From our BASIC JOURNALISM section
Language and style – words
In this module on language and style from The News Manual, we look at the words you use to tell your story. We see how important spelling is and how to avoid causing confusion with the words you choose.
What to avoid when reporting conflict
Reporting about conflict and working in a conflict zone is complex. The journalist needs to be sensitive, have an understanding of history, be aware of cultural issues, and put people before the story.
Journalists and bloggers – stop stealing pictures
Copying images from the web and using them to illustrate news articles without permission is a global problem. Some think it's okay to use images without permission; it isn't and there's a better way.
From citizen reporting to citizen journalism
The beauty of citizen reporting is that it can be fast and fresh, down-to-earth and uncomplicated, and, sometimes, reach areas not always covered by mainstream media.
Parliamentary reporting tips for beginners
To cover parliament, a journalist needs to know local laws, understand parliamentary procedure, know about the politicians and the political parties involved, and have a solid knowledge of history.
Tips for journalists attending job interviews
An interview for a job in the media is often the culmination of weeks of hard work searching for opportunities, filling out application forms and waiting. So it's important to make the best impression on the day.
From our EDITORIAL ETHICS section
Impartiality in journalism
Being impartial means not being prejudiced towards or against any particular side. All journalists have their own views, however they must learn to leave aside their own personal perspectives.
Fairness in journalism
Fairness in journalism means exploring all sides of an issue and reporting the findings accurately. Members of the public should never be used to exaggerate the importance of a story.
Why editorial ethics are important
The Media Helping Media ethics section is designed to help journalists understand and navigate some of the challenges they are likely to face as they go about their work.
Respecting privacy as a journalist
Journalists face a difficult balancing act. They must respect privacy, but they must also be rigorous and robust in their investigation into issues that are in the public interest.
Unconscious bias and its impact on journalism
Journalists must not allow their own personal or political views to influence their pursuit of the truth. They need to remain objective and impartial, while also being aware of the dangers that unconscious biases can cause.
Offence and journalism
Journalists must ensure that the material they use in coverage has a clear editorial purpose. Where that material is likely to offend, there need to be clear warnings of what is coming up.
From our ADVANCED JOURNALISM section
Confronting editorial bias in election coverage
Allegations of bias in the news media happen all the time, but they are most evident at election time. When deadlines are tight and pressures are greatest, the weighing of these factors may be less thorough.
How to run an effective news meeting
Have you ever attended a dull news meeting where people are slouched on chairs, lacking ideas and unresponsive when called on? Here are some ideas for ensuring that doesn't happen.
Updating an online news item
The site was asked by the editor of a newspaper in Zimbabwe to set out how an interactive news story should develop online and what elements should be added and when.
Information disorder – the essential glossary
For the policy-makers, technology companies, politicians, journalists, librarians, educators, academics, and civil society organisations all facing the challenges of information disorder, agreeing to a shared vocabulary is essential.
Planning tips for effective election coverage
Planning is essential for effective election coverage. This following is a checklist by editors or election coverage teams. It gives also some guidance on special editorial approaches to the campaign.
Snacking on rumour, feeding on facts
The good news for mainstream media is that the social networking audience still wants facts, but those producing the facts need to rethink how they create and disseminate those facts.
Media Helping Media Facebook Page
Media Helping Media offers free training resources covering basic, advanced and investigative journalism, editorial ethics, media management and strategy, and staff training. We also have scenarios to test journalistic instincts. The site is supported by Fojo Media Institute.
Avoiding the pitfalls of investigative journalism
Producing a piece of investigative journalism to international standards can be a daunting prospect. This guide is to help journalists avoid some of the pitfalls and problems often encountered.
Why would anyone want to talk to a journalist?
There may be many reasons why someone will agree to open up to a reporter, and some will be beyond their control. It's worth taking time to try to figure out the motives before interviewing them.
The mindset for investigative journalism
The investigative mindset is responsible for solving more information mysteries than probably any other factor. If you haven’t started writing down your best strategies now might be the time to start.
Social media in news production and news dissemination
Social media is an increasingly disruptive force on the media landscape. It challenges traditional, mainstream media to reconsider how they operate.
Creating a journalism content weighting system
Introducing a story weighting system helps prioritises effort on the stories that are of most value to the target audience, it saves time, speeds up production, and helps avoid wasted effort.
Proactive journalism, ensuring issues are fully explored
Informing the public debate
Sometimes journalists become lazy. When this happens, the news they produce becomes superficial and shallow. They take information at face value....
Preparing and introducing a media corporate plan
The corporate plan is the most important tool in a media chief executive’s toolbox. Without it the media organisation can become lost and directionless.
The uneasy but essential evolution of news
The audience, empowered with tools to choose, create, enrich and share, is the new superuser offering alternative sources and channels of information to those of mainstream providers.
Creating a converged news operation
A converged news operation offers improved quality control, more efficient workflows, cost savings, a steady flow of original journalism across all devices, and new resulting business opportunities.
Privacy protection – scenario
You are working on the online news desk of a large media organisation. News breaks of fighting overseas. Raw footage arrives showing identifiable dead bodies. What do you do?
Returning ‘favours’ – scenario
In this scenario you are a parliamentary reporter being put under pressure to cover a story by a politician who says they did you a favour in the past.
Journalistic ethics – scenario
Try our journalistic ethics scenario and see what you would do if an earlier laps in editorial led to you feeling unable to cover a news story because of external pressures.
How to design a successful media training plan
A well-designed media training plan could make the difference between the success and the failure of a media business. Get it wrong and you could be adding to the problems you were asked to address.
Adopting the right attitude for media training
A trainer must not shout at participants or get into loud arguments. They must not make those attending their courses feel small or humiliate them. Some fairly strong points made by participants.
How media assistance could improve
Trainers have as much to learn as they have to give. That’s the message to those offering media assistance in transition and post-conflict countries from some of those on the receiving end.