Journalism Basics

Our basics section provides foundational knowledge for journalists starting their careers and for those wanting to refresh their skills. Learn techniques including news writing, interviewing, story structure, and reporting practices that form the bedrock of quality journalism. All our material is free to download, adapt and use.

Language & Style - a MHM article graphic

Language and style

Learn how to write clear, impactful sentences for better understanding and discover why choosing the right language is essential for your readers.
TV newsroom in Bangladesh - image by Media Helping Media

Constructing a TV news package

Learn how to construct a TV news package, from research and filming to editing and scripting, with this step-by-step guide for new journalists.
In journalism, good writing is plain writing - graphic for MHM training resource

In journalism, good writing is plain writing

The purpose of news writing is to convey meaning clearly and effortlessly by using precise, comprehensible, and easily digestible words.
Radio training workshop in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Image by David Brewer

Issue-led journalism explained

Issue-led journalism reports on a public concern, using facts and context to show why it matters and how it affects people.
Image by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Unlock your journalistic potential

The following is a collection of tips for journalists starting off in the job. It's been compiled from advice shared by senior journalists around the world.
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Court reporting for beginners

Learn essential court reporting tips for beginners, covering legal constraints, accuracy, and how to report trial verdicts fairly and professionally.
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Fact-checking and adding context

Journalism is about far more than gathering information then passing it on. An essential part is to examine everything we discover to make sure it's factual.
Image of woman interviewing a man courtesy of Pexels and released via Creative Commons - image from cottonbro

Developing and handling news sources

News sources are vital for journalists to find essential stories. Without reliable information, reporters would be left staring at a blank page.
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Developing important news angles

Seeking out new angles on a breaking, developing or running news story is an important part of the editorial process.

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.
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Shoe-leather reporting

Digital noise is everywhere, but shoe-leather reporting - getting out and talking to people - remains a foundational skill for the modern journalist.
Image by PDPics from Pixabay

Grammar for journalists

Journalists need to observe important grammatical rules when writing news stories and avoid common mistakes that could confuse the audience.

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