Careers and Freelance Opportunities

 Audience Growth and Engagement Specialist

Capital & Main, an award-winning state and national investigative news publication based in Los Angeles, is building one of the country’s only newsrooms committed to coverage of inequality. Our stories are frequently co-published by USA Today, Newsweek, the Guardian, Fast Company and the American Prospect, among others, and our advisory board includes Robert Reich and Barbara Ehrenreich, among others. 

In our first five years we have succeeded in reaching a small audience of influential leaders. We are now seeking to grow our audience to reach a wider group of concerned people who care about the critical challenges facing this country. 

We know that in a digital world, people won’t find us – we have to find them. To do this, we are looking for a talented, passionate digital marketer and audience growth specialist with some experience in news and media. Top candidates will have demonstrated success in attracting and engaging audiences via email, search, social, live events, partnerships and more, with knowledge of Facebook Business Manager, Google Search Console and email lead generation techniques.

This contract will initially be on a freelance consultant basis but could develop into a part-time or full-time staff position. Pay for this position will be competitive. Women and people of color strongly encouraged to apply. Residence in Los Angeles preferred but not required.

Please send resume to camador@capitalandmain.com.

Responsibilities

  • Assist Capital & Main with building and maintaining the publication’s social strategy across multiple platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • Work closely with the editorial team, publishing partners and like-minded groups, encouraging sharing and collaboration to reach a broad reading audience .

  • Brainstorm and develop engagement efforts in support of Capital & Main stories and series, including working with our visual team to plan visuals that support our journalism.

Skills and Experience

  • Experience producing copy tailored to individual social platforms, with a knowledge of what works best on each.

  • An understanding of best practices for social media and audience engagement for journalistic outlets.

  • Familiarity with paid social promotion tools including Facebook Business Manager and Twitter ads.

  • Experience with headline-writing, SEO and social media optimization. 

 


How to Pitch to Capital & Main

Help us cover some of the most consequential issues of our time. The award-winning investigative news publication Capital & Main is seeking to work with

  • Freelance writers
  • Freelance photographers, videographers
  • Freelance graphic designers

 

What you need to know about us:

Founded in 2013, Capital & Main reports on inequities related to class, race, immigration, gender, corporate accountability, climate change and energy, education and health, both in California and nationally.

Our stories are co-published in a wide range of outlets, including USA Today, Newsweek, the Guardian, Fast Company and the American Prospect. In 2020, Capital & Main produced the largest American reporting project on inequality, with nearly 100 stories over the course of 12 months. We also launched a major new reporting initiative on climate change as well as two original podcasts on COVID-19. Last year the publication won more than 40 regional and national awards, including Online Journalist of the Year and Best Internet-Only News Website in Southern California.

We are a small team but we work with a wide range of freelance writers and photographers from all backgrounds.

Pitch FAQs**

**Due to the high volume of pitches Capital & Main receives, we can only respond to those story proposals we decide to accept. Capital & Main will reply within one business week of receipt of an accepted pitch.

Where do I send my pitches?
Send your pitches to info@capitalandmain.com.

If  you are a videographer, photographer or a graphic designer please send your pitch and contact information to Marco Amador at camador@capitalandmain.com.

When should I pitch?
We publish daily and accept pitches all the time.

How much do you pay?
We pay photographers per assignment; we pay between $250 and $500, depending on the length of the story.

Are you hiring?
Yes! Check out our careers page to see our open positions.

Do you accept opinion or personal essays?
Not from first-time writers, unless we specifically commission one.

I’m ready to pitch, what do you need from me?
Email info@capitalandmain.com with your full name, contact information, links to past work experience, and a summary of your story idea with a rough word count and the sources/research you plan to use.

If  you are a videographer, photographer or a graphic designer please send your pitch and contact information to Marco Amador at camador@capitalandmain.com.

How to pitch

Send your pitches to info@capitalandmain.com with the following information:

  • Your full name
  • Contact information including email and phone number
  • Link to website(s) that show your past work
  • A very concise summary of your story idea
  • Make sure your story idea fits along the focus of our coverage on inequality related to class, race, immigration, gender, corporate accountability, climate change and energy, education and health.

If  you are a videographer, photographer or a graphic designer please send your pitch and contact information to Marco Amador at camador@capitalandmain.com.

Topics/Stories we seek

At Capital & Main, our freelance journalists report on inequality related to class, race, immigration, gender, corporate accountability, climate change and energy, education and health both in California and nationally.

Your story should include:

  • Anecdotal narratives from everyday people impacted by the issue(s) covered in the story
  • As much original reporting as possible, including remarks from experts, elected leaders, government workers, businesses, etc.
  • Opposing viewpoints
  • Supporting documents; additional data is highly encouraged
  • No anonymous sources

We do not accept:

  • Personal essays, anecdotes
  • Opinion pieces
  • Previously published material 
  • Unfounded hearsay or rumors

Here are some examples of the stories we cover and publish.

Homelessness:
Homeless Deaths in Los Angeles Rose by More than 30% in 2020
Homelessness in Los Angeles Expected to See Dramatic Rise Due to Pandemic
Attacking Homelessness After COVID’S End

Inequality:
California’s Essential Workers Get Bumped Down Vaccination Line
Data Reveals Dramatic Gap Between COVID Vaccinations and COVID Deaths Among Latinos in L.A. County
As Los Angeles COVID Vaccines Roll Out, Black and Latino Cases Surge

Environment:
City Sued for Letting Charter School Dodge Environmental Rules
Environmentalists Demand Gavin Newsom Join Biden’s Halt of Oil and Gas Drilling
Possible Exide Plant Sale Alarms Residents, Environmentalists