Position: Journalist
Location: Ealing, London
Salary: Negotiable
About The New Arab
The New Arab is a fast-growing English-language website focused on authentic coverage of news, current affairs, and culture and lifestyle stories from the Middle East and North Africa region and beyond. Targeting audiences interested in the region in English language speaking countries and communities, led by the UK, North America, South and East Asia, and Australia/New Zealand.
The New Arab’s diverse newsroom offers a platform for the voice of the Middle East and aims to provoke an exchange of ideas and open discussion in a responsible manner via news, in-depth analysis and comment. We have a large pool of journalists from all backgrounds, allowing us to provide fruitful and insightful reporting on cultural and social issues, as well as political and humanitarian issues.
The New Arab is the English sister publication of Arabic daily newspaper and online news outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and is part of the Fadaat Media network, which allows us to leverage sprawling networks of correspondents in the region and their high-quality output, as well as its own resources.
The Arabic news website is accessed by millions of readers worldwide, making it one of the world’s most widely read independent Arab news services.
The role:
Reporting to the Head of Newsdesk of The New Arab and working with your news shift leaders, you will cover MENA news stories from primary and secondary sources, including news wires, international media outlets, social media, official press releases, and Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Arabic-language website and reporter dispatches. You will write stories in compelling English copy, ensuring that coverage of ongoing and breaking news stories reflects latest developments.
Responsibilities:
- To remain up to date with news and current affairs around the clock from all applicable sources.
- Working in close coordination with editors to determine subjects, angles, styles, etc.
- Produce high-quality content written in compelling English as per our house style and standard newswriting style.
- Follow moving stories and provide updates, analysis, and other ways to engage and inform the audience.
- To be prepared to take on any other role in the newsroom as defined by the duty editor in response to the needs of the newsroom.
- To work with other departments (Multimedia, Translation, Arabic team) in order to enrich content and make sure it adds value to coverage of events.
Requirements:
- Degree in journalism or related field.
- Must have a full right to work in the UK.
- Native-level English language skills. You are expected to be able to write clearly and accurately with complete comprehension skills.
- Where applicable, the ability to gather and digest information from Arabic sources and produce high-quality copy for immediate publication online.
- Social media awareness and ability to promote published work and engage with audience in appropriate conversational tone.
- An understanding of English language audiences interested in the MENA region.
- To play a key role in editorial meetings, providing new ideas for coverage.
- A thorough understanding of journalism ethics and media law including contempt, libel, and copyright.
- Knowledge of key political issues in the MENA region and post- Arab Spring developments
- Ability to work to long shift rotas including overnight shifts.
- Friendly, informed and passionate about reshaping long-dominant western media narratives surrounding the MENA region.
Desirable:
- 2-4 years' experience in a similar newsroom
- A command of Modern Standard Arabic. You will not be required to write in Arabic, but will be required to be able to read, and converse with Arabic sources
- Any other Middle East region language familiarity is a plus (Turkish, Farsi, Kurdish, etc.)
- Experience in audience engagement and social media
- Experience with Content Management Systems
- Experience in a reporting or sub-editing role at a English-language news outlet
- Experience with interactive storytelling design, software, and techniques
- Experience in video and graphic production for a recognised media house
- Experience commissioning feature and commentary writers
- Experience in an editing and publishing role
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Benefits:
- Bereavement leave
- Company pension
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- Private medical insurance
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Ealing W5: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
