The Florida Independent (TFI) is accepting applications for a full-time reporter/blogger.  The reporter will closely cover statewide politics and key issues of the day with a focus on the legislature, the governor’s office, the state Supreme Court, regulatory agencies and Florida’s congressional delegation. The successful candidate will be a prolific writer with a demonstrated ability to break news and shape the public debate. The individual will work with TFI’s editor in coordination with The American Independent News Network’s (AINN) national editorial staff. This is a contract position located in Tallahassee.
The role’s key criteria for success is generating “impact journalism,” with reporting that demonstrably affects the public debate and advances the common good. TFI’s staff achieves this goal through a combination of aggressive reporting and tenacious, insightful blogging.

Responsibilities include:
• Report and post throughout each weekday, filing an average of five 500-600 word features and 15 blog posts per week.
• Break stories that frequently achieve demonstrable impact, creating tangible effects and changes for the common good.
• Be an active user of Facebook, Twitter and other social media to promote your own pieces and to engage the political blogosphere.
• Participate in all site-wide meetings and daily updates with editor.
• Work with TFI and AINN’s outreach team to help promote your work and the site as needed.
• Adhere to the program’s journalistic code of ethics.

Preferred candidates will have experience in political reporting plus blogging and/or online journalism and will be intimately familiar with Florida politics. To apply send a résumé, a one-page cover letter and at least three recent clips to applications@tainews.org by midnight Mon., Dec. 20, 2010.

Overview
The Florida Independent is a nonprofit, nonpartisan online news site, providing daily original investigative reporting and analysis of state and local issues. The Florida Independent was established through a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice in partnership with The American Independent News Network. The American Independent News Network investigates and disseminates news that
impacts public debate and advances the common good. To accomplish its mission, The American Independent News Network operates a nonprofit, nonpartisan network of online news sites: The American Independent, The Colorado Independent, The Florida Independent, The Iowa Independent, The Michigan Messenger, The Minnesota
Independent, The New Mexico Independent, The North Carolina Independent News, The Texas Independent and The Washington Independent.