Phone-In Producer (Part-time)

The Role

The Role

The Phone-In Producer (part-time) is responsible for overseeing the daily phone-in segment on "This Morning," ensuring relevant and timely content that reflects viewers' lives, current news stories and trends. They are responsible for suggesting topics, booking experts, as well as briefing callers and on-screen experts.

This role also encompasses managing all phone ins on the programme including conducting background checks, following duty of care protocols and preparing callers for air. The role also involves writing a briefing note about the callers due to appear on air.

The Phone-In Producer (part-time) will select appropriate phone-in callers, exercising strong editorial judgment and duty of care, and maintain a tracking system in collaboration with viewer services. The phone in producer will also be responsible for selecting viewers comments from a range of platforms and sharing them directly with the wider team for presenters to read on air.

Skills you’ll need (minimum criteria)

• Previous experience at Assistant Producer or Producer level in a journalistic environment.
• Previous experience in a live studio environment.
• Working experience and strong understanding of compliance and regulatory requirements. (H&S, Data Protection, OFCOM and ITV Editorial Policy).
• Strong understanding, adherence and demonstrable experience with safeguarding principles, duty of care practices, and handling sensitive information or distressing viewer stories.
• Ideas creation and experience generating a constant stream of ideas.
• Understanding of what makes good TV.
• Must possess a strong understanding of current affairs, topical stories and trends.
• Experience of casting contributors for TV.
• Experience of Duty of Care procedures when dealing with contributors.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Thorough understanding about obtaining clearance, filming permissions, and the requirement for consent releases, compliance, and copyright regulations – including archive, stills, property, and music.
• Proven knowledge of broadcasting compliance, including familiarity with Ofcom regulations and editorial standards in addition to GDPR regulations.

Other things we’re looking for (key criteria)

Creativity

• Demonstrates proven experience in creatively selecting contributors and sensitively extracting their impactful stories for broadcast, exercising sound editorial judgment and duty of care, while adhering to ITV editorial policy.
• Good experience in writing scripts often dealing with sensitive subjects.
• Aptitude to suggest original and engaging story ideas for phone-in segments.
• Experience of delivering accurate presenter briefs.
• Possess a strong creative and editorial judgment for content creation.
• Must be an ideas creator with a flair to spot trends and stories that will talk to our viewers and audiences
• Must have experience of identifying current affairs, news or topical trends that could be developed to work as a This Morning phone in.
• Must have the aptitude to quickly identify appropriate comments made by viewers via social, email and the This Morning app, about on air topics that are suitable for on screen presenters to read live on air.

Communication

• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills ensure clear and effective information delivery, in real time live broadcast situations, with the sensitivity to discuss emotional topics while remaining composed and articulate.
• Effectively communicates important information to a caller and to on screen experts within a short space of time.
• Strong at writing clear and concise briefs.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Experience in communicating clearly, concisely, and confidently across all levels, fostering strong collaboration and alignment within the team, departments and internal stakeholders.
• Has the aptitude to work in a demanding environment while keeping a calm approach and ensuring communication of creative vision is clear.
• Must have accurate spelling and grammar.

Planning & Organising

• Organising on screen experts efficiently for daily shows.
• Responsive thinking with excellent judgmental and decision-making skills.
• Contributes to the editorial and creative vision of the phone in segments for This Morning.
• Maintains composure and effectiveness in a demanding environment while handling sensitive topics with appropriate care and judgment.
• Experience of forward planning and anticipate the need for editorial coverage.
• Must have proven experience of managing time effectively to juggle multiple tasks during TX

Technical Skills & Knowledge

• Proven experience to cast contributors for live TV shows including experience conducting necessary background checks.
• Demonstrates confidence and sensitivity in addressing emotionally charged topics and guiding conversations forward constructively.
• A good knowledge of topical trends, current affairs and news.
• Significant knowledge of compliance, legal regulations, OFCOM regulations and GDPR.
• Knowledge of production processes.
• Working understanding of telephone and video conferencing for remote guests
• Knowledge of new technologies and new ways of working to ensure the team is ahead of the curve and on trend
• Experience in managing and updating online platforms (e.g., website and app helpline pages) to ensure accurate and relevant information is provided to viewers.
• Proven understanding of approved charities, helplines, and relevant support groups to signpost viewers when needed
• Proven capability to track, analyse, and report trends in viewer feedback, helping to improve the viewer experience

Working with Others

• Demonstrates proven collaborative teamwork skills.
• Experience of working closely with production management.
• Demonstrates clear and impactful skill to brief presenters, experts, and callers on requirements and content, fostering positive working relationships.
• Experience in casting and managing contributors, exercising strong editorial judgment and a clear understanding of duty of care protocols when working with individuals on air.
• Contributes to team success through collaborative efforts.