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.

TV newsroom in Bangladesh - image by Media Helping Media

Constructing a TV news package

Learn how to construct a TV news package, from research and filming to editing and scripting, with this step-by-step guide for new journalists.
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Interviewing for video journalists

Tips about the steps a video journalist can take to enhance the quality of filmed interviews.
Image of journalists at a Fojo Media Institute training session

What is 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.
Journalist writing at a typewriter in army fatigues. Image created with Gemini AI

Militaristic words used in journalism

Militaristic words in journalism distort reality and dehumanise people. They're used out of habit rather than a deliberate search for accuracy and clarity.
Image by U.S. Department of Agriculture released via Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0

Interviewing politicians

Master political interviews: learn to navigate scripted lines and handle evasive answers to ensure you uncover the facts the public needs to hear.
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Court reporting for beginners

Learn essential court reporting tips for beginners, covering legal constraints, accuracy, and how to report trial verdicts fairly and professionally.
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Preparing for an interview

A journalist needs to be well-prepared when planning an interview. However, after all your research, try to keep the interview to three questions in order to avoid over-complication and confusion.
Word Power graphic by Media Helping Media released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

The power of words

Journalists need to understand the power of using the right words when writing news stories
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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.
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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.
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News writing for beginners

A journalist writing a news story is the author, organiser and decision maker. Without them the story may never be told.

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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