Digital Journalist at The Citizen news

Purpose of the Job:

• To cover news events assigned by the Editors and to produce accurate and well-written stories daily for our publication.

Main Responsibilities:

• Plan and write fresh, accurate copy to deadline for all platforms, in co-operation with the Digital Editor and Deputy Digital Editor.
• Manage your own daily diary, and pitch unique story ideas, with creative angles and elements.
• Create, publish, and promote multimedia content, working independently as well as with the multimedia team.
• Researching of articles.
• Gathering of news from a variety of reliable sources.
• Interviewing sources.
• Covering important events/issues timeously.
• Staying up to date with privacy, contempt and defamation laws.
• Establishing and maintaining a network of contacts.
• Adhere to Code of Ethics and Editorial Standards and Practices.
• Monitor and effectively use social media to pick up news leads and story ideas, as well as promote your work.
• Upload and publish stories using the company’s CMS.
• Assist with online administrative functions as directed.
• Mentor and coach junior staff members.
• Monitor analytics constantly.
• Utilise analytics to maximise all stories and articles published on citizen.co.za.
• Adhere to Google algorithm requirements and write with SEO and Google search in mind.
• Study and adhere to The Citizen and citizen.co.za’s Voice and Style Guide.

Core Competencies Required:

Knowledge:

• Bachelor’s degree or Diploma in Journalism.
• Minimum 3 years’ mainstream journalism experience.
• Talent for writing, coupled with a keen interest in breaking news and current affairs and politics.
• Established network of contacts.
• Newsroom and current affairs writing experience.
• Ability to adapt to changing news and media scene, with a keen interest in new media

Skills:

• Experience using any CMS (WordPress, Joomla, etc.)
• Experience in using Adobe CS, Final Cut or other video editing tools, or audio editing tools.
• Basic Photography/videography skills
• Communication skills.
• Relationship-building skills.

Aptitude:

• Ability to work under pressure.
• Deadline driven.
• High degree of professional journalistic conduct.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team.
• Availability to work overtime and on weekends.
• Ability to work speedily but accurately.

Other Requirements:

• Valid driver’s license
• Own reliable vehicle