Journalism
Accurate, fair and impartial
We’ll have roles within journalism at all levels, from entry-level Broadcast Assistant all the way up to Editor. Our opportunities will be based mainly in 5 live and Sport, with some in Current Affairs, Regional and Local Programmes and Children’s. They will be across TV, radio and online. We cover a huge range of topics, from sport to current affairs to entertainment, but one thing all our journalists need is a desire to provide the best impartial news and information to the public.
Below we have videos and role descriptions which will give you a better idea of what skills and knowledge we're looking for regarding the jobs in this area. We would recommend you watch the films and read the information before you apply as it will give you the insight you need about we'll be looking for in your application.
Our people in journalism
Oliver Williams
Broadcast Journalist, BBC Sport
I'm a broadcast journalist for the BBC Sport website, and I spend most of my time reporting on Olympic sports. This means I cover everything from archery to ice hockey. I’ve just got back from covering the World Gymnastics at the O2 Arena, and I’m off to Vancouver soon for the Winter Olympics. My job gets quite hectic sometimes, but at the end of the day I’m paid to watch sport, so I can’t complain.
To do my job, you need a fairly good memory. There are 20-odd Summer Olympic sports and almost as many in the Winter Olympics, and I need to keep on top of what’s going on in all of them. The ability to write is obviously essential, although video editing and audio recording is becoming more and more a part of things. You’ve also got to be comfortable meeting and talking to all kinds of people, from press officers to Olympic gold medallists.
The department I work is friendly, and they’re not afraid to give people a chance. They’re encouraging and forward-thinking, which is all you can ask for really. Working for the BBC is a big deal when you go out to report on something or interview someone - it means a lot, certainly to people involved in minority sports, and it's a constant source of pride for me.
Typical roles and job specs
The roles in journalism that we will be recruiting for are: Editor, Assistant Editor, Senior Broadcast Journalist, Broadcast, Journalist, Broadcast Assistant. There will also be a small number of Reporter, Correspondent and Broadcaster/Presenter roles. These opportunities are mainly within Sport and 5 live although Children’s will have a small number of journalism roles.
For all journalism roles
You should:
- Tell stories fairly, accurately, simply and engagingly in a way that is accessible to a wide variety of audiences across a range of platforms.
- Be well informed about current events and able to research topics quickly and effectively.
- Have the ability to develop and nurture a diverse range of contacts and a keen desire to produce original journalism, driven by a strong sense of curiosity.
- Be able to stay calm while working under pressure and to remain resilient, flexible and adaptable in the face of rapidly changing circumstances, long shifts and setbacks.
- Have sound editorial judgement and legal awareness.
- Be able to draw on creative writing and story telling skills
- Ideally have knowledge and awareness of producing cross platform content and developing ideas
Of course the level of experience required would reflect the role – so for senior positions, we would expect the above skills to be more evident and developed than in a Broadcast Assistant. The more senior the role, the more we require you to have people and budget management skills.
For all departments, it’s important that you have an interest, passion and good knowledge of the content they create, as well as a good understanding of their audience.
For journalism roles in Children's
Across all roles:
- Understanding and knowledge of editorial/compliance issues in respect to making content (TV, radio, web) for Children
- Ability to apply/demonstrate the Children's values: Enabling, Curious, Can Do, Inclusive and Hungry
For journalism roles in Sport
Across all roles:
- Sports Journalists working on 5 live will be required to have very good knowledge of 5 live - its schedule, presenters and programmes.
For journalism roles in 5 Live
Across all roles:
- Social media expertise – use of interactivity on programmes
- Highly developed IT skills: Audio editing
- Unsociable shifts, out of hours working on 24/7 network
There's lots here, so don't stop looking
There may well be other areas or departments in BBC North that suit your skills or ambitions. Careers at the BBC are many and varied, so even if you’ve found something you like, we'd encourage you to keep looking. You could end up working across different job areas or specialising in one - the choice is yours.
