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

Using the right words

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

Lateral reading

Image by U.S. Department of Agriculture released via Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0

Interviewing politicians

Translation in journalism

If you are a journalist working in a multilingual society, you may have to work in more than one language.

TV newsroom in Bangladesh - image by Media Helping Media

Constructing a TV news package

This article sets out the basics for creating a news package for TV. It's been created for those starting out in TV journalism.

Interviewing politicians

Master the art of interviewing politicians: learn to handle scripts, stay on track, know your subject, and avoid losing your cool.

Image by Alexandre Dulaunoy released via Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0

Shoe-leather reporting

Despite the influx of digital information, the foundational skills of "shoe-leather reporting", involving direct contact, investigation, and verification, remain essential for journalists in the modern newsroom.

Image by Allissa Richardson released via Creative Commons CC BY 2.0

Interviewing for video journalists

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

Radio training Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Image by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

How to produce a radio news bulletin

Putting together a radio news bulletin is like preparing a satisfying meal that leaves your audience nourished and prepared for the day

Image by pixy.org released via Creative Commons

The questions every journalist should ask

There are six questions that journalists should consider asking. They are What? Why? When? How? Where? and Who?

Graphic of a construction kit and instructions created using Google Gemini AI

How to create a structured news report

This module was written for trainee journalists in Zimbabwe who were keen to learn how to produce in-depth video reports about life in their remote rural communities.