Documentaries are in-depth stories told in a more interesting way. They can range in length from 10 minutes to an hour for one episode although sometimes they can stretch to a series or podcast. A great documentary engages listeners and puts them at the heart of the storytelling.

So, what elements make for a superior documentary?

First of all, the story you tell must be compelling enough to sustain telling at length. That means there must be a number of connected strands in it which must be examined and then tied up at the end.

There must be a significant increase in understanding on the part of listeners. The documentary will have shed light on an issue and offered a signpost to the way ahead.

A great documentary is based on sound research in order to construct the central thesis or argument. Good research involves exploring not just who might speak but also what they might say. It will explore all the aspects of a story even though some might lead to dead ends or blind alleys.

Every line of script in the documentary will need to be based on evidence. Every assertion made in the script must be based in reality and accuracy. Even when interviewees are making a point of view, their opinion must be backed by facts you can independently verify.

If your documentary is based on a theory which requires an answer from a relevant organisation or authority make sure that interview is the last in the sequence. That way you can make sure every relevant question can be put.

When you are recording natural sound or a reporter piece into the microphone make sure you record from the heart of the action, so listeners feel they are embedded in the item. So if you are recording a market scene, stand right next to the customer and the trader, not 15 metres away.

Unlike a radio feature, the documentary medium allows listeners to breathe and take in the atmosphere. You should aim for a roughly one third split between script, interviews, and sound effects (including music and natural sound).

Separate out your recordings into one folder for interviews, one for natural sound effects, and one for music. Listen through to all the interviews and select strong clips of your interviewees. Factual information can go into your script. The interview clip is where you can let your subjects speak powerfully and with emotion.

Arrange the clips in the order you would like them to appear in the programme. When you’ve identified the clips, start writing the script.

Use natural sound and music to create the mood and atmosphere.

The programme should flow along at a reasonable pace, but remember to give time for the listener to breathe in the atmosphere.

When you’ve assembled the script, clips, music and natural sound in the order you would like, try reading out the script in relation to everything else.

When you’re happy it works well together, record your voice pieces.

Enjoy making documentaries!

Questions

1. What is the primary purpose of a radio documentary?
2. Identify two key elements that contribute to a compelling documentary story.
3. How does sound research contribute to the effectiveness of a documentary?
4. Explain the importance of evidence in the scripting of a documentary.
5. Describe the role of natural sound in creating the atmosphere of a documentary.
6. What is the recommended distribution of script, interviews, and sound effects in a documentary?
7. How should interview clips be organised in the production process?
8. Discuss the significance of recording from the “heart of the action” in a documentary.
9. What is the purpose of reading the script in relation to other elements before finalising a documentary?
10. How does the documentary medium differ from a radio feature in terms of listener experience?

Answers

1. To engage listeners and place them at the heart of storytelling by shedding light on an issue and offering a signpost to the way ahead.
2. A compelling story must have connected strands that are examined and tied up at the end, and it should significantly increase listeners’ understanding.
3. Sound research helps construct the central thesis or argument by exploring all aspects of a story, ensuring accuracy and depth.
4. Every line of the script must be based on evidence to ensure accuracy and reality, even when presenting interviewees’ opinions.
5. Natural sound helps create the mood and atmosphere, making listeners feel embedded in the scene.
6. The recommended distribution is roughly one-third script, one-third interviews, and one-third sound effects, including music and natural sound.
7. Interview clips should be organised in the order they will appear in the program, allowing for a coherent narrative flow.
8. Recording from the “heart of the action” ensures that listeners feel immersed in the scene, enhancing the documentary’s impact.
9. Reading the script in relation to other elements ensures that all components work well together, creating a cohesive final product.
10. Unlike a radio feature, a documentary allows listeners to breathe and take in the atmosphere, providing a more immersive experience.

Lesson plan for trainers

If you are a trainer of journalists we have a free lesson plan: ‘Radio documentaries‘ which you are welcome to download and adapt for your own purposes.

The post Making documentaries for radio first appeared on Media Helping Media.

We edit audio because we do not always have the time on air to broadcast a whole interview. Before you start editing audio, always ask the editor or producer of the item how long the edited item should be.

Make sure you are familiar with editing software you are using.

Ask whether you need to edit a cut down of the whole interview including your questions or if you are to provide one or more clips of just the interviewee talking.

Listen to the whole interview all the way through once, taking note of key points and noting down a time code for each important point made by the interviewee.

Listen out for poor quality. If you can’t hear what’s being said, it’s unlikely your listeners will be able to.

There are two main ways to edit – amputation and filleting.

Amputation implies cutting short the whole interview or cutting out whole questions and answers.

Filleting means taking only the essential parts of each answer and cutting out a little of each answer.

Amputation risks leaving out relevant information while filleting can result in an interview which sounds disjointed and unnatural.

Allow interviewees to sound as if they are having a conversation. It is not your job to make the interviewee sound more fluent or more polished.

