The David Dietz Fellowship, an award honoring David Dietz a longtime IRE member and supporter, covers conference registration fees and provides $750 for travel and lodging expenses. The fellow will also receive a yearlong IRE membership and a year-long mentorship with a veteran investigative journalist.

The IRE conference will be held in San Antonio on June 20-23. Applicants must have less than 10 years experience as a professional journalist. Details to apply are on IRE’s website.

David Dietz

Dietz is a former Bloomberg Markets reporter who passed away from cancer last June. A Columbia Journalism Review article highlighted one of Dietz most notable investigations, “Broken Promises,” which it dubbed a “staggering scandal.” Dietz, along with Bloomberg’s William Selway, Martin Z. Braun, examined $7 million in tax-exempt bond deals that generated millions in fees and investment gains. An exhaustive reporting effort revealed that taxpayers received no benefit. (Here’s more background on Dietz’s impressive journalism career.)

IRE also offers a myriad of other fellowship opportunities open to all experience levels. You can find more details and instruction on how to apply at IRE’s fellowship/scholarship page. 

Photo: Paul Wilkinson

A couple of interesting online news jobs have come up recently.

Digital First Media is looking for an editor to run its business channel online.

The business editor would work in the Thunderdome project which is based in New York City. The channel has not yet launched.  The site is looking for a well-rounded, experienced business editor. 

The ad for the job says the business channel manager’s duties will include “keeping the channel fresh 24/7 with the best, latest and most complete content available using shared content from Digital First Media’s sites, partner content from the several news organizations we use.

He or she would also be expected to report and produce content.

The New York Times is looking for a Digital Platforms Editor - 

• 5+ years experience
• passion for journalism in all forms
• extensive knowledge of mobile trends
• strong sense of The Times’s competitive landscape.  

And Simon & Schuster, a business unit of CBS is looking for an editor to work on business books: Business Editor/Writer. According to the online ad, the idea candidate will be “a lively journalistic and analytical voice ot evaluate and create content.”

Journalists from several national organizations regularly gather to network in Phoenix. Photo: Robin J Phillips

There are lots of ways to network with fellow journalists, but conventions can be one of the best for finding helpful training, meeting new people, sharing ideas and checking out the job fairs.

Take a look at this list and while you’re exploring the conventions, join a few groups.  The annual fees are usually low, and the opportunity to keep in touch with like-minded journalists all year can be priceless.

JOURNALISM CONVENTIONS 2013

Feb. 28-March 3: NICAR 2013 Investigative Reporters and Editors, Louisville, Ky.

April 4-6: American Copy Editors Society, St. Louis

April 4-6: Society of American Business Editors and Writers, Washington, D.C.

June 20-23: American Women in Sports Media, Scottsdale, Ariz.

June 20-23: Investigative Reporters and Editors, San Antonio

June 24-26: American Society of News Editors, Washington, D.C.

July 18-21: Native American Journalists Association, Tempe, Ariz.

July 31-Aug. 4: National Association of Black Journalists, Orlando

Aug. 21-24: Asian American Journalists Association, New York

Aug. 22-25: National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, Boston

Aug. 24-26: Society of Professional Journalists, Radio and Television Digital News Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Anaheim, Calif.

Oct. 13-15, Association of Opinion Journalists, Newport, R.I.

Oct. 17-19: Online News Association, Atlanta

Oct. 24-27: Journalism and Women Symposium fall camp, Essex, Vt.

Nov. 1-5: National Association of Science Writers, Gainesville, Fla.

Nov. 7-9: Society for News Design, Louisville, Ky.

Hat tip to Joe Grimm for his inspiration to get this list up.  Joe runs the Jobs Page and knows a thing or two about networking.

From the post for the job (and several other jobs open at Republic Media):

This editor will work with a team of reporters who cover the key issues related to business and the Arizona economy, including jobs and job growth, real estate, tech/innovation and watchdog projects. The state was at the heart of the housing bubble and subsequent crash. Its economy faces many challenges that resonate nationally: low-wage jobs, skill gaps and overreliance on growth, service jobs and tourism.

