What does a journalist do?
A journalist investigates and reports news and current events to the public through various media platforms such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio and the Internet. They gather and analyse information from multiple sources to create stories that inform and engage their audience.
Journalists may specialise in a particular area, such as entertainment, politics, sports, art & culture or they can be a generalist and report on a broad range of topics.
The primary responsibilities of journalists include researching and investigating news stories, interviewing sources and collecting diverse perspectives, writing the report and ensuring factual accuracy. Ideally, good journalists have a solid ethical framework, as they are responsible for reporting accurately and fairly while also upholding journalistic integrity and standards.
As journalism continues to evolve in the digital age, journalists must also have strong digital and multimedia skills. This includes creating engaging content for social media platforms, producing video content and working with data analytics to inform their reporting.
Depending on the job, the role of a journalist can be inside the office (as a writer or news presenter), on-field (as a media reporter), or even as a freelancer (sending feature stories). Some alternate job titles for a journalist are reporter, news correspondent, columnist and feature writer. Sometimes, a journalist’s role may overlap with that of a content writer.
Introduction
Are you passionate about storytelling and keeping people informed about the world around them? Do you have a knack for digging deep, asking the right questions and finding the truth? If yes, we are looking for a journalist to join our team at [Company X].
As a journalist, you will be responsible for researching and writing stories, conducting interviews and reporting on news events promptly and accurately. Your work will be to inform and educate our audience while holding people and institutions accountable.
Our organisation values integrity, accuracy and ethical reporting practices. The ideal candidate is a skilled writer and communicator with a nose for news and a passion for uncovering stories that matter. You will work closely with our editorial team to develop story ideas, pitch articles and collaborate on projects with senior management.
If you have a passion for journalism and want to make a difference, we encourage you to apply. We offer competitive compensation packages, comprehensive benefits and opportunities for growth and advancement within the company.
Objectives of this role
- Research current events and news stories by interviewing sources to gather details.
- Write clear and concise articles and reports for publication on the company website.
- Create multimedia content, like photos, videos and podcasts, to support your stories.
- Collaborate with editors, photographers, videographers and other journalists to develop story ideas and produce high-quality content.
Your tasks
- Tracking and investigating major news and developments to create various news reports or video material.
- Writing quick-turnaround news items for the web and print while ensuring the pieces are precise, grammatically correct and deliver accurate information to our readers.
- Participating in website content management and social media to ensure they are updated.
- Conducting keyword research and using SEO best practices to increase traffic to the company website.
Required skills and qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a related field.
- 2+ years of experience in journalism at a leading news or print agency.
- Experience with multimedia reporting, including photography and video.
- Strong communication skills with excellent writing and editing abilities.
- Hands-on experience with MS Office, particularly MS Word and MS Excel.
- Excellent interviewing and fact-checking skills with attention to detail.
- Working knowledge of social media platforms and digital marketing tools, such as Buffer or Hubspot.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
- Knowledge of media ethics and legal standards for journalism.
Preferred skills and qualifications
- Experience in investigative journalism or specialised reporting.
- Knowledge of SEO principles and digital analytics tools.
- Familiarity with content management systems (CMS).
- Willingness to travel to research news stories.
- Fluency in multiple languages.
