In association with Fojo Media Institute, Linnaeus University, Sweden

Exercises

Our free one-hour exercises provide practical skill-building activities for self-directed learning or classroom use. These focused, interactive exercises target specific journalism competencies, allowing you to test your knowledge, identify areas for improvement, and build confidence through hands-on practice. 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 to illustrate a MHM training exercise created with Gemini AI

Exercise: Clichés, jargon & journalese

Journalists need to recognise and then avoid using journalese, jargon, and clichés. Their writing must be clear, easy to understand, and informative. This exercise is designed to help spot all three.
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Image to illustrate a MHM training exercise created with Gemini AI

Exercise: Developing important news angles

Finding new angles on developing news stories is essential. Journalists must explain how news events impact their audience's lives. This exercise will help reporters find out how.
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Image to illustrate a MHM training exercise created with Gemini AI

Exercise: Active and passive voices

Discover how journalists use the active voice to capture action and seize reader attention. Master impactful writing techniques for fast-paced news stories.
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Exercise: Interviewing skills

Understanding how to conduct an interview is essential if a journalist is to uncover previously unknown facts and produce original news stories.
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Image to illustrate a MHM training exercise created with Gemini AI

Exercise: Planning a breaking news TV package

Reporting breaking news on TV is a high-pressure race. You must balance real-time events with limited time for fact-checking and sourcing interviews.
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Image to illustrate a MHM training exercise created with Gemini AI

Exercise: Adjectives and adverbs in journalism

Journalists should not waste words. Their writing should be concise and tight. Adjectives and adverbs clutter up news stories and should be avoided wherever possible.
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Image to illustrate a MHM training exercise created with Gemini AI

Exercise: Fact-checking in news

True journalism requires more than just gathering news. We rigorously examine every detail to maintain the highest factual standards.
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Image to illustrate a MHM training exercise created with Gemini AI

Exercise: Packaging for radio news

This exercise sets out the basics for creating a news package for radio. It’s been created for those starting out in radio journalism.
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Scenarios

Doorstepping – scenario

You are a local newspaper reporter sent out to doorstep a bereaved family but you lie to your news editor because you are reluctant to intrude on their grief. 
Training of Trainers

Evaluating the impact of training

The evaluation process for media training is set in motion the moment you are engaged by the media organisation you are being asked to help.
Exercises

Exercise: Developing important news angles

Finding new angles on developing news stories is essential. Journalists must explain how news events impact their audience's lives. This exercise will help reporters find out how.
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