Advanced journalism

Our advanced section explores specialised topics for experienced journalists seeking to deepen their expertise. Develop your skills in data journalism, multimedia storytelling, investigative techniques, and complex narrative structures that elevate reporting to the next level. All our material is free to download, adapt and use. Scroll down our site map for all the content in this and other sections.

Slide by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Planning effective election coverage

Planning is essential for journalists to produce effective election coverage.
Image by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Running an effective news meeting

Here we offer 50 suggestions for helping editors run stimulating news meetings that guarantee a steady stream of original stories.
Image of a news editor working through press releases with a reporter looking on. Created by Gemini AI for Media Helping Media

How to deal with press releases

Press releases often reflect someone else’s agenda. Discover how to analyse, verify, and transform them into strong, independent journalism.
Photo by Elijah O'Donnell on Unsplash

Fake news and trust chains

"Fake news" encompasses two distinct concepts: fabricated stories masquerading as truth and the dismissal of legitimate news as false.
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Dealing with algorithmic bias in news

Journalists need to be trained in how to recognise and deal with algorithm bias in order to counter the speed and scale at which biased content spreads.
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False equivalence and false balance

Journalists can sometimes present an inaccurate or false version of events by trying too hard to 'balance' a story or incorrectly treating elements of a story as being roughly equal.
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When interviewees dodge your questions

Question avoidance is something every journalist faces. Here we look at common tactics, what they mean, and how to handle them.
The author interviewing an elderly Bhutanese refugee mother in a refugee camp in Jhapa, Nepal, in 2009

How to interview trauma survivors

Interviewing trauma survivors is a core journalism skill. Learn how to talk to someone who has endured personal loss, suffered conflict, displacement, or abuse.
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How to handle a media-trained interviewee

How do you interview someone who has been trained to avoid your questions? You have to recognise the techniques, stay calm, and keep digging for facts.
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Causes of climate change

Journalists must avoid providing false equivalence and false balance when covering news stories – particularly climate change.
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Spotting errors in your own writing

Spotting mistakes after hitting publish is a journalist's nightmare. Here, veteran journalists share tips for catching errors when writing news stories.
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The use of idioms in journalism

Journalists producing serious news coverage must always write in a way that is clear, accurate, free from jargon.

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