The economy reporting team will balance news coverage with short- and long-term enterprise for all platforms; it needs an editor with the ability to think fast, generate momentum and create strong content plans, bringing together innovative ideas and approaches. Our organization combines print, digital and broadcast in one quality-driven, high-energy newsroom, with The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com, KPNX-TV 12 News and La Voz.

We’re interested in talking with you if you have demonstrated excellence in directing and editing business watchdog packages; comfort working with data and analysis; a strong background in beat management; the ability to be a great collaborator, coach and motivator; and the ability to handle print production responsibilities.

Applicants should include a resume, cover letter and work samples. Contact Business editor Kathy Tulumello at kathy.tulumello@arizonarepublic.com or 602.444.8002.

Candidates should be proficient in reporting and writing for print, digital media platforms and social media. Experience in writing, producing and presenting news for broadcast or radio a plus. Successful candidates will report and write for all broadcast, website, iPad and print.

Minimum of two years’ reporting experience required. To apply, send an email to Diana McCabe diana.mccabe@utsandiego.com with the subject line “Multimedia Business Reporters.” The e-mail should include:

• Cover letter (as email), please indicate areas of specialty (broadcast production, foreign language, Web development, etc.)
• Resume (as PDF attachment, website or blog)
• Contact information for two professional references (include in your cover letter or resume)
• Links to three examples of your writing for digital media, examples of your social media engagement (Facebook or Twitter) and links to examples of broadcast reports featuring your on-air reporting or storytelling video production.

Positions include full employee benefits and a $40,000-per-year salary. The application deadline is Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. PST.

As an associate editor with Royal Media, you will help shape the media the company produces, from print to blogs and social networks to industry events. You will be expected to write news, features and blogs, edit articles, and engage with our community online. Perhaps most uniquely, you will have a voice in Royal’s future direction.

The openings are on Bank Innovation, an online information service and blog for bankers, and Auto Finance News, which reports on automotive lending and leasing.

Royal expects much from its small, but talented editorial team. Staff members uncover the latest news; they don’t sit back and wait for the news to find them. Royal editors also have a deep understanding of the markets they cover.

To join the Royal team, you should have at least four years of work experience. Knowledge of business and financial markets is a plus. The successful candidate is expected to have strong online and social media skills.

In return, Royal offers a competitive salary; a robust benefits package; the opportunity to travel to faraway places; and a profound opportunity for personal and professional growth.

To apply, please send your cover letter, resume, clips and salary requirements to jobs@royalmedia.com. For additional information see the job listing on MediaBistro.com.

“The great thing about these jobs is that they’re primo beats at a paper that takes business journalism seriously,” Duchesne Paul Drew, Managing Editor for Operations said explaining how he believes the positions will be pretty competitive. “It’s not an afterthought, it’s at the heart of who we are.”

Details on each are on the paper’s jobs site – Star Tribune employment opportunities.  Or individually: 

Business columnist.  The ad for this job reads:

The Star Tribune is seeking a dynamic, thoughtful business columnist to provide a leading voice in the Twin Cities community.
The business columnist should have the heartbeat of a reporter, building each column on a foundation of astute research. The columnist will produce columns that our tough-minded and fair. We need an authoritative voice that will deliver insight on a consistent basis.
We celebrate the column that is pegged to news events and seek a writer whose point of view will be anything but predictable. The business columnist should expect to write two to three columns a week and engage the community online as well, possibly through a blog, online chats, Twitter and other outlets.

Minnesota economy reporter. The ad for this job reads:

We are looking for an experienced business reporter to produce high-impact stories about the economy.
In the aftermath of the Great Recession, the economy has become one of the most provocative and important beats for any news organization. We want someone who will think broadly and explore a full range of stories – from employment and inflation to international trade to corporate affairs to consumer behavior.
This is not a beat for rookies or for those who shy away from the big stage. We’re looking for someone who can develop sharp, intuitive reporting on major trends in the Minnesota economy. Candidates should be fluent in basic economic concepts and comfortable with data-driven reporting. The reporter will be expected to produce a full range of coverage – both online and in print – and to embrace opportunities to collaborate with other reporters.

