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.

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The power of words

Journalists need to understand the power of using the right words when writing news stories
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Developing and applying 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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Language and style – basics

Learn how to write clear, impactful sentences for better understanding and discover why choosing the right language is essential for your readers.
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Radio training Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Image by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Producing a radio news bulletin

Crafting a radio bulletin is like serving a balanced meal: it must be nourishing, digestible, and leave your audience perfectly prepared for the day ahead.
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Court reporting for beginners

Reporting on court hearings requires an understanding of local laws and knowing what can be reported and what can‘t.
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Writing a radio news script

Radio journalists must write clear scripts that weave together compelling audio clips, ensuring listeners understand a news story's significance.
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Interviewing politicians

Master the art of interviewing politicians: learn to handle scripts, stay on track, know your subject, and avoid losing your cool.
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Interview training for radio journalism students in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, image by David Brewer of Media Helping Media

Introduction to interviewing

The interview is one of the basic tools of journalism. You cannot be a good journalist without being a good interviewer and a careful listener.
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Lessons

Lesson: Accuracy in journalism

This free lesson plan is designed to help journalism students learn how to gather, assemble, and publish or broadcast information that has been thoroughly checked to ensure it is factual and accurate.
Lessons

Lesson: Constructing a radio news package

A lesson plan to help teach students how to create a news package for radio.
Lessons

Lesson: What makes a news story

This lesson plan is designed to help journalists understand the sources of news stories and be able to order them in terms of their relevance to the audience.
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