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.

Journalists Bakhita Aluel (seated) and Vivian Nandege at Radio Easter in Yei in South Sudan - image by Jaldeep Katwala

Making documentaries for radio

Documentaries are in-depth stories told in a more interesting way. A great documentary engages listeners and puts them at the heart of the storytelling.
Image of a confidential document changing hands - created using Imagen 3 by David Brewer of MHM

Handling story leaks and tip-offs

A critical factor for journalists when handling and disseminating leaked material is the need to take account of the motives of the leaker.
Image of a journalist analysing data created with Gemini Imagen 3 AI by Media Helping Media

What is data journalism?

Data journalism, also known as data-driven journalism, is the process of finding, understanding, and processing information in order to produce news stories.
An image of a news meeting created using Microsoft's AI Image Designer

Hey AI, what are the top stories of the day?

Have you ever chaired a news meeting surrounded by blank faces with no story ideas? Well, with AI that experience could be a thing of the past.
Image of scales from Wellcome Trust released under Creative Commons

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

Setting online news priorities

Modern news sites act as converged content factories, delivering information across all user devices through a streamlined, multi-platform digital newsroom.
Image to illustrate specialist reporting created with Google Gemini

Specialisms in journalism

Specialist reporting means going beyond general news coverage in order to develop deep expertise, insight and trust in a particular subject area. 
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.
An image of a fact-checking unit created using Microsoft's AI Image Designer

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.
Image of a media lawyer - created using Imagen 3 by David Brewer of MHM

The role of the media lawyer

Many news stories involve straightforward reporting on events, but some more complex stories might require legal advice before they are published.
Slide by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.

The importance of keeping records

Journalists who want to inform the audience need to keep records so that they can add context to breaking news stories without having to rely on others for background information
Image by Bram Cymet released via Creative Commons CC BY-NC 2.0

Tips for motivating journalists

Daily news meetings should be inclusive and agenda-setting. Editors must foster a culture of original ideas and risk-taking to keep staff motivated and alert.

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Content released under Creative Commons

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