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.

Image by Hans and Carolyn released under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

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.
Climate change journalist Rafiqul Islam Montu interviewing flooding survivors

The importance of diverse perspectives

Diverse perspectives and facts are vital for accurate journalism, helping to reveal the true complexity behind the news through varied viewpoints.
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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 by Paul Brennan released under Creative Commons

Letting the pictures tell the story

Here we explore the importance of visual storytelling in TV and video journalism, showing you how to let the pictures tell the story.
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.
Graphic for pitching a news story created with Gemini AI

Pitching a news story to an editor

Every great piece of journalism starts with a pitch — and how you pitch can make the difference between being published or being rejected.

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.
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.
Naomi Goldsmith delivering gender training to female journalists in Tanzania

Gender equality in the media

Addressing gender imbalance in media requires a multifaceted approach from journalists, combining personal initiative with essential systemic change.
Graphic for a Media Helping Media Training Tool

Tool: MHM Story Builder

The Media Helping Media’s Story Builder is a simple tool created to help those who are new to journalism write informative news articles.
Gazeta Lubuska Newsroom image by PawelJanczaruk released via Wikimedia Commons

Journalism’s roles and responsibilities

Journalism demands a diverse skill set across various roles. Explore the different tasks and career paths available to modern journalists in our guide.
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.
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