Producer, Ayesha Hazarika Show, Times Radio (freelance)

Producer, Ayesha Hazarika show, Times Radio (freelance)

Times Radio has shaken up the broadcasting firmament since launching in June 2020, and our recent nomination as UK Station of the Year in the Arias demonstrates the impact we have made.  As a live news radio station, we have built up a strong reputation for providing well-informed, thoughtful and intelligent news and discussion, covering the key stories of the day. We have combined the famous journalistic expertise of The Times and The Sunday Times with the radio experience of News Broadcasting to create a station that already has over 550,000 weekly listeners.  We have a world-class line-up of presenters talking to excellent guests, who value conversation over confrontation.

Your role: As Producer of Ayesha Hazarika’s weekend Drivetime show, you will take charge of every aspect of an important and influential live programme that covers the day’s big stories with news-making guests, as well as having strong regular comedy and culture sections.  The show is on air every Saturday and Sunday from 4 to 7pm, presented by Ayesha Hazarika, who, having been a political adviser as well as a stand-up comedian, is one of the liveliest and most respected voices in UK political commentary. Guests have ranged from Keir Starmer and Tony Blair to Malala Yousafzai and Nile Rodgers. Influencers and politicians regularly listen to the show to get its take on the day’s news, as well as to hear in-depth discussions and debates - all wrapped up with Ayesha’s incisive and entertaining analysis.

This is a full-time role, planning and setting up the show from Weds to Fri and outputting it on Saturday and Sunday, with a dedicated assistant producer working to you on Saturday and Sunday.

Day to day you will: 

• Plan and shape both programmes during the week, ensuring there is a good range of news-making interviews, topical discussions and creative touches.
• Output the live shows every Saturday and Sunday from Times Radio’s modern studios by London Bridge
• Across the week, come up with ideas for stories, guests and debates that will create lively, original and journalistically-strong radio
• Book newsmaking interviewees, leading politician.  s and unexpected voices
• Write scripts and interview briefs and be on top of all preparation for the weekend
• React to the day’s news on Saturday and Sunday, being prepared to change the running order in the event of breaking news
• Ensure guests appear in vision for our social media channels

What we’re looking for from you: 

• A journalist with a strong track record in making live news programmes
• A deep understanding and love of UK politics
• A creative mind and the ability to bring fresh-thinking to well-worn topics
• A terrific contacts book, especially amongst senior politicians, advisers, and other key contacts from Westminster and beyond
• Someone who thrives in a fast-paced news environment, as well as being able to make independent editorial decisions
• Someone who also keeps across the arts and entertainment scene for the Culture Hour on Sunday
• Strong planning ethos, with an ability to take care of relevant details in good time
• Experience of working closely with and communicating well with presenters
• Reliable understanding of relevant compliance and legal issues

We are News Broadcasting: Driving digital innovation, our people create award-winning national and local radio and podcasts which are must-listens for millions across the UK, Ireland and beyond. Life sounds good with Virgin Radio - home to Chris Evans at Breakfast and Graham Norton at the weekend. talkSPORT, the world’s biggest sports radio station, delivers the very best live sport and analysis and is truly powered by its millions of fans. Launched in June 2020 Times Radio brings together the peerless journalistic expertise of The Times and The Sunday Times with world-class broadcast talent including Matt Chorley, Mariella Frostrup, Jane Garvey and Fi Glover. In 2022 we launched TalkTV, a major new TV channel available to everyone across the UK, delivering a schedule of news, current affairs, entertainment and sport, with Piers Morgan in a primetime evening show.

Equal opportunities:

News UK is an equal opportunities employer and wholeheartedly supports the principle of equal opportunities for all its employees and for all applicants for employment. It opposes all forms of discrimination in the workplace.

We are a diverse team so want to maximise every individual’s potential to create a productive environment where everyone feels valued, and where talents are fully recognised and utilised.

We want to ensure that everyone we meet has the opportunity to perform to their best when interviewing. Please let us know, at any stage, whether you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, and we will do our best to accommodate.  

News UK is an official partner of the Journalism Diversity Fund, founder of the Journalism and Disability Forum, and proud member of the Valuable 500. At News UK, we will continue to promote an inclusive and diverse workplace, to help people with visible and non visible disabilities create careers in media and aim to make our content accessible to all.