Mirror Indy has an immediate opening for a southside Indianapolis reporter.

The position, one of three neighborhood reporters, is a critical part of the newsroom’s focus on serving communities who have traditionally been ignored or forgotten by the media. Neighborhood reporters are curious and empathetic journalists who get to know their communities intimately, becoming experts in the histories, current issues and people who live there.

Neighborhood reporters find issues that arise from the ground up, such as concerns about delays in road projects. They also write accountability stories about community organizations, local governments and businesses. They highlight nonprofits and resources people rely upon and places that are an integral fabric of the community. And, when the government and other important institutions are less than transparent, they explain what’s going on to readers.

The southside reporter will focus primarily on Decatur, Franklin and Perry townships, which are home to immigrant populations that often have not seen themselves reflected in the news, including Burmese and Sikh communities. In addition to the typical suburban development found elsewhere in the city, the south side is also home to stretches of rural life and contains the communities of Beech Grove, Southport and Homecroft. Much of the area leans conservative and clashes with the Democratic leadership of Indy.

The reporter in this role will identify possible assignments based on the needs of the residents they’re in communication with. In addition to filing their own articles, they will elevate the voices, questions and concerns of people in their coverage area to the rest of the newsroom; help get answers to quick turnaround questions; and work with editors, reporters and others in the newsroom to respond to story ideas.

This reporter will be part of a team led by Managing Editor Chris Sikich and Deputy Managing Editor Ryan Martin. They also will work closely with the Community Journalism Director Ariana Beedie, who runs Indy Documenters, to shape a neighborhood beat that reflects community interests.

Mirror Indy launched in December 2023 to provide community-based journalism that informs and empowers Indianapolis residents to shape their city for the better. The newsroom focuses in particular on underserved communities that often have lived without mainstream media coverage. 

The team reports on the local issues that residents care most about, including government, housing, jobs, education, health, and local arts and culture, with the highest standards of editorial integrity and independence, and distributed over a variety of platforms designed to broaden storytelling formats and engage a wide range of audiences.

The newsroom also provides information without barriers such as paywalls or subscription requirements.

• Proactively identify high-impact stories that include investigations but also highlight solutions, actionable information and neighborhood-level trends.
• Cover key stories relentlessly, including breaking news but also following the issue regardless of whether mainstream media news cycles have passed.
• Produce a range of short- and long-term stories, and be excited to work in alternative story formats including video reels, audio, social media, texting and newsletters that will increase reach and accessibility to information.
• Have a grassroots approach to finding news stories and be responsive to their questions and needs.
• Working with the editor, ensure beat priorities reflect community information needs and include diverse perspectives in the reporting.
• Work with the Indy Documenters assignment editor to identify relevant public meetings or make other assignments that can help with reporting.

• Salary: Pay begins at $55,000 for early-career reporters, rising commensurate with experience.
• Benefits: Full health benefits, including employee’s medical premium covered 100%; paid leave including the last week of the year and the week of July Fourth for all staff; and 401K with a 4% match.
• Training: $2,000 stipend toward outside training and professional development opportunities.

Hybrid role: We work remotely on Mondays and Fridays and in our Indianapolis office Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Mirror Indy is a part of Free Press Indiana, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to ensuring all Hoosiers have access to the news and information they need. ‍We’re committed to building an inclusive organization that represents the people and communities we serve. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. We are dedicated to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. We encourage people of all races, colors, national origins, ancestries, creeds, religions, genders, ages, disabilities, veteran status, sexual orientations and marital statuses to apply.