- Ottawa Lookout
- Pages
- Reporter
Reporter, Lookout Media
Meet the Lookout
The Lookout is a 3.5-year-old publication with a simple mission: In the face of AI, clickbait content, and social media, we believe people want and need local news, centred on their neighbourhoods, to understand and live their best lives in their community.
With over 100,000 email subscribers and more than 3,000 paying members, we’ve created a sustainable model of journalism that we believe can function in cities across Canada. This is not a high-volume, clickbait publication. Instead, we focus on story quality, as we build trust through in-depth local journalism, centring both our journalism and journalists as a foundational part of their city
Position Overview
We are looking for a new team member to join our Ottawa-based team. You will report to the managing editor in Ottawa, helping pitch and craft stories, as we cover the civic issues and neighbourhoods that shape the city.
Key Responsibilities
Cover community and neighbourhood issues in Ottawa. Not crime reports, but real, deeply reported stories that help readers understand their community.
Write 1-2 high-quality stories a week.
Manage our newsletter product. Draft content and smaller stories for the newsletter, including contributing to other content in different cities.
Cultivate sources across the city to build trust and surface emerging stories.
Produce feature stories that dig deeper into Ottawa’s neighbourhoods, uncovering overlooked issues and delivering reporting that resonates with our readers.
Work collaboratively with our editorial team to develop editorial plans, pitch ideas, and refine story angles.
Manage a flexible schedule, including availability for nights, weekends, or early-morning shifts as needed in a community newsroom.
Participate in weekly, quarterly and yearly meetings, and contribute to the direction of the publication.
Who You Are
Hard-working and entrepreneurial, a quick learner, willing to try new things and pitch a fast-paced newsroom.
Self-motivated, and willing to have a flexible schedule. There is no one micro-managing you, but that means you must be good at managing your time.
You can write both short and long-form stories, and are comfortable seeking out sources and weaving together multiple viewpoints.
You are digitally savvy and understand Slack, email software, WordPress, Google Docs, and other online tools.
A team player. We have no time for egos; we succeed only by working together.
Commitment to quality and factual accuracy
Qualifications
You must live in Ottawa currently and understand the city. This job cannot be done remotely, but you do work from home
While you don’t have to have worked in a newsroom per se, you must understand how journalism works and have written for a journalistic publication, or have written journalism stories.
No degree necessary. What matters most is that you are a strong writer with a history of producing high-quality journalism and stories.
Excellent writing skills. This is not a position for someone just learning how to write.
Attention to detail. We are a small team, so a commitment to quality and accuracy is absolutely critical.
Why Join Us?
Be part of an exciting company that is re-inventing local news across the country.
Remote work and flexible schedule. While work needs to be done, we do not monitor anyone's hours.
Vacation and sick pay, as well as unpaid leave.
Health insurance, including vision and dental.
Yearly Christmas bonuses
You will learn the ins and outs of a startup newsroom, getting your hands involved in all aspects of journalism.
Equipment budget.
How to Apply
Please email geoff [at] lookoutmediaco.com. Include your resume, a short cover letter, and three samples of your work, at least one that you’ve written and one that you’ve edited. We thank everyone for applying, but only those under consideration will be contacted.