Vacancies: Senior Producer, Presenter (Talk Your Own)
Background
The BBC Media Action (BBC MA) is the charitable arm of the World Service established by the BBC. BBC Media Action uses media and communications to reduce poverty and promote human rights in developing countries. To achieve this, the Media Action partners with civil society, local media and governments to:
- Produce creative programmes based on robust research in multi-media formats which inform and engage audiences around key development issues.
- Strengthen the media sector through building professional capacity and infrastructure.
The BBC Media Action is looking for interested/motivated candidates to join the Production Team as:
Talk Your Own is a new weekly magazine programme produced by BBC Media Action. Each programme covers governance issues in an exciting and contemporary style with the voices of those directly involved in national governance events, to provide listeners with a concise round-up of all the main governance issues and to provide a forum for listeners to hold those responsible to account.
The positions are Abuja based but may involve traveling to the focal states in Nigeria. The contract duration is expected to be two years and with a start date of June 2013 and a probation period of 3 months
Positions: Senior Producer
(Salary range from N400, 000.00 gross per month)
Duties:
- Lead and Produce Talk Your Own Programme.
- Monitor progress of output under his/ her supervision
- Co-ordinate and supervise the activities of Assistant Producers under his/her supervision.
- Work and deliver programmes within budget.
- Ensure that sufficient research on themes and messages are carried out.
- Ensure content tackled in programmes is in line with behaviour change strategies with clear messages.
- Be responsible for drawing up a schedule for the production and delivery of assigned output(s) in the most cost effective manner and to ensure that the schedule is complied with.
- Be responsible for the pulling together of human and material resources for pre -production, production and post-production stages of assigned output(s). To liaise with the Senior Production Manager in achieving this objective.
- Liaise with the Audience Research department in drawing up questions for focus group discussions, surveys and other relevant audience research activities. And to coordinate the activities of producers in the application of the knowledge gained about audiences in programme making.
- Be in touch with the target audience(s) of assigned output; to understand the audiences’ lifestyles, preferences, interests and to make programmes consistent with them
- Research, write, translate, edit or adapt stories or programme material; to find contributors and interviewees as well as other sources of material and/or actuality, as appropriate and to the required specification whilst maintaining professional journalistic standards of accuracy, impartiality and fair dealing and adhering to the BBC’s Producers guidelines. To ensure the availability of required production facilities.
- Be responsible for a moving story, amending and updating material as required. To be able to freshen a story. To be responsible for thinking through and around editorial problems, developing realistic alternative strategies and approaches.
- Offer ideas for items, programmes and series. To suggest new angles on existing stories, means of moving the story on, and to put forward stories not yet covered. To understand the BBC Media Action’s strategy and to suggest ideas appropriate to its distinctive style and content.
- Liaise closely with other team members and with contributors, reporters and stringers. Where necessary to liaise with humanitarian organisations for assistance with information gathering.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential Skills:
- Extensive production background at a senior level, preferably in the area of interactive discussion and behaviour change communication and governance related issues.
- Strong understanding of the role of communication in development.
- Good grasp, understanding of and commitment to issues of governance related programming.
- Strong editorial judgement.
- Ability to write, adapt and translate with accuracy, clarity and style appropriate to differing audiences and forms of media.
- Ability to oversee content research and message brief design.
- Deep understanding of the application of audience and content research into story lining.
- Good interpersonal and time management skills.
- Excellent creative instincts and the ability to originate new ideas.
- Ability to work under pressure with little or no supervision and must be a self starter.
- Good computer skills and competence and experience in using audio editing software such like adobe audition.
- Extensive first hand experience and in depth understanding of culture of the ethnic groups in Nigeria.
- Proven ability to analyse and critically evaluate editorial content, identifying strengths and weaknesses in programme content and driving constant improvement in output.
- Experience in electronic media programme production especially in development issues.
Desirable:
- A proven track record in the careful management of budgets.
- Evidence of full conversant with the latest production related technology.
- Experience in operating effectively in difficult, political, sensitive and often fluid environments.
- Understanding of core BBC MA values of trust, audience, quality, creativity, respect and working together.
Qualification:
- Educated at first degree in Mass Communication, theatre Arts, Humanities, Social or Management Sciences or in any related field.
- Additional qualification in programme production will be an advantage.
Position: Presenter (Talk Your Own)
(Salary Range from N250, 000.00 gross per month)
The PRESENTER plays a key role as the informative voice of the programme, helping provide its on-air identity:
Duties and Responsibilities
- To present Talk Your Own in an informative, exciting and engaging manner
- To prepare for and interview specialists, reporters and variety of real voices around the country on a wide variety of governance related topics.
- To contribute across the range of editorial/production activities within a team program, ensuring high journalistic standards and compliance with BBC editorial guidelines at all times.
- To develop a broad understanding of major developing governance news stories, and social, economic and political affairs at national and international level
- Perform any other duties that may be assigned
Essential:
- An informative and engaging broadcasting voice and developed interviewing skills.
- Evidence of a strong interest in governance, current affairs and international news.
- Evidence of a high standard of editorial judgement
- The ability to write scripts and cues to an acceptable standard of Journalism.
- The ability to cope with fast -changing situations within a pressurised environment.
- Production skills based on substantial broadcasting and/or reporting experience.
Desirable:
- A willingness to engage in team working and a high level of interpersonal skills.
- The ability to originate and develop programme ideas.
- A sharp awareness of the needs and interests of a national audience.
- Strong links and contacts in government and stakeholders in governance related projects will be an added advantage.
Method of Application:
Interested candidates should please send in their application/cover letter with an introduction and capability statement stating capability for the job, a detailed curriculum vitae (word document please) with names and addresses of at least 2 professional referees (including their telephone, fax and email addresses) not later than 21st May 2013 to hrnigeria@bbcmediaaction.org with the position applied for clearly stated on the application letter:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
