What editors look for when hiring journalists

What's the best preparation for a career in journalism? Media Helping Media asked some experts in the field what they look for when hiring staff.

How to create a broadcast news package

Structure, timing, and letting the interview breathe are all essential elements for ensuring a TV or radio news package explores multiple elements of the story through interviewing different people.

Integrity and journalism

Without integrity your journalism is untrustworthy and suspect. Integrity is essential if a journalist wants to investigate issues, shine a light in dark places, and to dig where others don't.

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.

Media guide for spotting election irregularities

In its Election Reporting Handbook for journalists the International Federation for Journalists (IFJ) sets out a list of what journalists should look out for when covering elections.

Managing a news website’s front page

The person in charge of a news website is like a shopkeeper who sets out their stall. If the items are badly displayed the customer might miss them, if they are not fresh people won't buy them.

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Journalism training in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Photograph by David Brewer of Media Helping MediaIf you have any journalism training wisdom you would like to share please get in touch.

Journalism training at Hurriyat Sudan.Media Helping Media provides free journalism and media management training resources.

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Compiling an investigative journalism dossier

Discipline, order and a well thought out plan are essential for successful investigative journalism. It starts with the compilation of a solid dossier built with meticulous precision and executed with an attention to detail.

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.

20 ways a suspect can help a journalist

Sources are one of the most valuable resources for a journalist. Without sourced information, the reports produced may end up being padded with rumour and personal opinion.

Adopting the ‘big story’ approach

Planning is critically important in the news business. It’s the mark of professionalism and the essence of good coverage. But there are some things you can’t plan.Big stories happen out of the blue. And when they happen you have to spring into action immediately.

Story development, ensuring all angles are covered

Asking the questions that need to be asked In a previous module we looked at the topic of proactive journalism, where journalists are encouraged to...

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....

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.

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.

Sustainable journalism in practice

Sustainable journalism in practice - how it affects newsrooms in terms of values, challenges, transparency and production.

Interviewing integrity – scenario

An editorial integrity scenario where a journalist on a large salary faces the dilemma of whether to compromise their editorial integrity, become a whistleblower, or resign. What would you do?

Transparency and full disclosure – scenario

Try our editorial scenario in which a radio reporter hears supposedly conflicting information during an organised media trip, and has to decide which material best represents the facts for their news broadcast.

Withholding information – scenario

You are about to publish an article about a local business which is offering a service for a paid-for subscription. Before you publish you are informed that a similar service is being offered by a community project which is totally free-of-charge. What do you do?

Maximising the impact of media training

Thorough research is the essential if you are to deliver high-impact media training. Never accept a brief from media managers without question - they could be wrong and often are.

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.

The essential qualities of a media trainer

What it takes to be a media trainer Media trainers must have recent, valid experience of all they teach. They need to understand the pressures...