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Media Helping Media is hosted by the Fojo Media Institute at Linnaeus University.
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.
Creating a structured news report
Writing news without a plan is like building a kit without instructions. Use a structured story plan to order facts logically and engage your readers.
Pitching a news story to an editor
Every great piece of journalism starts with a pitch — and how you pitch can make the difference between being published or being rejected.
Why some news stories are rejected
There will be times when a news story is withheld from publication, we look at why, what changes might be needed, and how to make sure a story is ethical and legally safe.
Tool: News story checklist
The follow is a structured checklist tool for journalists to consider in order to ensure they produce strong news stories.
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.
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.
Producing a radio news bulletin
Crafting a radio bulletin is like serving a balanced meal: it must be nourishing, digestible, and leave your audience perfectly prepared for the day ahead.
Using the right words in journalism
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.
Parliamentary reporting for beginners
To cover parliament, a journalist must master local laws, procedure, and political parties, backed by a solid grasp of history.
Covering a news event
Check our news event coverage guide with tips on preparation, on-site reporting, ethical interviews, and capturing compelling photos and video.
Developing a 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.
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The content on Media Helping Media (MHM) is released via Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0.