Broadcast Journalist, BBC South Today

Job description

BBC South Today is looking for a talented, creative and ambitious broadcast journalist to join the team on the most watched news programme in central southern England. One of our BJs is off to spend a year at the News Channel and we’re looking to fill a vital role. We provide coverage from Dorchester in the west to Worthing in the east, from Reading in the north and to the Isle of Wight in the south. The programme also has an opt based in Oxford. Each weekday we transmit to more than 1.5 million BBC1 viewers. South Today aims to bring audiences original local journalism that has impact and relevance. We hold local decision makers to account, tell the important stories and celebrate the people and the places in our area.  The team also assists with other BBC South programmes such as Inside Out and The Sunday Politics. But the landscape of TV news is changing as people consume news in different ways and our digital offering is becoming increasingly important. South Today is also developing increasing use of lives out on location.Role ResponsibilityThe successful candidate will help to plan and deliver our daily television output, and needs to be able to work alone compiling bulletin material. There may be the opportunity for those with the relevant skills to occasionally work on the reporting rota as well. You must be a qualified journalist and ideally have some experience of television journalism as well as an understanding of the best ways to maximise social media opportunities. Camera and editing skills would be a bonus but training can be given.The Ideal CandidateYou will need a broad range of knowledge on subjects ranging from politics and business to entertainment and sports news.You must have strong editorial judgment, a good understanding of the big issues in the south, be able to take sensitive decisions quickly and decisively and a good command of the BBC's policies in all relevant areas. A knowledge of English Regions’ commitment to Digital First policy and how it is becoming a part of everyday newsgathering is also vital as South Today goes forward. IMPORTANT INFORMATION How to apply: As part of your application, and in no more than 500 words, pitch a story idea for transmission on South Today. It must be a strong news story which would sit in the top half of the programme. Give details for your treatment and interviewees, and your social media plans for the story as well.  You must come to the board prepared to expand on this idea. Candidates should also submit a TV showreel with the application (maximum duration 10 minutes), either of your own on-screen work, or items which have been transmitted which you played a significant part in.  If the items are not your own reports, detail the work you did on them. Please submit your story idea and showreel to ************@*******.** no later than midnight on 6th October 2015. For those invited to interview, there will be a studio test scenario to undertake, details of which will be given on the day of interview. Boards will take place in Southampton in the week commencing 19th October. To find out more about the role, please contact either TV Editor Richard Spalding on 07809 598178, or Assistant Editor Newsgathering Martin Webster on 0783 484 5166. Package DescriptionFixed Term Contract/Attachment(12 months) - Grade 5/7D You will need to be flexible about the days on which you can work and this role is part of a rota, which includes regular lates and weekends. - Job share applications are welcome for this role. Please include detail of the proposed arrangement in your application. -  This role is also available part-time. Please include details of your availability in your application. About the CompanyWe don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are very important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours in the document attached below. You’ll be asked questions relating to them as part of your application for this role.