In association with Fojo Media Institute, Linnaeus University, Sweden

Advanced

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.
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 to illustrate evidence-based reporting created with Google Gemini

Evidence-based reporting

This guide provides a framework for journalists to compile in-depth reports on any topic by ensuring that all they write is based on verifiable facts.
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. 
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.
Image of a journalist in a refugee camp - created by Microsoft's AI Image Designer

Using AI for story development

How artificial intelligence (AI) can help a journalist brainstorm a story in order to discover multiple news angles
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 of the earth from space created with Gemini Imagen 3 AI by Media Helping Media

Causes of climate change

Journalists must avoid providing false equivalence and false balance when covering news stories – particularly climate change.
Graphic for a Media Helping Media Training Tool

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.
Image to illustrate a MHM training exercise. Image created by Google Gemini

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.
Image by Adam Lisagor released via Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Avoiding bias during election coverage

During elections politicians will often accuse media organisations and their journalists of bias. We look at the challenges of producing fair election coverage.
Image of a journalist reporting on a climate change rally created with Gemini Imagen 3 AI by Media Helping Media

Climate change – language

Climate change is a complex and urgent story, demanding careful consideration of tone and language from the journalists covering the issue.
Image by Ed Yourdon released via Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0.

Examining rumour to find facts

The role of a journalist is to publish facts. To do that they often have to examine rumour and gossip as part of the newsgathering process.
Image of journalist taking notes by Marco Urban released via Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0

Self-censorship in journalism

To combat self-censorship - a major hurdle for robust impartial journalism - journalists must first recognise why it happens and understand its root causes.
Image by Anthony Karanja released via Creative Commons CC BY 2.0

Editorial independence during elections

Election coverage is one of the most critical responsibilities of the media. It shapes public discourse, informs voters, and plays a vital role in safeguarding democracy.