However if they interject with hesitations such as ‘um’ and ‘er’ or leave long pauses in their answers, you should consider editing some of these out if it helps the listener understand what is being said.

Be careful not to cut all the hesitations and pauses out because that can sound artificial and unnatural.

Never take one answer and edit it as a response to another question. This is unethical and unprofessional.

Radio is a medium that is based on your ears. That mean when you edit audio, try not to edit using just the screen. Pay more attention to how it sounds rather than how it looks on the screen.

When you have finished editing, always listen back to the finished edit to make sure you have fulfilled the brief you were given, that you have captured all the relevant points the interviewee made, and that you have represented the interviewees points fairly and accurately.

The post Editing audio for radio news first appeared on Media Helping Media.

Bulletins are designed to collect all the news that’s relevant into one specific broadcast, usually a few minutes long.

Each bulletin will have a variety of stories reflecting the latest information your listeners are interested in. They are not comprehensive. They should give a flavour of the main points of the stories.

If you are working for a small radio station you will probably be gathering and editing the material for the bulletins and reading them yourself. If you work for a large broadcaster you might be editing the bulletin for a presenter to read.

Stories will consist of the following types: a straight read by the presenter; sections of text followed by a clip or clips of audio; an introduction followed by a piece by a reporter.

Work backwards from the on-air time and give yourself enough time for preparation. For example, you need time to print off scripts, brief your presenter if necessary and to get to the studios.

If you are the bulletin editor you need to give journalists clear instructions about what they are expected to deliver, the length of the item they are producing, the format it is expected to take and when it is meant to be ready.

Give yourself time to look at the story and check it for grammatical and factual errors. Read it out loud to make sure it makes sense and can be easily understood by listeners.

When you have collected all the stories you will use for the bulletin, always add a couple of extra items if possible. This is to allow for technical errors with audio and so on.

Try to rank the stories in your bulletin in order of importance and give each story a weight.

For example, a story which impacts on everyone in the community will usually be stronger than one which only affects a handful of people. An outbreak of Covid-19 in town is more important than one about plans to upgrade a road in two years’ time. A story about a football result will carry less weight than one about deaths arising from a traffic accident.

Try to place connected stories together in the bulletin. For example, it would make sense to place a story about malaria next to one about health facilities.

Once you have ordered the stories, write your headlines. You don’t have to write one for each story, just the most interesting ones. Most bulletins will end with closing headlines as well.

Brief your presenter about the running order, when to expect soundbites and so on. Give them time to read the text through before they go live on air.

If you have a number of bulletins during the day, try to refresh the stories from bulletin to bulletin so they sound different each time. Stories have a shelf-life, but this can be extended by finding new angles, rewriting the introductions and so on.

Keep your listeners in mind at all times. They expect to hear the latest news in one place. It has to be accurate, timely, balanced, and interesting. Following these guidelines will help you to achieve this.

The post Editing radio news bulletins first appeared on Media Helping Media.

A journalist needs to be well-prepared when planning an interview. However, after all your research, try to keep the interview to three questions, because if you haven’t worked out in three what you want to find out from the person you are talking to you, you probably never will.

And try to avoid looking at your notes, but, instead, pay attention to what the person you are interviewing is saying, otherwise you might miss the news story. Here are a few tips for planning and executing an interview.

20 interviewing tips for journalists

1: Never give an interviewee questions in advance. It’s fine to give a general idea about the interview themes, but being too specific may limit what you can ask in the interview. It also risks being overtaken by events and allows the interviewee to rehearse answers.

2: Be on time. There’s nothing worse than keeping someone waiting.

3: Always check that your equipment is working and fully charged before you leave the office.

4: Treat the interviewee with respect whether they are a president or a man or woman in the street. A warm but not over-enthusiastic greeting is a good start.

5: Take control of the location. It’s your interview. You need to choose a place that isn’t too noisy and where there are not too many distractions.

6: You are not meant to be the centre of attention. The interview is not about you. You are there to get the perspective of the interviewee, not give your own.

7: Do the research you need to, but don’t try to cram it all into your questions. Put yourself in the shoes of a member of your audience before you start the interview. If they were here, what would they ask?

8: Ask the most important question first. The more pressed the interviewee is, the less time they will have, and the more likely that they will cut the interview short.

9: The interview is a conversation, it’s not a confrontation. You are not there to make the interviewee look stupid.

10: Try to avoid looking at notes. If you look at your notes, the interviewee may be distracted. And it’s difficult for you to read and listen at the same time.

11: Maintain eye contact at all times. Keep your body language in check. If you nod your head, your subject may take this to mean that you agree with them and assume that there is no need to explain further. You may miss the chance to discover more.  If you shake your head, or recoil with a shocked facial expression, you risk making your subject clam up. You will have shown them that you find their views offensive and so they are likely to stop short of saying even more in the same vein.

