Hosted by the Fojo Media Institute
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.
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.
Clichés, journalese, and jargon
Journalists need to recognise and then avoid using journalese, jargon, and clichés. Their writing must be clear, easy to understand, and informative.
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.
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.
Adjectives and adverbs in journalism
When it comes to writing - not just news writing but any kind of writing - adjectives and adverbs have a bad reputation.
Grammar for journalists
Journalists need to observe important grammatical rules when writing news stories and avoid common mistakes that could confuse the audience.
Including the human angle in news
For news organisations to succeed, they must attract and retain audiences. The human touch is vital for building trust and engagement.
Finding and judging news
What is news? Beyond facts, it’s the stories that truly matter to people. Explore why human interest and personal relevance are at the heart of every headline.
Parliamentary reporting for beginners
To cover parliament, a journalist must master local laws, procedure, and political parties, backed by a solid grasp of history.
Tool: MHM Story Builder
The Media Helping Media’s Story Builder is a simple tool created to help those who are new to journalism write informative news articles.
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Content released under Creative Commons
The content on Media Helping Media (MHM) is released via Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0.