Broadcast journalist : Job description

Broadcast journalists are responsible for investigating, gathering and reporting on news and current affairs. They are expected to present this information in a fair, balanced and accurate way through news bulletins, documentaries and other factual programmes for radio, television and online broadcast.

Skillset: The Sector Skills Council for Creative Media  defines broadcast journalism as 'the collection, verification and analysis of events which affect people'. The work of a broadcast journalist shapes people's perceptions of the world in which they live and therefore has a far-reaching impact. Broadcast journalists can fill a number of roles within the media including editor, reporter, presenter/news anchor, producer and correspondent.

Typical work activities

Although exact duties and responsibilities will vary from role to role and between radio, television and the internet, broadcast journalists will generally be involved in many of the following duties, on a daily basis:

• generating ideas for stories/features and following leads from news agencies, the police, the public, press conferences and other sources;
• pitching ideas to editors and commissioners;
• researching and collating evidence and information to support a story using relevant information sources (internet, archives, databases, etc);
• writing scripts for bulletins, headlines and reports which adhere to legal and contractual guidelines;
• selecting appropriate locations, pictures and sound and exercising editorial judgement on the best angle to approach a story from;
• identifying necessary resources and deploying/managing technical crews for location shoots, including sound operators and camera crew;
• providing directorial input, advising crews on what to film or record;
• using portable digital video (DV) cameras and other equipment to record material and appropriate editing software to produce complete packages for broadcast;
• preparing and presenting material 'on air' for both pre-recorded and live pieces;
• identifying potential interviewees, briefing them, preparing interview questions and conducting both live and recorded interviews;
• preparing timings for each news item and monitoring these during broadcast;
• deciding on the running order for bulletins and making any necessary changes during broadcast;
• developing and maintaining local contacts and assuming a public relations role.

Skillset has developed a set of national occupational standards which details the responsibilities expected from broadcast journalists.