12: Try to ask a maximum of three or four questions. An interview is not a fishing expedition. If you can’t get to the essence of what you want the interviewee to say in three or four questions, change the questions.

13: There are six basic questions: what, why, when, how, where and who.

14: Shorter questions are better than longer ones. Never ask more than one question at a time. Combining questions makes it easy for the interviewee to avoid answering one altogether. Be as direct as you can without being rude.

15: Be sure of your facts. There’s nothing worse than being told you are wrong by an interviewee – especially when it’s live.

16: Listen to what the interviewee is saying. They might want to use your interview to announce something important that you were not expecting.

17: If the interviewee is not happy with the way they answered a particular question, don’t give in to appeals for them to do it again – unless there is a factual error in the answer or there is a risk of serious confusion.

18: At the end of the interview, no matter how difficult the interviewee has been, always say thank you

19: Always check the interview has been recorded before the interviewee leaves.

20: When you’re editing, don’t take answers out of context. That’s dishonest.

Questions

1. What is the main reason for not giving interview questions in advance to the interviewee?
2. Why is it important to be punctual for an interview?
3. How should an interviewer treat the interviewee, regardless of their status?
4. What is the significance of choosing the right location for an interview?
5. Why should an interviewer avoid looking at their notes during an interview?
6. How can body language affect the outcome of an interview?
7. What is the recommended number of questions to ask during an interview, and why?
8. Explain the importance of listening to the interviewee during the interview.
9. What should an interviewer do if the interviewee is unhappy with their response to a question?
10. Why is it crucial to ensure that the interview has been recorded before the interviewee leaves?

Answers

1. Giving questions in advance may limit the scope of the interview and allow the interviewee to rehearse answers, reducing spontaneity.
2. Being punctual shows respect for the interviewee’s time and sets a professional tone for the interview.
3. The interviewer should treat the interviewee with respect, offering a warm but not overly enthusiastic greeting.
4. The right location minimises noise and distractions, allowing for a more focused and effective interview.
5. Avoiding notes helps maintain eye contact and keeps the interviewee engaged, preventing distractions.
6. Body language can signal agreement or disagreement, potentially influencing the interviewee’s responses and openness.
7. Asking three or four questions helps focus the interview and ensures that the most important topics are covered efficiently.
8. Listening allows the interviewer to catch unexpected announcements or important information that may arise during the conversation.
9. The interviewer should not allow the interviewee to redo their answer unless there is a factual error or risk of confusion.
10. Ensuring the interview is recorded prevents the loss of valuable content and maintains the integrity of the interview process.

Lesson plan for trainers

If you are a trainer of journalists we have a free Lesson plan: Preparing for and carrying out an interview which you are welcome to download and adapt for your own purposes.

This free lesson plan is based on the article ‘Preparing for and carrying out an interview‘ which was written by Jaldeep Katwala and published on Media Helping Media. The free AI teaching tools at the Khan Academy were used in the production of this lesson plan.

Related training modules

How to interview politicians

Why would anyone want to talk to a journalist?

Interviewing integrity – scenario

Interviewing for video journalists

The post Preparing for an interview first appeared on Media Helping Media.

What are the telltale signs that distinguish fact from fiction? How do you know when you are on the right track? The following are some suggestions for helping you ensure that you spot real news stories and dig out important facts.

Is it interesting?

This is perhaps the most important criterion. If it’s not interesting, why tell it? Your story should make the viewer, listener or reader stop in their tracks, look up from their breakfast, and want to tell the story to someone else. A good test is if one of your colleagues says “so what?” – if you can’t answer that question, then it might not be quite the story you thought it was.

Did you know about it before?

If you consume news voraciously – and you should – you’ll know if your story is fresh and original. A colleague in your newsroom might be able to help; there is often someone with a fantastic memory for every story that’s ever been done. If they haven’t heard the story before, the chances are it’s new. So don’t be afraid to ask around to find out whether anyone has any more information. You could end up with some important new angles to follow.

Does someone want to keep it quiet?

Once you’ve done all your preparatory research you will be ready to set up the interviews. However, you might find that the main interviewee avoids taking your calls, refuses to take part, or doesn’t answer your questions. If that’s the case it could be that the person at the centre of the story has something to fear or something to hide. Of course that is not proof that the story is true, nor is it proof you are on the right track. There could be many reasons the person wants to remain silent. However, it could indicate that there are issues that you need to investigate further.

How many people will it affect?

It might be the greatest story in the world, but it may affect only one person. That would not rule out telling the story, but the more people your story affects, the more likely it is to be of interest to your audience. And even if it affects only one person, your job is to think through and explain whether it could, or does, have any wider significance. There are usually other people in a similar situation who might benefit from your research and fact-finding.

Is the story difficult to tell?

