Scenarios
Test your editorial awareness with our news scenarios, which are all based on real situations faced by journalists.
Journalistic integrity – scenario
You are a political broadcast journalist and are invited to speak at public event where the organisers want you to explain the role of the journalist in covering elections. After the event they offer you a gift, and ask whether you would be prepared to do some media training for politicians. What do you do?
Interviewing integrity – scenario
An editorial integrity scenario where a journalist on a large salary faces the dilemma of whether to compromise their editorial integrity, become a whistleblower, or resign. What would you do?
Transparency and full disclosure – scenario
Try our editorial scenario in which a radio reporter hears supposedly conflicting information during an organised media trip, and has to decide which material best represents the facts for their news broadcast.
Privacy protection – scenario
You are working on the online news desk of a large media organisation. News breaks of fighting overseas. Raw footage arrives showing identifiable dead bodies. What do you do?
Covering a tragedy – scenario
In this scenario we look at how a journalist should act when they witness a tragedy unfolding and have to decide whether to help, or to stand by and report. The scenario also looks at how senior editorial managers could, and probably should, support their journalists working in difficult conditions.
Emotional pressure – scenario
How should a reporter respond when someone uses emotional pressure and threats to try to stop them doing their job? In this scenario we look at a situation where a reporter is begged not to cover a story, and then threatened with violence if they publish. What would you do?
Emotional assumptions – scenario
Try our scenario on how to remain objective when reporting from a live event. It's about how to avoid 'heat of the moment' language and stick to facts.
Trespass and journalism – scenario
In this scenario we discuss whether it is every justified for a journalist to trespass in order to gather information that helps the audience better understand the issue being covered.
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Language and style – words
In this module on language and style from The News Manual, we look at the words you use to tell your story. We see how important spelling is and how to avoid causing confusion with the words you choose.