Business Reporter-Consumer Watchdog

Job Description

Job Description

Summary of Position

This reporter will serve as Long Islanders’ go-to source for navigating life’s everyday costs and frustrations — from scams, hidden fees, and bad business practices to recalls and consumer rights. The beat is about making sense of the systems that affect people’s money, answering audience questions, and cutting through red tape and fine print with reporting that earns trust.

We’re looking for a journalist with curiosity, speed, and range — someone who can find stories that hit close to home, translate audience needs into timely service coverage, explain complex issues simply and tell compelling stories backed by data.

Essential Duties & Functions

• Cover the consumer experience on Long Island, focusing on scams, fraud, shady business practices, cost transparency, and affordability pressures and vulnerabilities that scammers exploit, along with other common sources of consumer complaints.
• Use data-driven reporting and public records to identify patterns, quantify consumer harm, and strengthen storytelling.
• Monitor consumer watchdogs, regulators, law enforcement agencies, advocacy groups, and civil courts across the region to report on official actions, including recalls, warnings, investigations, enforcement, civil court cases, lawsuits, settlements, and regulatory news affecting Long Islanders.
• Deliver compelling enterprise and explanatory stories that reveal how systems affect consumers — and what people can do to navigate them.
• Break stories on your beat, quickly localize national developments and trending consumer news, and occasionally support general assignment coverage as needed.
• Collaborate with Newsday editors and visual journalists to package stories for online and in print.
• Work closely with NewsdayTV and the social media team to adapt reporting for broadcast and short-form social video, including on-camera appearances.
• Regularly review audience metrics, monitor social engagement, and check online search trends to identify reporting opportunities, refine coverage, and produce service explainers and guides that answer the questions that matter most to Long Islanders.
• Build and maintain a diverse network of sources, including affected residents, advocates, regulators, attorneys, and local business owners.

Essential Job Knowledge & Skills

• Two or more years of reporting experience required; background in consumer, business, service journalism, or accountability reporting preferred.
• Proven ability to report quickly, meet deadlines, and balance urgency with accuracy.
• Comfort working with data and documentation to strengthen reporting and tell compelling stories.
• Proficiency in Excel and/or Google Sheets is preferred; proficiency in Python, SQL, or other advanced data analysis tools/coding languages is a plus.
• Familiarity with multimedia storytelling tools, including social video and interactive formats.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and communication skills, including the ability to publish a steady cadence while pursuing enterprise.

Compensation

The hourly base rate range for this role is $45.91 - $55.67, commensurate with experience. This position is represented by the Printing, Packaging and Production Workers Union of North America (PPPWU), Local 406-c.

Physical Requirements

Employees are generally required to work in the office and/or out in the field a minimum of three (3) days per week.

Newsday Media Group is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants and incumbents are selected, placed, trained, compensated and promoted without regard to actual or perceived sex, race, color, age, national origin, citizenship, marital or domestic partner status, military/veteran status, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity or expression, religion or religious creed, ancestry, physical or mental disability or handicap, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other characteristic protected by law.  In addition, Newsday Media Group provides a reasonable accommodation for applicants/incumbents with disabilities. Please advise Human Resources if you require a reasonable accommodation.