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.
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.
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 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
Image of robot and smartphone by Matt Brown (https://www.flickr.com/photos/londonmatt/) released via Creative Commons BY DEED 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.)

Detecting AI-generated images

How can journalists identifying fake photographs with so many dramatic images being shared at speed on social media.
Propaganda graphic produced by Google Gemini AI

Journalism and propaganda

Journalists must recognise propaganda to avoid spin and deliver factual news. Ensuring the public is properly informed is essential for credible journalism.
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 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.
Slide by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Handling breaking news

Journalists need to have a system in place for covering a breaking news story in order to know who does what and when.
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.
Image by mikemacmarketing released via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

Dealing with fake news

Media experts share their advice on how to deal with fake news
Image by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Old news is no news, updates are essential

Journalism involves an ongoing commitment to update and rework the material we are producing to ensure that it remains relevant, reflects latest developments, and continues to inform.

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