Journalist - Southampton - EXTEND

BBC UK; England; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

BBC South is seeking a journalist to grow its social media and digital video content across Hampshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. You will develop engaging online formats and help the patch reach audiences who don’t rely on broadcast news.

Responsibilities include turning daily content into compelling social formats, filming and editing engaging material, and pitching new ideas while supporting newsroom colleagues to deliver timely stories.

Qualifications

• Experience identifying and developing stories through social platforms.
• Strong understanding of local audience interests across platforms.
• Ability to use audience analytics to inform content decisions.
• Proven ability to film and edit short‑form video using professional tools.
• Experience in a fast-paced news environment with meeting tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Use social listening to identify stories relevant to local audiences.
• Film and edit engaging content across multiple channels.
• Pitch fresh ideas and develop creative treatments for social formats.
• Support other reporters in scripting and video editing for social media.
• Work under pressure in a busy newsroom with quick turnarounds.

Skills

Social listening

Audience insights

Story pitching

Video content creation

Content strategy

Digital platforms

Tools

Final Cut Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro

Mojo kits

Osmo cameras

Job description

Job Requisition ID: 53504

Job Closing Date: 12 October 2026

Job Details

JOB BAND: C

CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed-term Contract, Full-time until 1 August 2027

DEPARTMENT: BBC Nations, BBC South

LOCATION: Southampton

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £28,000 - £34,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application - though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

Purpose of the role

BBC South is looking for a journalist to help develop its social media and digital video content for across our whole patch: Hampshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. We already have some highly successful social media platforms in BBC Local; they're vital to reach and interact with people who don't get their local news from broadcast media. We know our social media and digital video strategy is working, and we're looking for someone to continue to create even more engaging content that people expect on social media, and as digital video on the BBC website.

Why join the team

Discovering stories from social media is a key part of this job. Using social listening tools to find the issues that matter most to local audiences - and have the creative vision needed to turn them into content audiences love to read, watch and share.

The content you produce will go on our online and social platforms, with the scope to be picked up by TV and radio and BBC News's social platforms too.

You'll know how to make great original digital content for online and socials and turn daily radio and TV content into engaging social formats.

Please contact social media lead Jessica Banham at [e-mail] for more information on the role.

Your key responsibilities and impact

• Using social listening tools to find the issues that matter most to local audiences and a nose for identifying which stories have the potential to translate to digital audiences
• Film and edit engaging high‑impact content across multiple platforms
• You'll be confident at pitching new ideas and creative treatments and be able to come up with a constant stream of original stories
• You'll also be happy assisting other reporters in the newsroom on how to produce scripts and video edits for social media audiences
• Be able to work under pressure in a busy newsroom where you may be expected to rapidly turn around material without much notice

Your skills and experience

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable experience identifying, sourcing and developing stories through social media and social listening, with a strong understanding of local audience interests and platform trends.
• Strong knowledge of social media consumption habits and audience expectations across different platforms, with the ability to identify stories that will resonate and perform well.
• Experience using audience analytics and performance data to inform content decisions, measure impact and continually improve output.
• Proven ability to film and edit compelling short‑form video content using a range of equipment (including Mojo kits, Osmo cameras or similar) and editing software such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro or equivalent.
• Experience working in a fast‑paced news environment, collaborating effectively within a team to deliver high‑quality content to tight deadlines, while maintaining a strong understanding of media law and BBC Editorial Guidelines.

If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we'd love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

More about BBC Extend

To apply for this role you should identify as deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent and must meet either the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010), or the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) if applying in Northern Ireland. You're broadly defined as disabled under both acts if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long‑term negative or adverse effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. This definition includes both apparent and non‑apparent conditions and impairments, and medical conditions such as Cancer, HIV or Multiple Sclerosis.

We’re committed to making the process of applying for this role as accessible as possible. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the application process, or have any questions about our Extend programme, please contact [e-mail].

The BBC are fully committed to providing workplace adjustments to help eliminate barriers in the workface that disabled people face. To do this, we have our own dedicated BBC Access and Disability Service that provides assessments and support throughout employment with us. If you are successful in applying for this role and require workplace adjustments, we will work with you to get your adjustments in place.

If you’d like more information on BBC Extend, please visit the BBC Extend webpage.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

For any general queries, please contact: [e-mail]

Redeployment

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

Life at BBC

Here you will benefit from:

• Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a flexible 35‑hour working week, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care and gym.
• Excellent career and professional development.
• Support in your working life, including flexible working which you can discuss with us at any point during the application, selection or offer.
• A values‑based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

Benefits may vary if you are joining on an FTC basis or on an orchestra conditions contract.

Learn more about life at the BBC and our values in our candidate pack.

You belong

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio‑economic background, religion and/or belief.

Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Disability confident

We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email and we'd be happy to discuss: [e-mail]