A good rule of thumb, based on the hundreds of stories I have covered in my time, is that the more difficult the story is to tell, the more likely it is to be a great story. If it were easy to tell, the chances are that someone else will have already done so. This also underlines the importance of not giving up too easily. When covering an important story you might get to the point where you feel like giving up. Don’t. It’s okay to walk away from it for some time, but try to figure out why it’s proving difficult, because that blockage might be the nub of the story.

Does the story make sense?

The more incredible the story and the more removed from reality as you know it, the more likely the story you have is simply not true. That does not mean that such stories are not out there, it just means that you must be extremely sure of your facts before you publish or broadcast. Often the best stories are simply the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle – they make sense of what was already known before.

Are others likely to follow up your story?

If it’s a really great piece of original journalism, your competitors will follow up with their own take on the story. If it’s an outstanding piece of journalism, politicians, campaigners, decision-makers, and those with an interest in the issue, will do something. This is why you should always have your own follow up plan. If, once your story breaks, others follow your lead, then you need to be ahead of the game again. Jotting down a few follow-up angles is always a good idea (see next point).

Will there be related stories?

A really good story will have at least three related stories for you to chase. You have a head start on your competitors, so you should be anticipating where the story will go even before it is published or broadcast. However, when your story breaks, they, too, will be looking for that fresh angle to follow so that they take ownership of the story. You need to be ahead of them. When carrying out your initial fact-finding, write down a story plan with ideas of how it could develop and who the other characters in the story might be. Find those people, talk to them, gather more exclusive material, and develop new angles. Your job is to keep the momentum going.

Will anything change as a result of your story?

If you tell your story, will anything be different? Will other people’s lives improve or get worse? If they improve, that’s a good sign. If they are likely to get worse for many people, think again about whether to publish or broadcast it. This is all part of the public interest test, which can help you decide the strength and validity of your story.

Will you still be able to approach your contacts?

When you tell the story, will you still be able to look your contacts in the eye, and will they still talk to you? A controversial story told well and fairly will earn you respect. A controversial story told badly and unfairly will make it harder for you to work as a journalist. This doesn’t mean you should compromise or water down your material. But it does mean that you need to be fair, honest, objective, impartial and accurate in all you do. See the training modules in our editorial ethics section.

By Jaldeep Katwala

Sniffing out news

We have several articles on Media Helping Media which focus on the skills needed to spot a news story. Below are the main points taken from those pieces.

1. Understanding the core elements of a news story:

Before hunting for stories, it’s crucial to understand what makes something newsworthy. The main elements include:

• Impact: Does the story affect a significant number of people? The greater the impact, the stronger the news value.
• Timeliness: Is the story recent or unfolding now? News is about what’s happening now.
• Prominence: Does the story involve well-known individuals or organisations? The involvement of prominent figures increases interest.
• Proximity: How close is the story to the audience geographically or emotionally? Local stories often resonate more strongly.
• Unusualness: Is the story out of the ordinary, unexpected, or surprising? Novelty captures attention.
• Conflict: Does the story involve disagreement, tension, or rivalry? Conflict creates drama and intrigue.

2. Cultivating a news-gathering mindset:

Spotting stories isn’t a passive activity. It requires a proactive and curious approach.

• Read Widely and diversely: Consume news from various sources – local, national, and international. Don’t limit yourself to your usual outlets. Explore niche publications and online forums.
• Be observant: Pay attention to your surroundings. Listen to conversations, observe community events, and notice changes in your environment. Everyday life can be a source of inspiration.
• Talk to people: Engage with members of your community. Strike up conversations, attend local meetings, and build relationships with sources. People often hold valuable information.
• Follow trends: Keep an eye on emerging trends in society, technology, and culture. These trends can often lead to larger stories.
• Develop a nose for news: This comes with experience. Practice identifying the core elements of news in stories you read and watch. Ask yourself: “Why is this newsworthy?”

3. Where to look for stories:

Here are some places where you will find news:

• Official sources: Government agencies, businesses, and non-profit organisations often release news (press) releases and announcements that can be the starting point for a story.
• Public records: Accessing public records, such as court documents or financial reports, can uncover hidden stories and provide crucial details.
• Social media: Social media platforms can be a valuable source of information, but be sure to verify information before reporting it.
• Community events: Local festivals, meetings, and protests can provide insights into community issues and generate story ideas.
• Tips and leads: Cultivate relationships with sources who can provide you with tips and leads. Encourage people to contact you with information.
• Your own experience: Sometimes, your own experiences and observations can lead to compelling stories.

4. Refining your story idea:

Once you have a potential story idea, it’s essential to refine it.

• Ask the right questions: What is the central point of the story? Who are the main characters? What is the likely impact of the story?
• Research and verify: Gather as much information as possible to support your story. Verify all facts and sources before reporting them.
• Consider the angle: How can you present the story in a way that is engaging and informative for your audience? Is there a unique angle you can explore?  – see our lesson plan on how to develop news angles.

5. The Importance of ethical considerations:

Journalists have a responsibility to report the news ethically and responsibly – check the articles in our ethics section.

