Find out how to make the best use of the training material on Media Helping Media.
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
Free Journalism Learning Materials
DOWNLOAD AND ADAPT MORE THAN 140 ASSORTED TRAINING RESOURCES
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.
Journalism’s roles and responsibilities
Journalism demands a diverse skill set across various roles. Explore the different tasks and career paths available to modern journalists in our guide.
How to create a structured news report
This module was written for trainee journalists in Zimbabwe who were keen to learn how to produce in-depth video reports about life in their remote rural communities.
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.
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.
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.
Creating a strong fact-checking system
It’s the job of the journalist to try to find and present the truth, but fact-checking isn't easy. It requires a methodological approach to verification.
Avoiding manipulation
One of the roles of the journalist is to scrutinise the decisions made by politicians and report the implications to the public.
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.
How to investigate corruption safely
Investigating and reporting on corruption involves risk. Here we look at how investigative journalists stay safe when covering stories that are likely to anger those who are determined to keep their secrets hidden.
The investigative journalism dossier
Discipline, order and a well thought out plan are essential for successful investigative journalism.
Why would anyone want to talk to a journalist?
An investigative journalist has to encourage people to share information that they had previously withheld.
When a ‘big story’ breaks
Big stories happen out of the blue. And when they do newsrooms have to spring into action immediately.
Hiring and developing staff
Hiring the right journalists is one of the most critical decisions senior newsroom managers make. The following guide is designed to help editors choose the right candidates.
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.
Adapting to changing audience behaviour
Media organisations need to ensure that the content they produce is available on every device the audience turns to for information.
Convergence: transforming news production
Introducing a converged news operation is rarely easy. Those trying to introduce changes in workflows, roles and responsibilities are often met with resistance.
Female representation in news leadership and coverage
Is your news organisation and its output male dominated? Are women fairly represented in newsroom leadership roles and the stories covered?
Doorstepping – scenario
You are a local newspaper reporter sent out to doorstep a bereaved family but you lie to your news editor because you are reluctant to intrude on their grief.
Covering a tragedy – scenario
In this scenario we look at how a journalist should act when they witness a tragedy unfolding and have to decide whether to help, or to stand by and report.
Journalistic ethics – scenario
In this scenario a reporter feels ethically compromised after accepting hospitality from a developer who subsequently pressured them for favourable coverage.
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.
How media assistance could improve
Trainers have as much to learn as they have to give. That’s the message to those offering media assistance in transition and post-conflict countries from some of those on the receiving end.
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: 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.
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.
Tool: Newsroom Convergence Implementation
This newsroom convergence tool helps editors deliver content to multiple platforms from one source, increasing reach and efficiency while reducing costs.
Try our introduction to journalism curriculum then take the MHM news test.
Media Helping Media is proud to be hosted by the Fojo Media Institute.
Check our Facebook page for regular updates from Media Helping Media.
The content on Media Helping Media (MHM) is released via Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0.
Find out