Description
Political reporting is central to Channel 4 News’ coverage, and the Picture Editor – Westminster will play a vital role within the political newsgathering team. Based primarily in the Millbank office, the postholder will also be expected to work from the GIR or other locations when required.
Working closely with the Political Editor and Political Correspondents, the Picture Editor will craft dynamic, engaging and editorially robust packages. This includes editing pictures and sound to produce high‑quality reports and films under pressure and to tight deadlines, using AVID’s full range of visual and graphic tools.
The role also carries operational responsibility for supporting the smooth running of the AVID production environment. This includes newsroom and desktop editing workflows, media management, and ensuring content is ready for transmission.
Key Responsibilities
1. Operate ITN’s digital editing system – currently AVID Media Composer, to a high standard, with the ability to resolve some technical problems when necessary
2. Develop your personal editing skills on AVID, using the full functionality of the system in a creative and innovative fashion
3. To understand all aspects of the digital workflow in the Channel 4 News production model
4. Edit general news packages at Grays Inn Road, as necessary.
5. Edit high-quality, creative reports and packages
6. Coordinate with the political and production teams to shape content, structure and deadlines for edits.
7. Work proactively to prepare for packages or other edits by identifying relevant material from any source
8. Edit breaking-news packages with little supervision
9. Edit long‑form films—whether same‑day or produced over time—covering obituaries and major Royal events.
10. Understand compliance issues and flag these up when necessary
11. Communicate clearly with journalists and graphics/
12. Work effectively with other parts of Channel 4 News including the Digital team.
13. Liaise with input team, MCR, output staff and other ITN departments
14. Support production teams in their use of the digital editing systems
15. Provide occasional training on these systems as required.
These are the main requirements of the role and is not an exhaustive list of duties. It is intended to reflect the nature, range, and context of the work, which will change over time. Key Requirements
16. Good political knowledge is essential
17. High level of editing skill
18. Ability to use digital editing equipment in a creative and innovative fashion
19. The ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure
20. Good organisational skills
21. Time-management skills
22. The ability to prioritise effectively
23. A high level of computer-literacy, with the willingness and aptitude to master new digital production systems
24. A clear understanding of the workflows required for multimedia news production in a digital newsroom
25. Flexibility and the ability to adapt skills and workflows to the changing demands of multimedia news
26. Effective communication skills
27. A sound knowledge of iNews, Wolftech and other newsroom computer systems
28. A sound knowledge of how to import graphics and unusual content into a digital system
29. Willingness and ability to work on any ITN service or channel as required
30. Knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro would be ideal for this role in future.