Preserving the fundamentals of good journalism

Media Helping Media (MHM) works to safeguard the core principles of accurate and impartial public-service journalism. We provide free training resources designed to be downloaded, adapted, and used worldwide.

Accuracy

What do we mean by accuracy?

Accuracy means getting every single detail in your story absolutely correct.

Impartiality

What do we mean by impartiality

Impartiality means leaving your opinions at home when you go work.

Public interest

What is public service journalism?

Public service journalism covers the news society needs to function.

Free resources to meeting multiple training needs

Exercises

Our free one-hour exercises provide practical skill-building activities for self-directed learning.

Workshops

Our two-hour and four-hour workshops offer structured group training sessions on essential journalism skills.

Lessons

Our free day-long classroom lesson outlines are for trainers to download and adapt for local training needs.

Modules

Our free six-week course modules deliver structured training programmes incorporating MHM lessons.

Refreshers

Our free day-long refresher courses are designed to help experienced journalists update their skills .

Tools

Our newsroom and management tools provide practical frameworks and systems for editors and managers.

Radio production training in Jaffna, Sri LankaFind out how to make the best use of the training material on Media Helping Media.

Journalism training in Serbia - image by David BrewerTry our introduction to journalism curriculum then take the MHM news professionalism test.

Constructing a TV news package

This article sets out the basics for creating a news package for TV. It's been created for those starting out in TV journalism.

How to write a radio news script

Radio journalists must write clear scripts that weave together compelling audio clips, ensuring listeners understand a news story's significance.

Words that are frequently misused

It's essential for journalists to maintain precision in their use of language, especially when dealing with words that sound or look similar but which carry different meanings.

Accuracy in journalism

A piece of journalism should have many admirable qualities but one is more important than all the rest: accuracy. Rule Number One is: get it right. If you cannot appreciate and respect that rule, there is no point in going into journalism.

Unconscious bias and journalism

Bias is a prejudice or favour for or against an individual or group. It is often an inaccurate and unfair judgement. We are all biased. It’s normal, although it is not desirable.

Photojournalism and ethics

The following are commonly accepted ethical guidelines for photojournalists adopted by most mainstream media.

Understanding post-truth in journalism

For journalists, post-truth represents a critical challenge to our core mission of informing the public with accurate, verified information. Here we look at how journalists should handle post-truth content.

Computer-assisted reporting (CAR)

Computer-Assisted Reporting (CAR) refers to the use of digital tools such as spreadsheets, databases, and basic statistical analysis to interrogate large datasets.

Investigating election irregularities

What should journalists look out for when covering elections? We look at five areas.

Tips for investigative journalism

This article looks at some of the main points to consider when producing a piece of investigative journalism.

The investigative journalism dossier

Discipline, order and a well thought out plan are essential for successful investigative journalism.

The investigative journalism mindset

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.

Tool: Story Weighting System

Different news stories have a different value for your audience and for your business. Giving news items a 'weighting' can lead to impact and efficiencies.

Diversity in journalism

The importance of diversity in journalism extends beyond representation, it is also about enriching the news coverage produced and ensuring its relevance to a wider audience.

How to be a hands-on editor

A hands-on editor should be visible and positive, lead well-prepared news meetings with strong communication skills, be present when big stories break, praise publicly, correct privately, and trust their staff.

Funding the news – a guide to sustainability

A list of sustainable business models for media managers who are planning to start a media outlet in economically challenging circumstances.

Community radio project plan

Launching a community radio station is a complicated exercise with lots of overlapping elements. The most important thing to do, before you do anything else, is to stop and think.

The project management process

In this example, we were asked at short notice to help produce a televised debate between political candidates before a general election. We had three-and-half weeks to make it happen.

Emotional assumptions – scenario

In this scenario a journalist lets their own emotional assumptions colour their news judgement resulting in misinformation.

Trespass and journalism – scenario

In this scenario we look at a situation where a journalist is faced with breaking the law in order to gather essential information for informing the public debate.

Journalistic integrity – scenario

In this scenario a political correspondent working for a broadcaster is asked to speak at an event organised by a political party - but there is a catch.

Tool: SMART objectives for media training

Those delivering media training need to focus on SMART objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound.

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.

Wanted, your media know-how

Have you got any journalism expertise that you are willing to share with others? If so, please get in touch.

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