In association with Fojo Media Institute, Linnaeus University, Sweden

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.

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

Militaristic words used in journalism

Here we look at some of the most common militaristic words that are regularly used in journalism, along with their intended meaning and possible non-militaristic alternatives.
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Image by David Brewer released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

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.
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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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The reference books used to create this page - image by David Brewer of MHM

Words that are frequently misused

It's essential for journalists to maintain precision in their use of language, especially when dealing with words that sound or look similar but which carry different meanings.
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Image of an intervention in a council meeting - created using Imagen 3 by David Brewer of MHM

The evolution of an original news story

Impactful and original journalism often begins with the answer to a question which, after thorough investigation, develops into a news story with significant implications.
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Graphic of a construction kit and instructions created using Google Gemini AI

Creating a structured news report

Writing a news item without a plan is like building a kit without instructions. You need a structured story plan to order your facts logically and engage readers.
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An image of a journalist writing on a computer - image by Google Gemini AI

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.
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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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Advanced

Examining rumour to find facts

The role of a journalist is to publish facts. To do that they often have to examine rumour and gossip as part of the newsgathering process.
Lessons

Lesson: Constructing a TV news package

A lesson plan to help students create a simple TV news package using their skills in reporting, filming, and editing, letting the pictures tell the story.
Lessons

Lesson: Impartiality in journalism

This lesson plan is designed to teach students the importance of impartiality in journalism and the avoidance of bias.
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