Basic journalism

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. Scroll down our site map for all the content in this and other sections.

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Attribution and plagiarism

Producing a piece of original journalism involves uncovering facts that, had it not been for you, would have remained hidden.
Journalism Roles - reporters and sub-editors. A MHM graphic

The roles of reporters and sub-editors

The professional working relationship between news reporters and sub-editors is a crucial factor for ensuring quality control and the speed of production.
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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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Interviewing for video journalists

Tips about the steps a video journalist can take to enhance the quality of filmed interviews.

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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What editors look for when hiring

What's the best preparation for a career in journalism? Media Helping Media asked some experts in the field what they look for when hiring staff.
Image to illustrate covering and event - created using Imagen 3 by David Brewer of MHM

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.
Story Rejection - a MHM graphic

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.
Image of a journalist researching created using Imagen 3 - created by David Brewer of MHM

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.
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Tool: News story checklist

The follow is a structured checklist tool for journalists to consider in order to ensure they produce strong news stories.
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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.
Radio production training in Jaffna, Sri Lanka by David Brewer shared via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Creating broadcast news packages

Discover how to create concise, compelling TV and radio packages that capture audience attention and deliver key information effectively.
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