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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.
Attribution and plagiarism
Producing a piece of original journalism involves uncovering facts that, had it not been for you, would have remained hidden.
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.
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.
Journalism’s roles and responsibilities
Journalism demands a diverse skill set across various roles. Explore the different tasks and career paths available to modern journalists in our guide.
How to turn editorial feedback into a journalistic win
Learn how freelance journalists can use editorial feedback as a career boost. Master the edit, build trust with editors, and secure more commissions.
For freelance...
The inverted pyramid
The inverted pyramid model puts key news first, followed by supporting details, with the least important background information at the base of the article.
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.
Developing important news angles
Seeking out new angles on a breaking, developing or running news story is an important part of the editorial process.
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.
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.
Journalism and the public interest
All news stories should, by definition, be interesting. They should immediately capture the attention and make the audience want to know more.
Citizen reporting to citizen journalism
How young citizen reporters in Zimbabwe learnt how to move beyond basic storytelling to produce journalism that truly informs the public debate.
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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.