Food, Drink & Things To Do Reporter

The Register-Guard, an award-winning news organization and part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is looking for a food, drink & things to do reporter with a sophisticated palate and exemplary writing skills to tell stories about restaurants, food-focused retail stores and businesses, dining trends, festivals, special events and the people who are part of the Eugene area’s unique dining, events and music scenes.

The Eugene area is known for its quirky local events and culture and is looking for an energetic, engaging person to head coverage of new restaurants, openings and closings, restaurant inspections, menu changes, and recommendations for how to match the eateries and drinking spots to special events and holidays.

Expect to provide coverage of farmer’s markets, food events, pop-ups and major events like the Oregon Country Fair, and to write about the people behind these places and events, providing profiles of growers, chefs, brewers, bartenders and others.

The successful candidate must have the experience to speak with authority about dining — both high-end and low-end. They must have the confidence to lead our readers to the best local restaurants, cafes, bakeries, bars and breweries, concerts and festivals — and to tell them what up-and-coming people and spots to watch for. This is a reporting job, and we expect all stories to be backed up by exclusive reporting.

Daily emphasis will be on digital content that is relevant and compelling to local residents and will keep our audience coming back. The reporter will balance that with high-level journalism and projects that deliver rich insights.

We seek a passionate, focused, and curious reporter and nimble storyteller willing to jump on trends and restaurant/cuisine lists but also engage audiences in the stories and issues behind the food brought to their tables. We will expect breaking news, deep-dive profiles, trend pieces, long-term enterprise, compelling multimedia assets and social engagement.

This reporter will be expected to build relationships with members of diverse communities to deliver stories that reflect the entirety of our population. The reporter will cultivate an engaging, active, and inclusive social media presence. The reporter will coordinate with our visuals team but should have basic photo and video skills, and must be comfortable appearing on video.

Key Considerations

• Strong writing skills and a command of grammar and style.
• Curiosity about everything to do with food, dining, music and events.
• Experience with social media as a tool to build audience and as a source for beat development.
• Experience with and interest in multimedia, including video.
• A self-starter who owns the beat yet works collaboratively with others locally and regionally to meet common goals.
• A journalist committed to values of fairness, diversity, inclusion, and professionalism.
  
  

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong communication skills, news judgment and headline-writing ability.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and compassion.
• Comfortable in fluid, fast-breaking, stressful situations.
• Energetic self-starter and a fast thinker who can spot stories that matter.
• Proficiency on social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, X/Threads, Instagram and Reddit, and experience engaging readers in this public space.
• Ability to multitask and excel in a fast-paced environment under deadline pressure.
• Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently with a team of journalists.
• Strong writing, spelling and grammar skills and knowledge of AP style.
• Command of media law and principles of ethical conduct.
• Occasional weekend and evening hours are required.
• This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
  
  

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