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.

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.
Journalists James Innocent Ali (background) and Bakhita Aluel recording links at Radio Easter in South Sudan.

Editing audio for radio news

We edit audio when airtime is limited. Always consult your editor or producer on the required duration before starting any edits to ensure the item fits.
Image by Scale Free Metwork released via Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

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.
Image of journalists looking at a computer screen created with Gemini Imagen 3 AI by Media Helping Media

Good journalism has always been about data

We are all data journalists, even those who may have never heard of the term before. Data journalism has been around for years, it's just more accessible and useful now.
The author, Ruhina Ferdous, working with journalism students at Dhaka University

The sub-editor: roles, skills, and responsibilities

What does a sub-editor do? This guide covers the core skills, key responsibilities, and modern demands of sub-editing across print and digital newsrooms.
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.
Fact checking graphic produced using Google Gemini

Beyond basic fact-checking

Fact-checking is a complex, evidence-based process which goes beyond simple verification, demanding critical thinking and contextual analysis.
Image by Kelly Static released via Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0

Investigating election irregularities

What should journalists look out for when covering elections? We look at five areas.
Image of a journalist covering a health beat/round - created using Imagen 3 by David Brewer of MHM

Health reporting for beginners

Most journalists are generalists, who can cover any kind of story.  But there is also a place for specialists, providing expertise on particular subjects. 
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 of a storm in a teacup - created using Imagen 3 by David Brewer of MHM

The use of idioms in journalism

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

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