“We’ve expanded our commitment to business journalism at a time when many media organizations have cut back,” Drew said. “We have almost 20 writers in the section, which means we offer our readers range and depth. We didn’t lose our institutional knowledge as our industry and company contracted in recent years. We have a good mix of folks who’ve been here more than 20 years as well as a number of folks who’ve been here less than three years. For both of these positions, having 20 Fortune 500 companies that cross a range of sectors means they won’t struggle to find interesting and important story targets. And, it’s a really good place to live and work.”

Star Tribune reporters Chris Serres and Glenn Howatt won a 2011 Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism for their 2010 series “Hounded – Debtors and the New Breed of Collectors.” Star Tribune series wins Loeb award

And the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) judges selected the Tribune’s business staff for a General Excellence award in its Best in Business 2011 competition.

If you have questions about these jobs, call Duchesne Drew, managing editor for operations/recruitment, at 612-673-7111 or email him at ddrew@startribune.com. He asks that you DO NOT email him your application. Details about applying are on the jobs site:  Economy reporter  |   Business columnist. 

Ignites is looking for someone with some experience covering financial services, but editors say they will consider journalists with a demonstrated ability to identify news trends and write compelling copy on complex subjects for a sophisticated readership.

They are looking for an insightful reporter who can localize broad national and global stories and tease out angles relevant to our target audience.

Ignites covers the mutual fund industry for an industry audience. The job is based in Manhatta, but travel outside of New York to cover industry conferences and interviews is required.

Ignites is an online daily published by Money-Media, a Financial Times company. Send resume, cover letter and clips ignitesjobs@ignites.com

Interested in applying? Here are the fellowships eligibility parameters.

• Open to U.S. journalists with five years of experience.
• U.S. citizens or work full time in the U.S. or from a U.S. based organization.
• No minimum or maximum age limit and freelancers and staff journalists are encouraged to apply.
• An application, work samples and a recommendation letter are needed.
• Applicants are required to write 800-word proposals.
• Proposals will outline a topic they’ll cover in a country outside of the U.S.

Among the selection criteria is the preference for applicants to propose, in their essay, fresh material and to avoid suggesting stories that deal with ongoing projects or  topics covered in the past.

Map of IRP reporting around the world.

Journalists selected will spend time in Washington D.C. at the IRP offices for an orientation and then will cover a topic in the country of their choice for five weeks.

Five fellowships have already been awarded to U.S journalists reporting on global health topics like water related diseases, HIV/AIDS, and new scientific research.  These IRP Fellows will start mid-February and go through mid-April 2012.

Work produced by IRP Fellows will be featured on the organization’s website and also in the news outlets where they work.  Freelancers will work with IRP staff  to have their work from the fellowship placed.

Applications for the fall program are due April 2. For complete details, visit IRP’s website.

Forty-two percent reported an increase in pay the past 2 years. That is up from 36 percent six months ago reporting an increase in pay.

“Opportunities among journalists do seem to be on the rise,” said Andrew Leckey, president of the Donald W. Reynolds National Center of Business Journalism, about the survey results. “They said that one-third of the newsrooms in which they work are hiring new journalists.”

The median base annual salary for business journalists surveyed is $56,591, a slight increase from $56,220 for 2010-11.

Reynolds Center research 2012:
What Business Journalists Think about their Local Economy (PDF) | Slideshow: Research questions and results (PDF) | Business journalists survey 2012: Bullish about economic future

The research also found this breakdown for median annual salaries by place of employment:

• Print: $49,375
• Broadcast: $56,852
• Wire service: $75,800
• Freelance: $48,889
• Online: $51,667

Other findings include:

• 69 percent of the 300 journalists surveyed said they believe the number of business journalists will remain the same over the next six months.
• 32 percent said their newsroom is currently hiring full-time journalists.