Senior Bulletin Writer (Sesotho, Audio, Bloemfontein Free State) at The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)

Main Purpose of the Position:

• To lead, guide and provide editorial direction to the Sesotho Audio News / Radio Bulletin and Production team with the Bulletin Editor in providing depth of coverage to current issues by investigating and exploring angles of news stories, developments and trends.

Key Accountabilities:

• Lead effective, efficient and creative brainstorming sessions for Sesotho Audio / Radio News Bulletins and content selection in accordance with SABC News and Current Affairs’ editorial objectives and the public mandate.
• Compile a newsworthy list / running order of bulletin stories in consultation with the bulletin editor/s.
• Correct linguistic, grammatical and factual errors.
• Attend daily and weekly national diary / editorial meetings with or at the request of line manager/s.
• Determine and assign stories, and continuously give direction to the team/s.
• Ensure that all stories adhere to the highest quality of editorial and language standards.
• Continuously follow-up on the progress and angles of stories until delivered for broadcasting, posting and publishing.
• Research, analyse and understand the undercurrents, subtexts and nuances in news stories, developments and trends to determine their importance, relevance and impact on the target audience.
• Determine different news angles and updates for each story to pursue for broadcasting, posting and publishing.
• Ensure adequate planning of bulletins.
• Write, translate, voice, edit and read (present) quality stories in accordance with all platform requirements.
• Brief Bulletin Writers / Readers on different story angles to pursue.
• Verify all audiovisual content, material and scripts to ensure factual accuracy, balance and fairness of Bulletins and all digital / online / social media content.
• Brief technical team members, where applicable, on the bulletin running order and collaborate in preparing for broadcasts.
• Write and produce strong headlines / teasers with defining meaningful and memorable soundbites / audio content.
• Print scripts and running orders according to the required bulletin structure and deadlines.
• Engage in, co-ordinate and check online / digital / social media activity and content to enhance bulletins.
• Perform and assign tasks to Bulletin Writers / Readers (social media, follow-ups and breaking stories etc).
• Continuously review bulletins for improvements.
• Alert Bulletin Editor/s about live interviews and breaking news for consideration.
• Follow-up on tipoffs, leads and stories.
• Consult and engage on stories daily and in advance of known news events, including briefing and debriefing sessions.
• Promote good professional and interpersonal relationships and maintain a productive environment.
• Contribute to compliance reports and listener complaints within required deadlines.
• Write daily end-of-shift production reports for the editor/s.
• Adhere to South Africa’s Constitution, all legislation, ICASA’s licence conditions and regulations, the BCCSA and Press Council codes and rulings, the SABC Editorial Policies, SABC News style guide and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Requirements:

• National diploma / degree (NQF 6 / 7) in journalism, media studies or relevant equivalent qualification.
• 6 years’ proven experience in writing, translating, producing, voicing and reading News Bulletins and Current Affairs programmes.
• Sesotho proficiency and fluency, including exceptional reading, writing, translating and speaking / presenting skills to optimise impact of editorial content.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.
• Good, clear broadcast voice.
• Strong news sense, editorial judgement, general knowledge and attention to detail.
• Professional communication and interaction with all stakeholders.
• Good understanding of current trends in the social, economic and political environment.
• Well-developed computer literacy for news broadcasting, posting and publishing environment.
• Good understanding of news multimedia, multiplatform production and use of social media as a journalistic tool.
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of Audio / Radio News and Current Affairs production and broadcasting processes and systems.
• Advanced understanding of broadcasting, posting and publishing laws and regulations, as well as news / media developments, trends and technologies.
• Knowledge of and interest in news, radio broadcast and digital / online developments and trends.
• Ability and willingness to work under pressure, including long and irregular hours.

Deadline:23rd February,2026