Basic journalism
What editors look for when hiring
What's the best preparation for a career in journalism? Media Helping Media asked some experts in the field what they look for when hiring staff.
What is takes to be a journalist
Journalists should be accurate, first with news, trusted, easy to understand, straight, aware, disciplined and realistic.
Preparing for an interview
A journalist needs to be well-prepared when planning an interview. However, after all your research, try to keep the interview to three questions in order to avoid over-complication and confusion.
Interviewing for video journalists
Tips about the steps a video journalist can take to enhance the quality of filmed interviews.
Using the right words
Words are the essential tools of journalism. They convey meaning and help the audience understand the issues we are covering. So they need to be used properly.
Facts, context, and perspectives
The primary role of a journalist in covering a news story is to uncover verifiable facts, provide context and present the information to the audience.
Developing news sense
How do we know what is “news”? There are millions of things going on in the world all the time and only some of them become news stories.
Words that are frequently misused
It's essential for journalists to maintain precision in their use of language, especially when dealing with words that sound or look similar but which carry different meanings.
Interviewing ‘off the record’
Journalists’ sources sometimes agree to talk only off the record. Here we examine what that means and how to handle it when sources place...
The active and passive voices in news
Make your news writing more interesting by using the “active voice”. Bob Eggington explains this simple and effective technique.
Editorialising is not for news
The free training materials on Media Helping Media are all aimed at encouraging one particular kind of journalism: accurate, fact-based, impartial news reporting.
Clarity is as important as accuracy
Journalists must write clearly as well as accurately using accessible language that the audience can understand.
Interviewing remotely
Here we explore the key issues journalists face when interviewing sources via electronic media instead of face-to-face and in real time.
Parliamentary reporting for beginners
To cover Parliament, a journalist must master local laws, procedure, and political parties, backed by a solid grasp of history.
The roles of reporters and sub-editors
Streamlined newspaper workflows with minimal editing benefit reporters and sub-editors, ultimately enhancing publication quality.
Attribution and plagiarism
Producing a piece of original journalism involves uncovering facts that, had it not been for you, would have remained hidden.
The evolution of an original news story
Original journalism starts with a question. Our investigations transform enquiries into vital news stories with far-reaching consequences.
Letting the pictures tell the story
Here we explore the importance of visual storytelling in TV and video journalism, showing you how to let the pictures tell the story.
Introduction to interviewing
The interview is one of the basic tools of journalism. You cannot be a good journalist without being a good interviewer and a careful listener.
News sources and the ‘so what’ factor
Every news story needs at least one reliable source that is able to share information that helps the journalist get to the facts.
Court reporting for beginners
Reporting on court hearings requires an understanding of local laws and knowing what can be reported and what can‘t.
Writing a radio news script
Radio journalists must write clear scripts that weave together compelling audio clips, ensuring listeners understand a news story's significance.
Tool: News story checklist
The follow is a structured checklist tool for journalists to consider in order to ensure they produce strong news stories.