• Accuracy: Ensure that all information is accurate and verified.
• Fairness: Present all sides of the story fairly and impartially.
• Objectivity: Strive to be objective in your reporting and avoid bias – see our lesson plan on avoiding bias.
• Transparency: Be transparent about your sources and methods.

As explained by Jaldeep Katwala in the article at the top of this page, spotting a news story is a skill that develops over time with practice and dedication.

By understanding the core elements of news, cultivating a news-gathering mindset, and utilising the resources available, journalists can effectively identify and report on the stories that matter.

Often the best stories are hidden in plain sight, waiting to be uncovered by a curious and persistent journalist. That journalist might be you.

Lesson plan for trainers

If you are a trainer of journalists we have a free lesson plan: Identifying news which you are welcome to download and adapt for your own purposes.

Related training modules

How to create a structured news report

Story development techniques

Public interest – scenario

Journalism and the public interest

The post How to spot a news story first appeared on Media Helping Media.

The corporate plan is the most important tool in a media chief executive’s toolbox. Without it the media organisation can become lost and directionless.

But with a strong corporate plan, staff and management are brought together, become a positive focus for change, and drive the media business forward.

So it’s important to get it right. This is how to do it.

Writing a corporate plan should make running your media operation easier not more complicated, so don’t make the process complex.

The corporate plan should set out the vision for the media organisation, identify the target audience and its information needs, clarify who does what and why they do it, and set clear objectives that are cascaded down through every department and unit and which include every individual.

Corporate plans should be for a specified time period – too short and they don’t allow you to identify core and long-term value; too long and, over time, they become outdated and irrelevant. Five years is a realistic time-frame.

The more comprehensive and inclusive the discussion about the corporate plan is, the more likely it is that it will be realistic and achievable.

However, it’s not possible to include every member of your staff in the drafting process, so make sure the people you invite to discuss and draft the corporate plan are representative of a wide variety of views in your news organisation.

Select a moderator for the process who is a friend of the organisation, but does not have a vested interest in one part of it or another.

Setting out your unique differential

Start by doing a realistic market scan so you know who your audiences are, what competition you have, the values your staff and mangers need to demonstrate, and what your unique market differential is.

Then distil all of that into one readily-understood, easy to communicate sentence which you can use as the basis of your corporate plan.

This sentence or phrase is essentially a mission statement, so make sure every word merits a place in it, and that the mission statement covers everything you do or would like to do.

Make sure the mission statement is ambitious enough to be challenging, but realistic enough to be potentially achieved.

An example of such a statement might be “To make appealing content for the people with a well-trained, well managed staff using a variety of funding sources”.

Next, expand each part of the phrase and explain what it means in practice.

In the example above, describe what “making appealing content for the people” actually means in bullet points. Identify targets for each of the bullet points which can be measured with a time frame.

At the end of this process, you will have established what you hope to achieve over the lifetime of your corporate plan and a framework for how to measure your progress against it.

Making your corporate plan relevant

Now you have a corporate plan it needs to be translated into an action plan.

Your senior management team should identify the resources (human, material etc.) they need in order to deliver the corporate plan on a divisional or directorate level.

This document should also contain a more detailed description of the major activity to be carried out in the first year to support the corporate plan, and an outline for the second and third years. Each director now has an individual work plan.

The document should also describe what each of the units plans to do along with measurable targets for each unit and the resources needed. Each unit manager now has an individual work plan.

You now have a divisional plan. Each unit manager now discusses with each member of staff a work plan with measurable targets and objectives for the year ahead. This can also be linked to performance related pay if required.

Each member of staff now has an individual work plan which is directly related to the corporate plan with individual, unit, divisional and corporate objectives

The post Preparing a media corporate plan first appeared on Media Helping Media.

When reporting from a conflict zone a journalist needs to be sensitive, understand history and cultural issues, and put people first

Reporting about conflict and working in a conflict zone is complex. Often the facts are not revealed in a way that offers the level of understanding the situation demands.

The journalist needs to be sensitive, have an understanding of history, be aware of cultural issues, and put people before the story.

1: Avoid clichés

“The Heart of Darkness” is the title of a book by Joseph Conrad written in the early part of the 20th Century about a trip up the River Congo. It does not need to feature in every story about the Congo and especially not in the headline.

2: Question everything

International NGOs by definition are on the side of the victim, the underdog. They are keen to generate interest in their perspective. They have a story to tell. Often that story is shocking in its own right without the extra tug of emotion, the extra twist given by the NGOs. This especially important when dealing in second-hand accounts of what eye-witnesses said.

3: Apply caution

The truth is out there, but it’s incredibly hard to find it. Take the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example. It is a huge country – bigger than Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Poland combined. As a journalist, unless you’ve experienced the situation first hand, you’ll have to rely on what someone else tells you. Do so with caution.

