Basics

Our journalism should be factual, accurate, and easy to understand, and we must be committed to finding original stories and telling them in a way that makes sense to the audience.

Good stories about any topic generally have some things in common. Here are 12 points to keep in mind when you are planning, researching and producing a news story.

This is a short training module setting out the basics for creating a news package for radio. It's been created for those starting out in radio journalism.

In this module on language and style from The News Manual, we look at the words you use to tell your story. We see how important spelling is and how to avoid causing confusion with the words you choose.

A journalist has no right to intrude on the personal lives of others except in cases where doing so will serve the public interest. We need to be crystal clear on what we mean by public interest.

Another training module based on material from The News Manual, used with permission. Here we will discuss: who journalists are and what they do; why people become journalists; and what qualities you need to be a good journalist.

To cover parliament, a journalist needs to know local laws, understand parliamentary procedure, know about the politicians and the political parties involved, and have a solid knowledge of history.

Reporting on court hearings is an essential part of journalism. It requires an understanding of local laws and knowing what can be reported and what can’t.