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- Tasks: Moderate reader comments and engage with our audience through innovative storytelling.
- Company: Join News UK, a leading media business reaching 40 million people monthly.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, training opportunities, and wellness perks like gym discounts and private medical insurance.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team fostering high-quality discussions and making an impact in journalism.
- Qualifications: Ideal for experienced journalists with a passion for reader engagement and strong news judgement.
- Other info: We value potential over experience; apply even if you don't meet every requirement!
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 43200 £ per year.
The reader comments journalist is responsible for moderating comments from our subscribers, eliciting stories from our readers, and finding innovative ways to directly engage our audience. This role will also involve hosting expert Live Q&As in the comment sections of articles that could benefit from added explanation or insight. You will work as part of a team to foster high-quality discussions on The Times and Sunday Times website and to ensure our online comments remain at the highest possible standard.
Apply with a covering letter and your CV by April 27.
Responsibilities- Ensuring our reader comments are maintained and moderated to the highest standard
- Fostering high quality discussions in the comment section of The Times and The Sunday Times website
- Pitching strong ideas for reader-led stories
- Pitching and building timely reader polls
- Pitching ideas for Live Q&As with internal and external experts and hosting them in the comments section
- Sourcing expert contributors to drive reader engagement
- Experienced journalist with strong news judgement
- A journalism degree, journalism masters or an NCTJ qualification
- Ability to interpret and apply legal training
- Demonstrable experience working on comment moderation or reader engagement and an interest in driving online engagement with news
- Highly organised, able to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- An understanding of online communities, and how to foster and grow debate
- Able to collaborate with others, including senior editors and work well in groups
- Can clearly articulate ideas
- Able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
- A strong understanding of editorial compliance and regulatory issues
If you believe you have the skills and passion to succeed, even if you don’t meet every requirement on the list, we encourage you to apply. We value potential just as much as experience and are eager to hear from individuals who are enthusiastic about learning and growing with us.
We are News UK: One of the leading media businesses in the UK and Ireland. Our newsbrands include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Sun on Sunday and The TLS. Our national broadcast brands include talkSPORT, Times Radio, Talk and Virgin Radio UK, and we have market-leading local radio stations across Ireland. Our world-famous brands provide news, analysis, opinion and entertainment to almost 40 million people each month. Spanning print and pixel, audio and video, events and experiences, our multiplatform brands are home to a plurality of opinion, representing the diverse communities we serve. News UK is wholly owned by News Corp.
Life at NewsDriven by passion, guided by principles and acting with purpose. We represent, reflect and reach the nation, telling the stories that matter. We inform our audiences so that they can make decisions based on trusted information. To do this, we believe our employees must represent different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. We strive to maximise and encourage every individual’s potential and ensure everyone feels valued. We support this through our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy, which focuses on three main priorities - attracting talent from a wider, more representative pool, developing equity programmes to drive better representation in our leadership, and ensuring diversity and inclusivity in our workforce as well as the journalism and content we produce. We also currently have 12 employee led networks and groups that support our strategy and connect like minded employees socially.
Benefits- Maternity leave up to 18 weeks full basic salary & paternity leave up to 2 weeks
- Wide range of training available, plus full LinkedIn Learning access
- Private medical insurance including coverage for pre-existing conditions
- Discounted gym memberships, free ClassPass at Home, weekly virtual yoga classes
- ‘Bikes for Work’ and ‘Electric Car’ scheme
- Up to 60% discount on Harper Collins books
- Access to exclusive events and competitions with exciting brands such as talkSPORT, Virgin Radio UK & The Times. Weekly virtual panel chats with top journalists and celebrities
- Access to wellbeing benefits such as EAP, physio/massage and counselling
- A generous pension scheme with employer contributions of up to 5%
- 30 days holiday, plus bank holidays and up to 4 volunteering days per year
We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to perform to their best when applying for a role. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or for us to do anything differently to support you apply for any of our roles please contact us on [email protected].
Reader comments journalist employer: NEWS UK-1
Contact Detail:
NEWS UK-1 Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Reader comments journalist
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with The Times and Sunday Times' comment sections. Engage with the content and understand the tone and style of discussions that take place. This will help you pitch relevant ideas and demonstrate your understanding of the audience.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your ability to foster online communities by highlighting any previous experience in moderating comments or engaging with readers. Be prepared to discuss specific strategies you've used to encourage high-quality discussions.
✨Tip Number 3
Think about innovative ways to engage readers beyond traditional comments. Consider how you might use Live Q&As or reader polls to enhance interaction and be ready to share your ideas during the interview process.
✨Tip Number 4
Network with professionals in the journalism field, especially those who have experience in reader engagement. Attend industry events or join online forums to connect with others and gain insights that could benefit your application.
We think you need these skills to ace Reader comments journalist
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Covering Letter: Make sure to customise your covering letter for the reader comments journalist position. Highlight your experience in comment moderation and reader engagement, and explain how your skills align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Showcase Relevant Experience: In your CV, emphasise any previous roles that involved journalism, comment moderation, or community engagement. Include specific examples of how you fostered discussions or engaged with readers to demonstrate your capability for this role.
Demonstrate Your News Judgement: Since strong news judgement is crucial for this position, consider including a brief section in your application that discusses your understanding of current events and how you would approach moderating comments on relevant articles.
Proofread Your Application: Before submitting, carefully proofread both your covering letter and CV. Ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors, as attention to detail is essential in journalism. A polished application reflects your professionalism and commitment to high standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at NEWS UK-1
✨Show Your Passion for Reader Engagement
Demonstrate your enthusiasm for engaging with readers and fostering discussions. Share examples of how you've successfully moderated comments or encouraged reader participation in the past.
✨Prepare for Live Q&A Scenarios
Since hosting expert Live Q&As is a key part of the role, think about potential topics and questions you could pose. Be ready to discuss how you would facilitate these sessions to ensure they are informative and engaging.
✨Highlight Your Organisational Skills
This role requires managing multiple projects simultaneously. Be prepared to discuss your time management strategies and provide examples of how you've effectively juggled various tasks in previous roles.
✨Understand Editorial Compliance
Familiarise yourself with editorial compliance and regulatory issues relevant to online journalism. Be ready to discuss how you would ensure that reader comments adhere to these standards while still promoting open dialogue.
