Title: Freelance Reporter
Contact: michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org
Languages spoken: English and some French
Demographic expertise: South Dakota
Topic expertise: child care issues, South Dakota history/current events/politics, criminal justice and crime, college and high school sports and its cultural impact in South Dakota, data journalism, graphics, charts, maps
Demographic expertise: South Asian community (India, Pakistan, Nepal) through local cricket club, Sioux Falls immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, Indigenous issues in western South Dakota
Biography: Klinski brings a lifelong knowledge of South Dakota (both East River and West River) and 20 years of journalism experience to News Watch. He produces interactive graphics, visual elements and biweekly fact briefs. Klinski was born in England on a military base and moved to Ellsworth Air Force Base when he was 2. His family moved to Black Hawk near Rapid City when he was 4, and he graduated from Rapid City Stevens High School. He earned a degree in journalism at the University of South Dakota, where he was the editor of The Volante student newspaper. After a brief stint with the Fargo Forum, he moved to Sioux Falls to work at the Argus Leader in 2005. He stayed there for 17 years, working as a reporter, copy editor, page designer, social media coordinator, breaking news editor, content coach, graphic designer and digital news editor. While at the Argus Leader, he was employee of the year (2014), editorial writer of the year in South Dakota (2015) and won various statewide editing and reporting awards. In 2022, he took a voluntary buyout. One of his hobbies is playing cricket in Sioux Falls. He has four children: twins Ian and Hayden, Emma and Ethan.
Professional memberships: South Dakota American Advertising Federation
Archive of work: South Dakota News Watch