Scott Swyres
Turlock,CA
Summary
Accomplished news professional with extensive experience in sourcing, developing, editing and producing diverse stories across multiple platforms. Recognized for exceptional productivity and deadline efficiency, showcasing expertise in copy editing, headline writing, deadline efficiency and ethical journalism. Proven ability to generate and/or enhance compelling content, select engaging guests, and execute precise final edits to ensure top-quality outputs. Committed to giving readers engaging stories about the people that help shape their daily lives.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Night News Director
Bay Area News Group
San Jose, CA
03.2016 - Current
- Assigned stories to reporters and journalists.
- Coordinated newsroom staff activities to ensure timely and accurate delivery of news content across all media platforms.
- Determined focus of news by staying on top of local, national and international events.
- Provided guidance on journalistic practices to staff members such as reporters and editors.
- Assigned topics, delegated work to team members and edited final pieces.
- Discussed issues with editors to establish priorities or positions.
- Maintained a comprehensive knowledge of current events both locally and nationally.
- Revised work to meet editorial approval or fit time or space requirements.
- Organized news coverage plans with reporters and producers.
- Collaborated closely with team members to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines.
- Prepared, rewrote and edited copy to improve readability.
- Proofread and edited copy for grammar, punctuation, syntax and spelling accuracy.
- Proofread and reviewed print and electronic content for correct grammar and adherence to house style.
- Assigned topics, events and stories to individual writers or reporters for coverage.
- Monitored website analytics tools to track visitor behavior patterns and generate reports accordingly.
- Collaborated with designers, developers, writers and other team members to create engaging web experiences.
- Created and maintained web pages, digital assets, media galleries, blogs and other online features.
- Managed day-to-day operations related to web production activities including content updates, bug fixes, feature enhancements.
- Supervised the production of newscasts including story selection, writing, editing, graphics, video and audio elements.
- Met deadlines with reliable, in-depth news coverage.
- Posted on social media sites frequently to increase news broadcast traffic.
- Directed team members in development of many weekly news stories.
Front Page Designer
Bay Area News Group
San Jose
03.2008 - 03.2016
- Developed and implemented content plans for front page stories.
- Created and managed daily production schedules for the front page.
- Edited articles to ensure accuracy, clarity and adherence to publication standards.
- Communicated effectively with other departments within the organization.
- Oversaw artwork, layout and printing, adhering to deadlines and budget requirements.
- Evaluated submitted materials for potential use on the front page.
- Prepared, rewrote and edited copy to improve readability.
- Collaborated with writers and editors in developing feature stories for the front page.
- Met with artists, typesetters and production managers to discuss projects and resolve problems.
Copy Desk Chief
Bay Area News Group
Hayward, CA
03.2006 - 03.2008
- Provided guidance to reporters on writing style, tone, structure and presentation techniques.
- Reviewed articles for accuracy and content before publication.
- Proofread copy to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation and syntax.
- Consulted with management and editorial staff regarding placement and story development.
- Ensured that all published material met standards of journalistic integrity.
- Proofed copy to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation and syntax.
- Worked closely with production department during printing process.
- Held weekly editorial meetings to generate publication ideas and review staff recommendations.
- Oversaw layout design process including placement of photos, headlines, captions.
- Verified facts, dates and statistics using standard reference sources.
- Met with artists, typesetters and production managers to discuss projects and resolve problems.
- Prepared, rewrote and edited copy to improve readability.
- Collaborated closely with team members to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines.
Sports Editor
Turlock Journal
Turlock
02.2003 - 04.2004
- Implemented and improved strategies for online and print publications to optimize coverage and grow subscription numbers resulting in increased revenue.
- Provided guidance and support to junior level employees who needed help understanding various aspects of their job duties.
- Evaluated reporter stories, shaped content and helped improve overall work quality through careful review, detailed editing and constructive feedback.
- Oversaw artwork, layout and printing, adhering to deadlines and budget requirements.
- Interviewed coaches, players and other relevant individuals in order to obtain additional information about featured teams or athletes.
- Maintained detailed records of all expenses associated with running the sports section.
- Reported real-time pre- and post-game coverage of sporting events.
- Planned contents according to publication's style, editorial policy and publishing requirements.
- Met with photographers, typesetters and production managers to discuss projects and resolve problems.
- Drove stronger approaches to sports coverage, memorable enterprise and agile service journalism.
- Edited and wrote content for sports section of newspaper.
- Analyzed competitor publications in order to determine what strategies might be beneficial for increasing readership numbers.
- Expanded digital footprint for news operations.
- Assigned topics, events and stories to individual writers or reporters for coverage.
- Mentored reporters to tailor sport-specific content to audiences and platforms.
- Reviewed stories written by staff members for accuracy and quality assurance.
- Wrote interesting, eye-catching story headlines and summaries.
- Monitored daily sporting events and issues to discuss and report pertinent news.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Journalism And Mass Communication
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, MO12-1997
Skills
- Breaking news coverage
- Deadline management
- Multimedia production
- Ethical journalism
- Copy editing
- Proofreading
- Developing content
- Editing pieces
- Newsroom management
- Digital media expertise
- Audience engagement
- Producing stories
- Fact-checking
- Print production
- Visual storytelling
- Typography design
Affiliations
- I love to travel and experience new environments.
- I'm a major sports fanatic. Being a sports reporter was my first job out of college.
- Journalism is huge responsibility to me. What we do is extremely important ... even to those who may hate us these days.
- Family is important to me. I have an amazing fiance, one daughter in college and another daughter getting ready to enter college
Accomplishments
- I was promoted from general assignment reporter to sports editor in just a few months out of college.
- My Sports section drove circulation and readership within the region my first paper was located. I was the reporter, columnist and designer for all sports in the region.
- I transitioned from sports to copy editing when I moved to California and started with ANG in the Bay Area. I was promoted to copy desk chief for my publication in less than 2 years.
- After moving up to the San Jose Mercury News, my front page design and headline won first place at the CNPA awards in 2015. I was a front-page designer and lead Sports designer for the Mercury News for years until they moved the desk to Monrovia (cost cutting).
- I worked our first "hybrid" shift consisting of 5 hours for the daily print and then moving to the digital portion as night news director.
- I was the first person to work remotely on the copy desk at BANG about 15 years ago. I've been doing it ever since, from one day a week to fully remote now.
References
- Al Fields, Associate Editor, BANG. 209-986-0607
- Diana Ramirez-Simon, Editor, The Guardian, and former copy editor, BANG. 510-387-6742
- Bert Robinson, former Executive Editor, BANG. 408-859-4031
Timeline
Night News Director
Bay Area News Group
03.2016 - Current
Front Page Designer
Bay Area News Group
03.2008 - 03.2016
Copy Desk Chief
Bay Area News Group
03.2006 - 03.2008
Sports Editor
Turlock Journal
02.2003 - 04.2004
Bachelor of Arts - Journalism And Mass Communication
Southeast Missouri State University