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

How to produce a radio news bulletin

Putting together a radio news bulletin is like preparing a satisfying meal that leaves your audience nourished and prepared for the day

Including the human angle in journalism

For news organisations to succeed, they must attract and retain audiences. The human touch is vital for building trust and engagement.

Court reporting for beginners

Reporting on court hearings requires an understanding of local laws and knowing what can be reported and what can‘t.

Editorial Ethics

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR ETHICS SECTION

Unconscious bias and journalism

Bias is a prejudice for or against a group, often leading to unfair judgements. While it's a normal human trait, understanding our biases is vital for fairness.

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.

Photojournalism and ethics

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

Advanced Journalism

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR ADVANCED SECTION

Using AI as a newsroom tool

Discover the pros and cons of AI in news production. We interview Google Gemini to explore how artificial intelligence views its growing role in journalism.

Forms of information disorder

With the spread of fake news, journalists need to recognise and understand the different categories, types, elements, and phases of information disorder.

Investigating election irregularities

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

Investigative Journalism

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR INVESTIGATIVE SECTION

Investigating corruption

A journalist investigating corruption faces many risks and challenges. Investigative journalist Don Ray shares his experience.

AI and investigative journalism

The landscape of investigative journalism is undergoing a significant transformation, with artificial intelligence (AI) emerging as a powerful ally for reporters.

The investigative journalism dossier

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

Management

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR MANAGEMENT SECTION

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.

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.

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.

Strategy

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR STRATEGY SECTION

Privacy protection – scenario

You are working on the online news desk of a large media organisation. News breaks of fighting overseas. Raw footage arrives showing identifiable dead bodies. What do you do?

Photo journalism – scenario

In this scenario a reporter tells the newsdesk that she has a strong news story only to find that the facts were not as they seemed.

Public interest – scenario

This scenario looks at some of the issues that need to be considered when deciding whether a story is in the public interest.

Training of Trainers - ToT

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR TRAINING OF TRAINERS SECTION

Basic rules for delivering training

One of the first steps in delivering training is to articulate the ground rules. Participants need to know what to expect and what is expected of them

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.

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.

Training Tools

SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM - OUR TRAINING TOOLS SECTION

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.

Tool: Training of Trainers (ToT)

Training of Trainers (ToT) courses are designed to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to train others.

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.

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 test.

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