4: Add context

What you witness may be terrible locally, but be sure to offer national, regional, global and historical context to your reporting so that those you are informing have the widest perspective of the significance.

5: Check facts

Facts are loaded. A review of the cuttings file on Congo will show you that 5.4 million people have died in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Do you know how this figure was arrived at? Do you know what period the statistic covers? If you don’t, then don’t use it.

6: Stay human

Sexual violence and rape are terrible crimes. When reporting, don’t forget that all the headlines and stories written have a human face.

7: Use the right words

Use language with care. Genocide is a specific legal term with a particular meaning. It does not automatically follow that, because a large number of people have been killed, it’s genocide.

8: Don’t be led

It’s all about timing. Remember that pressure groups will often release information to coincide with significant events in the political calendar. For example, UN Security Council debates are often previewed by NGO’s making demands calling for action. As a journalist, you set the agenda – don’t have it set for you.

9: Recognise local pressures

Congolese journalists work in a completely different political environment than the one you are lucky to work in. They face censorship (or self-censorship), harassment, intimidation and murder threats. They are often not able to report what they would like to.

10: Be aware of history

History repeats itself. Journalism doesn’t have to. Journalism should not be an accumulation of clichés ending with the latest addition to the mix. Think originally, think laterally. Find stories which tell the untold facts and which get beyond the clichés.

Expanding on the core principles:

• • Sensitivity, history, culture, and people:
    • Beyond mere “sensitivity,” journalists must cultivate empathy. This means actively listening, acknowledging trauma, and respecting the dignity of those they interview.
    • “Understanding history” isn’t just knowing dates. It’s grasping the long-term consequences of colonialism, resource exploitation, and power dynamics. It’s recognising how historical grievances fuel current conflicts.
    • “Cultural issues” encompass more than just customs. It involves understanding local belief systems, social hierarchies, and the impact of conflict on cultural identity.
    • “Putting people first” means prioritising their safety and well-being, even if it means delaying or forgoing a story. It requires a commitment to do no harm.

Adding depth and perspective to the 10 points:

1. Beyond clichés: embracing nuance:
   • Clichés simplify complex realities. Instead of “Heart of Darkness,” journalists should seek original metaphors and narratives that reflect the specific context.
   • Challenge the “victim” narrative. Explore agency, resilience, and the diverse experiences of people affected by conflict.
   • Avoid the single narrative, acknowledge the multiple truths that exist.
2. Critical inquiry: Deconstructing narratives:
   • NGOs play a vital role, but their perspectives are shaped by their mandates and funding. Triangulate information from multiple sources, including local communities, government officials, and independent analysts.
   • “Second-hand accounts” are inherently subjective. Verify information meticulously, consider the motivations of sources, and acknowledge the limitations of eyewitness testimony.
   • Journalists from certain cultures need to be aware of the “white saviour” complex.
3. Caution and verification: Navigating uncertainty:
   • Recognise the limitations of your own perspective. Acknowledge what you don’t know, and avoid making sweeping generalisations.
   • Develop local networks of trusted sources. Invest time in building relationships with people on the ground.
   • Understand that in many conflict zones, information is weaponised.
4. Contextualisation: The power of framing:
   • Connect local events to broader geopolitical trends. Explain how global powers and economic interests contribute to conflict.
   • Consider the historical trajectory of the conflict. How did it evolve? What are the root causes?
   • Consider the climate crisis, and how that is adding to instability.
5. Fact-checking: The responsibility of accuracy:
   • Question the methodology behind statistics. Understand the biases and limitations of data collection.
   • Be wary of inflated figures used to generate attention or funding.
   • Understand that in conflict, data is often incomplete, or biased.
6. Humanising stories: Beyond the headlines:
   • Focus on the individual experiences of people affected by conflict. Tell their stories with dignity and respect.
   • Avoid sensationalism and exploitation. Humanize the victims, not just objectify their suffering.
   • Give people a voice, and a chance to tell their own story.
7. Language and terminology: The power of words:
   • Use language that is precise and accurate. Avoid inflammatory or dehumanizing terms.
   • Avoid adjectives and adverbs.
   • Understand the legal and cultural implications of terms like “genocide,” “ethnic cleansing,” and “war crimes.”
   • Be aware of the power of language to shape perceptions and perpetuate stereotypes.
8. Independent reporting: Resisting manipulation:
   1. Be aware of information warfare and propaganda. Develop critical thinking skills to identify and counter manipulation.
   2. Maintain editorial independence. Resist pressure from governments, NGOs, and other interest groups.
   3. Recognise that all sides of a conflict are trying to control the narrative.
9. Understanding local pressures: Solidarity and support:
   • Recognise the risks faced by local journalists. Support their work and advocate for their safety.
   • Acknowledge the power imbalances between international and local media.
   • Collaborate with local journalists, and amplify their voices.
10. Historical awareness: Breaking the cycle:
    1. Challenge the narrative of inevitability. Conflict is not inevitable. It is the result of human choices.
    2. Explore alternative solutions and pathways to peace.
    3. Look for the stories of peace, and reconciliation, that are also present in conflict zones.

