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.


Essential Journalism Values

CHECK OUT MORE THAN 250 ARTICLES ON JOURNALISM BEST PRACTICE

Accuracy

Why accuracy is essential

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

Impartiality

Why impartiality matters

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 Journalism Learning Materials

DOWNLOAD AND ADAPT MORE THAN 140 ASSORTED TRAINING RESOURCES

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 training sessions on essential journalism skills.

Lessons

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

How-To Guides

Our short how-to guides are designed to be checklists based on some of our more comprehensive training articles

Modules

Our free six-week course modules deliver structured training programmes on major journalism themes.

Refreshers

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


Basic Journalism

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR BASICS SECTION

Creating TV and radio packages

Discover how to create concise, compelling TV and radio packages that capture audience attention and deliver key information effectively.

The power of quotes in journalism

Quotes can define an era, a person, or a story. Used thoughtfully, they transform reporting from factual to memorable, from clear to compelling.

How news value is assessed

The job of the journalist is to sort through daily events and package them into stories in order to inform the public.

Editorial Ethics

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR ETHICS SECTION

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.

Respecting privacy as a journalist

Journalists face a difficult balancing act. They must respect privacy, but they must also investigate issues that are in the public interest.

Conflicts of interest

In journalism, public trust is essential for credibility. One of the most significant threats to that trust are the many possible conflicts of interest that might confront journalists.

Advanced Journalism

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR ADVANCED SECTION

Planning a radio current affairs programme

Explore the difference between radio news and daily current affairs programmes, and learn how they work together to keep audiences fully informed.

Brand values in news

All news organisations have values. They are the biggest part of the organisation’s brand. Journalists need to uphold these brand values at all times.

How to motivate journalists

Your daily news meeting should set the tone for everything your news organisation does. It should be dynamic, brimming with original ideas and angles, inclusive and agenda-setting.

Investigative Journalism

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR INVESTIGATIVE SECTION

Tool: Motive, veracity, and security (MVS) matrix

This free Media Helping Media matrix is designed to help journalists assess the risks and benefits of investigating a tip-off or a leak.

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.

Management

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR MANAGEMENT SECTION

Tool: The Content Value Matrix

In this article we look at the 'content value matrix, a tool designed to help media managers prioritise effort and resources on the stories that really matter to the target audience.

The role of the news producer

The news producer has an essential role to play in any news organisation. Their job is to ensure that the material that is published is of the highest quality.

Building a news team from scratch

Selecting, training and organising a strong news team is a challenge in any circumstances, but doing so in a refugee camp with no resources is an amazing achievement. One editor explains how it was done.

Newsroom Strategy

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR STRATEGY SECTION

Setting up a media business

A media business is like a table with four legs - the target audience, the editorial proposition, values, and the market.

Developing a media sales strategy

Sales is one of the most important elements of a media company's commercial strategy. The sustainability of the business relies on its ability to generate income.

Audience research and segmentation

In a rapidly shifting media landscape, where consumers have more choice than ever, a deep understanding of the audience has become essential for all media companies.

Ethical Scenarios

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR SCENARIOS SECTION

Interviewing integrity – scenario

In this scenario, an award-winning journalist is offered a top job at national TV station, but soon after starting her new job she discovers corruption in the media house.

Legal threats – scenario

In this scenario a local newspaper reporter faces legal threats for a factual planning application report that lacked the applicant's demanded "positive spin."

Emotional assumptions – scenario

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

Training of Trainers - ToT

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR TRAINING OF TRAINERS SECTION

Tool: Optimism index for media trainers

The 'Optimism Index' is a tool designed for trainers of group journalism sessions to gauge and ultimately improve the participants' hope for the future.

Tool : Training timetable planner

This sample training timetable helps trainers download and adapt MHM lesson outlines for their own specific needs. Ideal for customising your teaching plans.

Tool: SMART objectives for media training

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

Training Tools

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR TRAINING TOOLS SECTION

Tool: News Meeting Manager

This tool is designed to help editors prepare for and run an effective news meeting that results in the production of original and informative journalism.

Tool: Motive, veracity, and security (MVS) matrix

This free Media Helping Media matrix is designed to help journalists assess the risks and benefits of investigating a tip-off or a leak.

Tool: MHM Story Builder

The Media Helping Media’s Story Builder is a simple tool created to help those who are new to journalism write informative news articles.

Radio production training in Jaffna, Sri LankaCheck out our short guide setting out how to make the best use of the free training resources on Media Helping Media.

Journalism training in KampalaMedia Helping Media has no political or financial backers – it’s just professional journalists sharing their knowlege. Find out more.

Fojo logoMedia Helping Media is proud to be hosted by the Fojo Media Institute.

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Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0The content on Media Helping Media (MHM) is released via Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0.