potential Candidates: We recognize that potential candidates with identities that have been historically excluded from the journalism field may be less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every one of the qualifications as described in the job description. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.

Application instructions

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