Narcity Toronto Opinion Columnist, Freelance - Narcity Media

Narcity Media

Verified Company

Toronto, Canada

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

About us:

Narcity is a news media organization that produces quality journalism with a unique twist.

While our publication has evolved significantly over the last ten years, our local focus remains at the heart of our editorial mission.

Every topic we cover — from news to events, personal finance and restaurants — connects our readership to their community, city, region and country.

Our journalists are storytellers who aim to inform, entertain and inspire Narcity users with articles and videos that are both thoughtful and accessible.

Regardless of the format - whether it's a news brief, travel listicle or opinion piece - our stories are designed to be creative and digestible, offering a unique perspective that stands out from the traditional media landscape.

Our goal is to make Narcity a space where creators can share everything from the latest news to their own lived experiences with readers from all walks of life.

Our users choose our site and app for the diverse, exclusive and engaging content that's available for free by creating an account.

Your mission:

We are looking for thought-provoking, engaging and relatable op-eds for Narcity's local audiences in the following markets:

Contributing Columnists should bring unique perspectives, informed opinions and deep insights into local issues and trends that resonate with our readership.

The content should be local, topic-based and consistent (ex: Toronto local politics, Vancouver dating, Montreal's food scene) and touch one of the sections on the site:

We're looking for writers with a unique voice, strong expertise on the topics they want to contribute to and a knack for finding unique twists that will resonate with Gen Z and Millennial audiences.

The writers should be creative thinkers with endless ideas and a deep passion for opinion journalism to write a regular column.

Here are some examples of first-person articles published on Narcity (for illustrative purposes only as we're looking for different voices and setting a new direction):

What you'll do:

Research and write firstperson local articles that drive reader engagement and grow Narcity's audience with compelling packaging.
Perform indepth research and conduct interviews to substantiate your points.
Consistently demonstrate a deep knowledge of what's happening and trending in your market by pitching exclusive content.
Maintain a strong network of local sources in your field of expertise.
Match Narcity's voice and tone and respect SEO, brand and quality guidelines.
Ensure all information is properly cited and factually accurate.

Your qualifications:

Exceptional verbal and written English skills
Experience writing content for a digital publisher
Education in Journalism, Communications or a related field is considered an asset
Knowledge of SEO best practices and experience optimizing content for search
Availability to contribute on a regular basis and adhere to tight deadlines
Familiarity with various style guides, especially AP Style, is considered an asset

Position type & story rates:

This is a freelance position that will be compensated on a per-story basis. Rates will be agreed upon when a pitch is accepted.

For this vertical, our rates generally fall between $75 and $300 CAD depending on the article topic, length and amount of work involved.

How to pitch/apply:

At least 10 city-centric op-ed story ideas targeted toward Narcity readers, including:

Proposed headlines (make sure to familiarize yourself with how we do headlines at Narcity)
A few sentences on each idea, including what makes the article original/unique, who you might speak to or source information from, why readers should care, etc.
Your key beats, topic expertise and vision for this potential local column on Narcity
At least 3 links to previously published work that showcases this topic authority
Links to your social media handles to help us get a sense of your voice, personality and willingness/ability to distribute content created for Narcity on your own personal channels (X, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
Your availability for this column (how many pieces per week/month are you able to contribute?)

What happens after I pitch?

If we love your pitches, our Editors will be in touch with you to arrange a paid trial assignment and discuss story structure, word count, deadline and the fee for your work.

If your trial is successful, you'll be fully onboarded as a Narcity Freelancer

If your pitches aren't in line with what we're currently looking for, we'll let you know and always aim to provide some feedback.

Equal Access and Opportunity Commitment:

Narcity Media is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage our people to grow and thrive by being their true selves.

We are committed to removing systemic barriers in the workplace and building a company that reflects the community that we serve at every level.

We are devoted t