AI Expansion Reporter

Newsquest; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media organization in the United Kingdom seeks an AI Expansion Reporter to create local news content using AI technology while applying traditional journalism skills. The role involves sourcing stories, ensuring compliance with media laws, and maximizing audience engagement. Ideal candidates will have an NCTJ diploma or equivalent, excellent writing skills, and a strong understanding of journalistic principles, as well as an innovative mindset.

Benefits

Competitive salary

25 days holiday + bank holidays + your birthday off

Holiday buy scheme

Structured career progression & ongoing training

Pension plan

Mental health support

Gym membership

Cycle to Work scheme

Eye care vouchers (£50 towards glasses)

Retail discounts

Team building days

Annual volunteer charity day

Qualifications

• Ability to recognise the stories that resonate with readers.
• Excellent working knowledge of relevant media law.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Responsibilities

• Work with an AI system to help write news articles.
• Ensure all content meets legal and ethical standards.
• Source stories and ideas from a range of online sources.
• Identify areas to expand coverage.

Skills

Excellent writing and editing skills

Strong attention to detail

Creativity and innovation

Ability to analyse data

Strong understanding of journalistic principles

Education

NCTJ diploma or equivalent

Job description

AI Expansion Reporter

Application Deadline: 22 December 2025

Department: Editorial

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Darlington

Reporting To: Gavin Foster

Description

The Northern Echo is seeking an AI-assisted reporter to join our team and help us expand our coverage of Hartlepool, East Durham and Sunderland by delivering even more first-class digital news, driving audience growth. The successful candidate will be at the forefront of a new era in journalism, utilising AI technology to help create local and hyper-local content for our newspapers and websites while also applying their traditional journalism skills, news sense and working as part of the team at the Darlington office.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about journalism and the potential for AI to contribute to the way we produce and consume news, without losing sight of the importance of quality reporting and writing. This is a proactive role that requires a keen news sense and an innate understanding of what makes a strong story and what audiences want to read across a whole range of platforms.

As an AI-assisted reporter, you will have the opportunity to develop your news and technical skills, including learning how to manage and utilise AI technology effectively while employing your core journalistic skills to the sourcing, selection, angle and presentation of your digital content. A whole host of audience and content analytics will aid you in refining and perfecting your content to meet the needs of audiences and drive growth.

You’ll play a key role in ensuring that our articles meet the highest standards of accuracy, information, and compliance with media law, plagiarism, and privacy, utilising your journalistic expertise alongside AI tools.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with an AI system to help write news articles, while also utilising your journalism skills to maintain the quality and authenticity of the content
• Ensure that all content produced meets legal and ethical standards, including those related to media law, plagiarism, privacy, and accuracy
• Source stories and ideas from a range of online sources, proactively building and refining a news list of high-quality, engaging digital content
• Identify and deliver areas to expand our coverage into, as well as the topics and story types that will resonate
• Efficiently upload and manage stories, using time-saving AI tools and techniques to ensure a seamless process without compromising the quality of the content
• Contribute to the development of AI technology by monitoring the output of AI-generated content and identifying areas for improvement
• Stay up to date with industry trends and best practices related to AI and journalism
• Meet page view targets

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• NCTJ diploma or equivalent
• Excellent writing and editing skills, with strong attention to detail
• The ability to recognise the stories that resonate with our readers is crucial to this role
• A strong understanding of journalistic principles and practices
• Excellent working knowledge of relevant media law and adherence to the Editors’ Code of Conduct are vital to fulfilling the functions of the role
• Creativity and innovation, with a willingness to experiment with new approaches and techniques
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneouslyAbility to analyse data and generate insights to inform content decisions

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays + your birthday off
• Holiday buy scheme for extra flexibility
• Structured career progression & ongoing training
• Pension plan & mental health support
• Perks & discounts including:
  • Gym membership
  • Cycle to Work scheme
  • Eye care vouchers (£50 towards glasses)
  • Retail discounts
• Team building days & annual volunteer charity day