Journalist - Southampton - EXTEND

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

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Job summary

BBC South is seeking a journalist to develop social media and digital video content across Hampshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. You will transform stories found on social platforms into engaging online formats and digital video for BBC websites and social channels.

The role focuses on discovering stories through social listening, producing original content, and collaborating with reporters to deliver timely material under newsroom pressure.

Qualifications

• Experience sourcing and developing stories via social media and social listening.
• Knowledge of social media habits and platform trends.
• Experience using audience analytics to inform content decisions.
• Proven ability to film and edit short-form video content with professional tools.
• Experience in a fast-paced news environment and collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Using social listening tools to identify issues for local audiences and translate to digital.
• Film and edit engaging high-impact content across platforms.
• Pitch new ideas and create a stream of original stories.
• Assist other reporters with scripts and video edits for social audiences.
• Work under pressure in a busy newsroom and meet tight deadlines.

Skills

Social media

Social listening

Video filming

Video editing

Audience analytics

Journalism

Tools

Final Cut Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro

Mojo kits

Osmo cameras

Job description

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: C

CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed-term Contract, Full-time unitl 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

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• 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.

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.