It's a vocation, not a job
You are born with a news sense, you can't be taught one
Your duty is to scrutinise the executive and shine a torch in dark places
All journalism should be investigative (digging where others don't) or witness (reporting on what you can see and hear)
You are on duty 24 x 7
Don't expect to be given stories; your job is to find them
Your job is to ask questions, research information and uncover facts and then deliver those facts to the audience in the most effective way
Live your life by the rule that 'had it not been for you the world would never have known' (*)
Always be working on your own investigation and come up with something original
Don't live a wires-led life
Don't follow the competition, aim to be ahead by finding your own stories and angles
Always check the fourth paragraph in a glowing industry news release; there may be job losses or other bad news which may be of more interest to your audience
Broadcast and publish for your audience, not for your own glory or peer group approval
Treasure, nurture and feed contacts, don't just drain them and dump them
Apply the same journalistic rigour to those with whom you agree
Don't have favourites
Don't do deals
Don't accept gifts, the bill will usually end up on your doorstep one day
Don't make exceptions
Respect privacy
Take notes and keep them safe
Look behind you when you are retracing steps
Know your facts
Know your limitations
Check and check again
Be careful about thinking you have written what you think you have written
Always get a second pair of eyes to check your copy, even if that person is not a journalist
Resist the pressure to work up a 'good intro' and sensationalise a headline; if the story is lame work on something else
Leave a note when going undercover, just in case
Keep a diary of stories covered and follow them up in three months; if a story is worth doing it's probably worth following up
Keep copies of all emails, texts, dates of phone calls and be sure never to throw a notebook away
Trust your instincts when researching but stick to facts when broadcasting or publishing
Check the side streets when there is a fire on main street
Realise that a politician will always have a script
Watch out for those who would like to see you compromised
Deal with your own motives, likes, dislikes, feelings, beliefs, they must have no impact in your delivery of balanced, impartial and objective journalism
Don't put interviewees in danger
Respect intellectual property, from a comment to user-generated content and always acknowledge
Never use 'will have to wait and see' or 'time will tell', if you don't know how a story will end, don't go there
Never say 'the victim has not been named', they have, soon after birth, what you mean is 'police have not released the name of the victim'
More than = quantity, over = height
Don't use long words when short words will do
Avoid sub clauses that may complicate and obscure the information you are attempting to relay
Convey a sense of urgency only when it is appropriate but remain honest and do not inflate the importance if it doesn't merit it (*)
Never sweeten with respect if none is due (*)
People are never evacuate, buildings and bowels are
Be sensitive when knocking on the door of the bereaved; some will want to invite you in for a cup of tea, show you precious family photos and may let you take one away with you, others will set the dogs on you
Rumours are useful for heads up on a potential story, but they are not news until they are verified
Be thorough and ensure your work is spot on, but don't take too long polishing, there are people out there who need to know about the facts you've uncovered
Always get your round in (buy a drink at the bar).
(*) = borrowed from colleagues
David Brewer
The author, David Brewer, set up and runs this site, Media Helping Media. He also runs Media Ideas International Ltd and tweets @helpingmedia.
You are born with a news sense, you can't be taught one
Your duty is to scrutinise the executive and shine a torch in dark places
All journalism should be investigative (digging where others don't) or witness (reporting on what you can see and hear)
You are on duty 24 x 7
Don't expect to be given stories; your job is to find them
Your job is to ask questions, research information and uncover facts and then deliver those facts to the audience in the most effective way
Live your life by the rule that 'had it not been for you the world would never have known' (*)
Always be working on your own investigation and come up with something original
Don't live a wires-led life
Don't follow the competition, aim to be ahead by finding your own stories and angles
Always check the fourth paragraph in a glowing industry news release; there may be job losses or other bad news which may be of more interest to your audience
Broadcast and publish for your audience, not for your own glory or peer group approval
Treasure, nurture and feed contacts, don't just drain them and dump them
Apply the same journalistic rigour to those with whom you agree
Don't have favourites
Don't do deals
Don't accept gifts, the bill will usually end up on your doorstep one day
Don't make exceptions
Respect privacy
Take notes and keep them safe
Look behind you when you are retracing steps
Know your facts
Know your limitations
Check and check again
Be careful about thinking you have written what you think you have written
Always get a second pair of eyes to check your copy, even if that person is not a journalist
Resist the pressure to work up a 'good intro' and sensationalise a headline; if the story is lame work on something else
Leave a note when going undercover, just in case
Keep a diary of stories covered and follow them up in three months; if a story is worth doing it's probably worth following up
Keep copies of all emails, texts, dates of phone calls and be sure never to throw a notebook away
Trust your instincts when researching but stick to facts when broadcasting or publishing
Check the side streets when there is a fire on main street
Realise that a politician will always have a script
Watch out for those who would like to see you compromised
Deal with your own motives, likes, dislikes, feelings, beliefs, they must have no impact in your delivery of balanced, impartial and objective journalism
Don't put interviewees in danger
Respect intellectual property, from a comment to user-generated content and always acknowledge
Never use 'will have to wait and see' or 'time will tell', if you don't know how a story will end, don't go there
Never say 'the victim has not been named', they have, soon after birth, what you mean is 'police have not released the name of the victim'
More than = quantity, over = height
Don't use long words when short words will do
Avoid sub clauses that may complicate and obscure the information you are attempting to relay
Convey a sense of urgency only when it is appropriate but remain honest and do not inflate the importance if it doesn't merit it (*)
Never sweeten with respect if none is due (*)
People are never evacuate, buildings and bowels are
Be sensitive when knocking on the door of the bereaved; some will want to invite you in for a cup of tea, show you precious family photos and may let you take one away with you, others will set the dogs on you
Rumours are useful for heads up on a potential story, but they are not news until they are verified
Be thorough and ensure your work is spot on, but don't take too long polishing, there are people out there who need to know about the facts you've uncovered
Always get your round in (buy a drink at the bar).
(*) = borrowed from colleagues
David Brewer
The author, David Brewer, set up and runs this site, Media Helping Media. He also runs Media Ideas International Ltd and tweets @helpingmedia.
http://www.mediahelpingmedia.org/training-resources/journalism-basics/418-50-tips-for-budding-journalists
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