Creative Loafing, Tampa Bay’s 36-year-old hard-nosed, hard-loving alt-weekly has an immediate job opening for a staff writer. What does that look like in 2024 when newsrooms are shrinking and the world is TikTok-ing itself into oblivion? Pretty normal if you’ve already been reporting in this climate.

Our staff writer is part of a fast-paced newsroom driven by a small and dedicated team ready to pivot to break news and cook longer stories on the side. The ideal reporter is comfortable making public record requests and growing sources, then following up with them over and over again—all while providing unique insight and context to the news of the day. Whoever gets hired will work primarily in CL’s news vertical, but should be somewhat interested in the local food, music, and arts scene.

They will have an appreciation for newsprint, and be free to join the company for our many parties and special events we throw throughout the year. We’d like to think it’s a fun place to work.

Our benevolent overlord, Chava Communications, operates alt-weeklies in San Antonio and Orlando as well as a digital agency, Local Culture Creative Marketing.

A little bit about how CL sees its news team

Our coverage will provide free, reliable news about where we live and ideally contribute to a full picture of life in Tampa Bay. Our journalism should interrogate powerful systems and the people who work in them while supporting those trying to build more equitable and resilient communities.

Housing, transportation, systems of justice, public safety, health and well-being, and the environment will be our primary concerns, and our readers will come to know us as fearless advocates for voices that sometimes get lost in the fast growth of our region. Our readers are not spectators in the process, and they deserve to have their voices amplified.

If this is you, please send clips, a resume, and any ideas about our publication to our editor, Ray Roa (rroa@cltampa.com).

Perks & Culture:

We love to work hard and play hard, so we give our work family awesome benefits. In addition to being able to primarily work from home and your competitive compensation package, we offer two weeks of PTO (starting), paid time off for holidays, birthdays, and volunteering, health and dental benefits and a 401k retirement plan. We’ll also shower you with perks, including:

• Events & Entertainment: Our employees are privy to tickets to dozens of events and festivals happening around the city. You’ll have the opportunity to attend some of the most unique and engaging events in the city!

• Culture & Atmosphere: Our team is made up of passionate and creative people who believe in what we do. CL Tampa values DEI and offers a casual and flexible, yet fast-paced work environment where you have the opportunity to grow your career and make an impact in your community, while working in a very non-corporate environment.

About Chava Communications

Chava Communications is a modern media, marketing, and events company that connects local businesses with culturally engaged audiences through world-class events, strategic marketing services, and independent journalism. Under the Chava Communications umbrella are organizations including Orlando Weekly, Creative Loafing Tampa, the San Antonio Current, and Local Culture creative marketing agency.

Benefits:

Salary is $50,000 annually, and Chava offers PTO plus a competitive compensation package including health, dental, and vision insurance (after 90 days).

Creative Loafing Tampa

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