Programme Researcher Duties & Responsibilities
The role and function of a Programme Researcher includes the following duties and responsibilities:
- Conveying findings accurately to others in report form and ‘briefs’;
- Sourcing and researching facts, figures and information using the internet, film and tape archives, specialist collections, picture libraries, museums and government departments;
- Meeting with producers, directors, designers, presenters and writers to discuss the research needs of a programme;
- Providing administrative support such as typing, answering the phone and dealing with contracts;
- Briefing scriptwriters and presenters on topics, updating scripts and editing news reports;
- Sourcing copyright for literary and music sources and gaining clearance for any materials used;
- Finding interviewees to conduct initial interviews with and getting vox pop responses to current events from members of the public;
- Directing a small shoot and carrying out straightforward editing.
- Generating and developing new programme ideas;
- Assessing contributors’ suitability for the programme, researching and booking appropriate people and locations;
- Booking resources and facilities;
- Recruiting freelance staff and negotiating fees;
- Negotiating broadcasting rights and producing information and fact sheets for websites;
- Providing research to production staff in a clear, concise format and tracking down film, archive and video tapes;
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Programme Researcher duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Programme Researcher roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.