By incorporating these additional layers of depth and perspective, journalists can contribute to a more nuanced and informed understanding of conflict, fostering empathy and promoting peace.

The post Reporting from conflict zones first appeared on Media Helping Media.

In this scenario, an award-winning journalist is offered a top job at national TV station, but soon after starting her new job she discovers corruption in the media house.

The journalist is something of a maverick by nature but has uncovered some exclusive stories on corrupt practices involving mining companies and politicians in the past.

Eventually her work leads to an award as anti-corruption journalist of the year.

The TV station recruits the journalist to be the main presenter on its evening business programme..

The journalist is excited by the new job and is looking forward to bringing her award-winning investigative journalistic approach to the programme

However, it transpires that the TV station has signed a secret contract with the minister in charge of ‘Industry and Development’. It’s worth $250,000 USD, and guarantees the minister at least 10 appearances on the programme during a 20-week run.

The journalist finds out about the contract, but has only just joined the TV station where she is earning three times as much as she did in her previous job.

Should she:

1. Say nothing but strive to ask difficult questions to balance out any bias
2. Raise her concerns with the producer of the programme and the TV station’s management and hope that they will at least acknowledge that any interview is paid for
3. Resign immediately and say nothing about why
4. Resign immediately and leak the story to the TV station’s main competitor.

Suggested action

In the real example of this scenario the reporter resigned but said nothing. However tough the interview might be, the repetitional risk to the reporter’s name as a journalist was considered to be more important than any other consideration.

Raising the concerns with the station management was pointless, since corruption works two ways. Accepting the money is as corrupt as taking it. Leaking the story would have broken the terms of the reporter’s contract of employment.

Let’s break down this scenario and analyse the journalist’s options, considering the context of her established reputation and the ethical implications.

Analysis:

• The journalist’s strengths:
  • She’s a proven, award-winning investigative journalist with a strong anti-corruption track record.
  • She’s a “maverick,” indicating she’s not afraid to challenge the status quo.
  • She has high ethical standards, evidenced by her past work and the dilemma she faces.
• The TV station’s corruption:
  • The secret contract reveals a clear conflict of interest and a breach of journalistic integrity.
  • The station is willing to compromise its credibility for financial gain.
  • This suggests a systemic issue, not just a one-off incident.
• The journalist’s dilemma:
  • She’s faced with a choice between her career advancement and her ethical principles.
  • The high salary creates a strong incentive to stay, but her reputation is at stake.
  • She must balance the potential for internal change with the risk of being complicit in corruption.

Suggested action:

• The real world example of the reporter resigning and saying nothing is understandable, but not optimal. It preserves the reporters reputation, but does not expose the corruption.
• The analysis of raising concerns with management being pointless is very likely accurate. Corrupt systems protect themselves.
• The analysis of leaking the story breaking the terms of the reporters contract is also accurate.

The options:

1. Say nothing but strive to ask difficult questions:
   • Pros: Allows her to keep her job and high salary.
   • Cons: Compromises her integrity, makes her complicit in the station’s corruption, and risks damaging her reputation. The minister will still have a platform to spread propaganda. Her questions, while possibly difficult, will be within a system that has been bought.
2. Raise her concerns with management:
   1. Pros: Attempts to address the issue internally.
   2. Cons: Highly unlikely to succeed, as the station is complicit. Could lead to retaliation or dismissal. Reveals her knowledge of the contract, and removes the element of suprise if she chooses to leak the story.
3. Resign immediately and say nothing:
   1. Pros: Preserves her integrity and avoids direct association with the corruption.
   2. Cons: Does not expose the corruption, allowing it to continue. Potential loss of income and career momentum.
4. Resign immediately and leak the story:
   1. Pros: Exposes the corruption, holds the station and minister accountable, and upholds journalistic ethics.
   2. Cons: Potential legal repercussions for breach of contract, risk of retaliation, and potential career backlash. However, the journalists reputation would be enhanced by the action.

Best course of action:

Considering the journalist’s established reputation and the severity of the corruption, resigning immediately and leaking the story to the TV station’s main competitor is the most effective and ethical course of action.

• It aligns with her past actions and reinforces her commitment to anti-corruption.
• It holds the corrupt parties accountable and protects the public interest.
• While there are risks, the potential benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
• It is important that the leak of the information is done in a way that protects the reporter as much as possible, perhaps through the use of an intermediary.

Issues:

• Public interest: The public has a right to know about corruption within the media, as it undermines their trust in information sources.
• Long-term impact: Exposing the corruption can lead to systemic change and deter future unethical practices.
• Reputation mManagement: While there may be short-term challenges, the journalist’s long-term reputation as a principled and courageous journalist will be enhanced.
• Legal advice: The journalist should seek legal advice before leaking any information, to understand the legal ramifications and to protect themselves.
• Documentation: The journalist should document all the evidence that they have of the corrupt practices.

