Journalist, Istanbul

This role will produce original journalism focused on Turkish domestic affairs, delivering in-depth reporting and analysis of political, judicial, and social issues.

Job Requisition ID: 47593

Job Closing Date: 5 July 2026

Istanbul, TUR, 34437

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: C
CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed-term Contract ending March 2027
DEPARTMENT: BBC News
LOCATION: Istanbul, Turkey

Any offer of employment with the BBC will be conditional upon you having the right to work in Turkey.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

This role will produce original journalism focused on Turkish domestic affairs, delivering in-depth reporting and analysis of political, judicial, and social issues.
You will lead complex investigations and translate court proceedings into clear, engaging content, creating high-quality multimedia output across platforms, maintaining strict editorial standards and impartiality.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM
BBC News Türkçe delivers high-quality, impartial, and original journalism to Turkish-speaking audiences in Turkey and around the world across digital platforms. Through a rich mix of multimedia content published on bbc.com/turkce and distributed via social media, the service reaches an average of nearly 3.5 million unique users each week.
Our team is committed to providing accurate, balanced, and engaging reporting that helps audiences better understand the world around them, while upholding the BBC’s core values of trust, independence, and public service.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Generate, research, and produce original journalism, with a strong focus on Turkish domestic issues and current affairs, including in-depth reporting and analysis of political, judicial processes, and social developments
• Lead and contribute to in-depth investigations, including complex political and judicial stories
• Report on court proceedings and legal developments, translating complex judicial processes into clear, engaging content for diverse audiences
• Use video, audio, and digital tools to create high-quality content across multiple platforms, maintaining the highest editorial standards
• Apply strong editorial judgment to ensure accuracy, impartiality, and full compliance with BBC Editorial Guidelines
• Develop creative and innovative storytelling formats tailored for digital and social audiences, making effective use of multimedia tools
• Tailor content for different platforms and audiences, optimising reach, relevance, and engagement
• Collaborate effectively within a team and take the lead on stories or projects when required
• Deliver to tight deadlines while maintaining high editorial standards, adapting quickly to changing priorities
• Ensure all output aligns with BBC safety, compliance, and editorial policies

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Fluency in Turkish (written and spoken) at native or equivalent level, with excellent writing skills and fast, accurate typing
• Strong command of English, with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Proven experience in newsgathering, writing, and producing stories on Turkish politics, including original investigations based on rigorous research and interviews
• Demonstrable ability to cover and clearly explain complex judicial and legal matters, including court cases
• Strong editorial judgment and a commitment to accurate, fair, and impartial journalism
• Excellent understanding of digital journalism, including social media production, SEO, and audience engagement strategies
• Experience using analytics and data tools to inform editorial decisions and maximise impact
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, and meet tight deadlines
• Collaborative approach, with the confidence to take initiative and lead on stories when needed

If you can bring some of these skills and experiences, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

#LI-DNI

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

For any general queries, please contact: [email protected]

We are unable to accept applications via CV and only applications made online will be considered. Please click on the APPLY NOW button to proceed with your application.

Information at a Glance

This is your BBC

At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world’s best loved content, and the BBC’s mission to inform, educate and entertain.

Life at BBC

Here you will benefit from:
• Fair pay and flexible benefits specific to your location and contract type.
• Excellent career and professional development.
• Support in your working life.
• A values-based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

You belong

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual’s unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.