The Northwest – A diverse region of nearly a quarter–million square miles and home to almost 11 million people.

The Northwest is an important part of America. The states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho are home to international companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, Nike, Micron, Starbucks and Amazon.com. It's a strong agricultural region; crops such as apples, potatoes and wheat flourish here. Ports in the region are a vital link for international trade and support commercial fishing fleets. Over the years, the diversity of our resources has helped the Northwest become one of the fastest growing regions of America.

The Need for Accurate and Timely News Service is Great – The N³ Regional News Project is Vital to the Northwest.

In 2003, the Northwest News Network (N³) began an expansion of an existing public radio news cooperative to provide high quality news coverage in areas where it did not currently exist and to enhance the programming of Northwest public radio stations in major metropolitan areas.

To support this much needed public service, N³ regional news bureaus were established in three important population areas: Richland, Olympia, and Coeur d'Alene. A "roaming" regional news correspondent provides coverage in rural areas of Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Job Opportunity: Inland Northwest Correspondent

Spokane Public Radio is looking for a Coeur d'Alene Idaho bureau chief. Live in a picturesque city where outdoor recreation opportunities abound. Enjoy no newscast shifts, and know that your stories will receive network–quality editing. You will be part of a regional reporting team, whose stories are carried on nine NPR stations across the region, including Spokane, Seattle, Portland and Boise. You will cover the environment, growth, and the politics of the Inland Northwest. Your geographical beat will include Eastern Washington and the North Idaho Panhandle. The job is funded by Spokane Public Radio and is part of the Northwest News Network collaborative. Salary Range: $38 45K (DOE) with benefits. Position description, qualifications, application procedure and more details at www.kpbx.org. Review of applications begins April 30, 2008.

Partners include Boise State Radio, Jefferson Public Radio, KLCC, KMUN, KPLU, KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio, Northwest Public Radio, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Spokane Public Radio.

By working cooperatively across the Northwest region, the N³ regional news project is building bridges between diverse communities, creating widespread impact over a significant number of stations and expanding public radio's longstanding tradition of public service.