Basics

For those starting off in a career in journalism, including what makes news, how to write a story, interviewing tips, and fact-checking.

Letting the pictures tell the story

Basics

How to succeed as a journalist

Basics

Frequently confused words

Grammar for journalists

Interviewing for video journalists

News sources and the ‘so what’ factor

The qualities of a journalist

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.

How to spot a news story

What are the telltale signs that help journalists distinguish fact from fiction, and how do they know when they have uncovered an important news story?

SIFT for fact-checking

Journalists who are committed to fact-checking, as we should all be, have several methods available to help them deal with fake news.

How news value is assessed

The job of the journalist is to sort through daily events and package them into stories in order to inform the public.

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.

Citizen reporting to citizen journalism

This article was written for a group of young citizen reporters from remote rural communities in Zimbabwe who were learning how to become journalists.

Introduction to interviews

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.

Facts, context, perspectives, and the truth

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.