Full Time Investigative Journalist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

About Gray Media:

Today, we are a growing multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nation's largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 117 full-power television markets that collectively reach approximately 37% of US television households. The portfolio includes 80 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first- and/or second-highest-rated television station in average all-day ratings across 116 such markets measured by Nielsen in 2025. We also own the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 47 markets and Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Our additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.

About WMTV:

WMTV serves south central Wisconsin. We are the #1 station—leading the market in news and weather coverage, and we are recognized for sharing information with accuracy and immediacy on our digital platforms.

Job Summary/Description:

Madison's most-watched news station, WMTV, has an immediate opening for an Investigative Reporter/MMJ in one of the country's top places to live and one of the best investigative markets. You have the state capital, a major research university, a robust court system, and a community that demands accountability from its institutions. The stories are here. We need the journalist to find them and tell them.

This is an investigative reporting position. Not a general assignment role with investigative aspirations, an actual investigative reporting job for someone who has done this work, or who has clearly demonstrated the skills and instincts to do it at a high level.

You will dig. You will file records requests. You will work sources. You will sit with documents. You will tell complex, consequential stories in ways that are clear, fair, and impossible to ignore. And you will do it across every platform, on air, online, and on social. But this role is not just about the big series. We expect you on air regularly, living the 15 Investigates brand every day. When a breaking news story has an investigative angle, a document, a record, a source with context no one else has, we want you gathering and fronting that information, bringing depth and accountability to stories as they happen, not just weeks later.

Maybe you've been doing this work without the title. Maybe you've been the reporter in your newsroom who always digs a little deeper, files the records request no one else bothered with, and finds the story behind the story, but you've never had the platform or the dedicated role to do it full time. If you have the chops and the experience, but haven't had the chance to step into a traditional investigative role, we want to hear from you.

If you have a tip file, a FOIA strategy, and a story you've been waiting to tell - apply now.

Duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

What You'll Do:
- Drive original daily investigative and enterprise reporting for the 15 Investigates brand — not just long-form series, but accountability journalism that shows up in every newscast
- File and manage public records requests (FOIA, state open records) as a core reporting tool, not an afterthought
- Use data, documents, and records to build stories from the ground up
- Develop, cultivate, and protect confidential sources across government, law enforcement, business, and the community
- Respond to breaking and day-of news with an investigative lens — gathering records, sourcing context, and fronting stories that go deeper than the surface
- Manage longer-form investigations simultaneously at different stages of development
- Shoot, write, edit, and present your own stories as a full MMJ; you own your work from pitch to air. We do have photographers who are available for necessary stories, but you shouldn't be reliant on them for every story or shoot.
- Translate complex investigative findings into compelling, accessible content for broadcast, digital, and social audiences
- Collaborate with editorial leadership on story development, legal review, and publication strategy
- Uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, and SPJ ethics — every story, every time

Qualifications/Requirements:

- Proven investigative or accountability reporting experience; we want to see the work
- A track record of using public records, data, or documents to break original stories
- The ability to work at two speeds simultaneously: daily investigative hits AND longer-term series development
- Strong on-camera presence and MMJ skills; you shoot, edit, and present your own material, and you're comfortable being a visible, recognizable face of the 15 Investigates brand
- Source development skills built over time; you have relationships, and you know how to build new ones
- The ability to take a dense, document-heavy story and make it matter to a general audience
- Unshakeable ethical standards; you understand the weight of this work, and you handle it accordingly
- Comfort with legal and editorial scrutiny; you document your reporting, and you stand behind it
- Resilience: investigations get complicated, sources go cold, and stories take longer than expected. You don't quit.
- Valid driver's license and ability to drive a company vehicle
- A journalism-related degree is preferred, but not required; your body of work will speak for itself
- Must be able to carry 35+ pounds of gear, and be experienced in shooting and editing unique content. We do have photographers to partner with on appropriate assignments.
- Familiarity with ENPS, Arc, Edius, Syncbak, and Chartbeat is a plus, but not required

If you feel you’re qualified and want to work with a great group of people,  go to https://gray.tv/careers#currentopenings, you may type in the job title, station call letters, or click on "apply now", upload your resume, cover letter, and references

(Current employees who are interested in this position can apply through the Gray-TV UltiPro self-service portal)

WMTV-TV/Gray Media is a drug-free company

Additional Info:

Gray Media provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Gray Media complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Gray Media expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Gray’s employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.