Scenarios
Test your editorial awareness with our news scenarios, which are all based on real situations faced by journalists.
Emotional pressure – scenario
How should a reporter respond when someone uses emotional pressure and threats to try to stop them doing their job?
Transparency and full disclosure – scenario
In this scenario a reporter embedded with the military and closely monitored in a war zone wanders off and discovers a story the army wouldn't want him to tell.
Off-the-record chat – scenario
In this scenario we look at what a journalist should do with off-the-record information when it relates to a major news event.
Returning favours – scenario
In this scenario a naive reporter's early success with a government minister leads to an ethical dilemma when a 'favour' is demanded in return.
Withholding information – scenario
In this scenario a journalist comes across information that changes the focus of a story the editor had asked them to write. Should they include it or withhold it.
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.
Editorial impartiality – scenario
In this scenario a reporter covering a story about medical malpractice in a hospital discovers that the consultant involved is a relative. What should they do?
Testing boundaries – scenario
In this scenario we look at a situation where an editor faces breaking protocol because of the strength of a story.
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Evaluating the impact of training
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