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Preserving the fundamentals of good journalism
Media Helping Media (MHM) works to safeguard the core principles of accurate, impartial, public-service journalism. We offer free training materials in multiple formats designed to be downloaded, adapted, and used worldwide.
Check out more than 250 articles on journalism best practice
Check out more than 140 free training resources
Try our introduction to journalism curriculum then take the MHM news professionalism test.
Find out What editors look for when hiring
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.
Shoe-leather reporting
Despite the influx of digital information, the foundational skills of "shoe-leather reporting", involving direct contact, investigation, and verification, remain essential for journalists in the modern newsroom.
How to spot a news story
What are the telltale signs that help journalists distinguish fact from fiction, and how do they know when they have uncovered an important news story?
Photojournalism and ethics
The following are commonly accepted ethical guidelines for photojournalists adopted by most mainstream media.
Why editorial ethics are important
The Media Helping Media ethics section is designed to help journalists navigate some of the challenges they might face as they go about their work.
Impartiality in journalism
For journalists, being impartial means presenting information without demonstrating favouritism towards any specific viewpoint or party.
Causes of climate change
Journalists need to be aware of the danger of providing false equivalence and false balance when covering news stories - particularly regarding the subject of climate change.
Journalism, trauma and stress
Journalists often witness challenging and traumatic events which can have a profound impact on the individual, their reporting, the victims, and the audience. We look at the help available for dealing with stress and trauma.
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.
Investigating corruption
A journalist investigating corruption faces many risks and challenges. Investigative journalist Don Ray shares his experience.
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.
Why would anyone want to talk to a journalist?
An investigative journalist has to encourage people to share information that they had previously withheld.
Creating a vibrant newsroom culture
The output of a news organisation is determined by how well the newsroom is run. A well-managed newsroom is more likely to produce compelling and engaging content focused on audience need.
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.
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.
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.
Establishing a market differential
This article sets out the process for producing original, in-depth, issue-led journalism designed to inform the public debate.
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.
Informed consent – scenario
In this scenario a reporter covering a disaster finds a grief-stricken woman who he films in order to feature in his report before discovering the truth about the tragedy behind her emotions.
Editorial impartiality – scenario
In this scenario a reporter covering a story about medical malpractice in a hospital discovers that the consultant involved is a relative. What should they do?
Emotional pressure – scenario
How should a reporter respond when someone uses emotional pressure and threats to try to stop them doing their job?
Designing a media training plan
A well-designed media training plan could make the difference between the success and the failure of a media business.
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.
International media training
Those invited to help the media overseas need to ensure that the training they offer is continually refreshed in order to stay relevant and useful.
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: News story checklist
The follow is a structured checklist tool for journalists to consider in order to ensure they produce strong news stories.
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.
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The content on Media Helping Media (MHM) is released via Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0.