Media Helping Media is proud to be hosted by the Fojo Media Institute.
Media Helping Media (MHM)
Preserving and promoting the core principles of accurate, impartial, public-service journalism by offering free training materials in multiple formats to be downloaded, adapted, and used.
Free Journalism Learning Materials
DOWNLOAD AND ADAPT MORE THAN 150 ASSORTED TRAINING RESOURCESConstructing a news package for radio
This is a short training module setting out the basics for creating a news package for radio. It's been created for those starting out in radio journalism.
News writing for beginners
A journalist writing a news story is the author, organiser and decision maker. Without them the story may never be told.
SIFT for fact-checking
Journalists who are committed to fact-checking, as we should all be, have several methods available to help them deal with fake news.
Accuracy in journalism
Precision is the soul of journalism. Rule one is simple: get it right. If you can't respect the absolute need for accuracy, this isn't the career for you.
Offence and journalism
Rigorous journalism inevitably offends some audiences. Global broadcasters must cover all aspects of human experience to reflect world affairs accurately.
Is your journalism ethical?
Reliable journalism is based on applying strict editorial ethics to all we do so that we can examine the issues that have the most impact on the lives of our audience.
What is data journalism?
Data journalism, also known as data-driven journalism, is the process of finding, understanding, and processing information in order to produce news stories.
The essential role of journalism
Journalism isn’t just reporting, it’s witnessing history, challenging power, amplifying unheard voices, and making sense of a chaotic world.
Running an effective news meeting
Here we offer 50 suggestions for helping editors run stimulating news meetings that guarantee a steady stream of original stories.
Staying safe when investigating corruption
Investigative journalists face risks when reporting on corruption. Discover essential safety strategies for covering stories that expose well-hidden secrets.
Why would anyone want to talk to a journalist?
An investigative journalist has to encourage people to share information that they had previously withheld.
Adopting the ‘big story’ approach
Professional news relies on meticulous planning and coverage. Yet, some stories remain unpredictable. Explore the balance between preparation and the unexpected.
Social media in news production
Social media has fundamentally disrupted the media landscape, forcing traditional outlets to confront their operational models and redefine their role in a rapidly evolving information ecosystem.
Story development techniques
Journalists need to look for related stories, angles, or missing pieces of a story in order to help the audience understand the importance of the issue being covered.
Creating a converged newsroom
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.
Funding the news – a guide to sustainability
Sustainable business models for media managers launching outlets in tough economic climates. Explore resilient strategies for long-term growth and stability.
Female representation in news leadership and coverage
Is your news organisation and its output male dominated? Are women fairly represented in newsroom leadership roles and the stories covered?
Informed consent – scenario
In this scenario a reporter covering a disaster films a grief-stricken woman before discovering the facts about the ordeal she has witnessed.
Emotional assumptions – scenario
In this scenario a journalist lets their own emotional assumptions colour their news judgement resulting in misinformation.
Scenario: Conflict of interests
In this scenario you are a political correspondent working for a national public service broadcaster. A lobbying company offers you a significant amount of money to train lobbyists in how to influence the media. What do you do?
What it takes to be a media trainer
Media trainers must have recent, valid experience of all they teach. They will not earn the respect of course participants if they can't relate to the issues they face.
The qualities required 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.
The MHM public service journalism curriculum
The following curriculum is designed for journalists who want to improve their skills, and for journalism trainers to adapt and use.
Tool: Delivering trauma training
Discussing trauma can trigger emotional responses in participants, so it is vital to lead training sessions with a mix of professional advice and empathy.
Tool: Gap analysis in media training
'Gap analysis' is an essential part of any 'training of trainers' (ToT) programme because it helps identify the specific needs of participants.
Tool: The MHM newsroom staffing rota
Every news operations needs a staffing rota that provides excellent coverage during operational hours, makes maximum use of resources, and offers significant benefits for staff.
Check our Facebook page for regular updates from Media Helping Media.
The content on Media Helping Media (MHM) is released via Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0.