In conclusion, while resigning quietly might seem like the safest option, it does not serve the public interest or uphold the principles of journalism. By choosing to expose the corruption, the journalist takes a courageous stand and reinforces the importance of ethical conduct in the media.

The post Interviewing integrity – scenario first appeared on Media Helping Media.

Discover how to create concise, compelling TV and radio packages that capture audience attention and deliver key information effectively.

This training module was written for journalism students in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. They were studying broadcast journalism, and in particular creating news features for radio. Many of those attending the course had no previous journalism experience or training.

TV and radio packages

Structure, timing, and letting the interview breathe are all essential elements for ensuring a general TV or radio news package works.

These are the packages where you introduce the audience to an issue and explore multiple elements of the story through interviewing different people.

It’s also important not to cram too much into an item, perhaps just three points.

And try to avoid noddies (shots where you, the interviewer, nod and which are edited in later) and walking shots for TV, they are overused and boring.

Try to think of original shots and sounds that will capture the attention of the audience.

1. Clarity: Before you start, have a clear idea of how long your finished item is likely to be and roughly how much footage of your interviewees you are likely to use.
2. Format: Map out a structure for the piece and try to work out a likely order for the interview clips and which points they will address.
3. Main points: Try to limit yourself to three main points for one item.
4. Interviewees: Make sure each of these three points is addressed by a different interviewee.
5. Review: Listen or watch the interview in full from start to finish at least once in order to ensure you haven’t missed anything. Take notes of the time on the recording of each potential interview clip, the words that begin the clip and the words that end it.
6. Coherence: When you have repeated the process for all the interviews in your piece, return to the structure you have mapped out and see if it is still coherent or if the order of interviewees needs to change.
7. Strength: Try to put the strongest interview near the start of the piece.
8. Selection: When you are selecting interview clips, choose ones which give opinion over ones which relay only information; information which is not controversial can easily be summarised by you in your linking commentary.
9. Pace: Try to leave a pause at the start and end of each clip. Life isn’t breathless; neither should a radio or television package be.
10. Clichés: In television avoid using noddies and walking shots to illustrate your material. They are the mind-numbingly boring to look at and do not make best use of the medium.
11. Editing: Avoid cutting excessively from the answer (such as taking one part of three seconds from the start of an answer, three seconds from the middle, and five from the end). This sounds and looks unnatural, misrepresents the interviewee, and is excessively difficult to process for television interviews.
12. Context: Never take an answer from one question and use it in response to another. This is gross misrepresentation.
13. Commentary: When you are writing commentary to link the clips together, try to avoid using the same words at the end of your text as the interviewee says in the beginning of the clip ie. : John Smith said he was delighted.. [John Smith] “I am delighted …”
14. Summaries: In TV and radio journalism, your package may often be mentioned in a news bulletin in the form of a clip before its broadcast slot. When writing the introduction for that clip, avoid summarising everything that is going to feature in the clip.
15. Positioning: In television reports, try to stick to the convention of alternate interviewees being on opposite sides of the screen. (First interviewee looking left to right, second right to left, third left to right etc.)
16. Voices: Try to avoid running two clips back to back without a commentary in between. Where this is unavoidable, for example in the case of vox pops, try to alternate between male and female voices. The reason for this is to avoid confusion.
17. Titles: Always make sure that you have the correct title for your interviewee and the correct spelling of their name. This is particularly important for TV captions. If they have a particularly long job title, agree a shortened version before you return from the interview.
18. Ending: Try to avoid ending a report with a clip of one of the interviewees. In TV this looks untidy. In radio, it complicates life for the studio presenter. It also gives one side or another of an argument the last word.
19. Answers: If you are editing an interview as a stand-alone item, try to put as much of the non-controversial information in the intro or lead-in to the item, and always make sure the intro ends with a question and the piece begins with an answer to that question.
20. Options: For stand-alone interviews, always give an option of an early ending, with a shorter duration and the right out-words. This will help the production team in case more urgent news breaks or they need to cut back your item.

Questions

1. What are the essential elements for creating effective TV or radio news packages?
2. Why is it important to limit the number of main points in a TV or radio package?
3. How should interview clips be selected to enhance the quality of a news package?
4. What is the significance of leaving pauses at the start and end of each interview clip?
5. How can the coherence of a news package be ensured during the editing process?
6. Why should noddies and walking shots be avoided in television packages?
7. What are the potential consequences of excessive editing in interview clips?
8. How should commentary be crafted to effectively link interview clips together?
9. What is the recommended positioning for interviewees in television reports, and why is it important?
10. How can a stand-alone interview be structured to accommodate potential changes in broadcast timing?

Answers

1. Structure, timing, and allowing the interview to breathe are essential elements.
2. Limiting main points helps maintain clarity and focus, preventing information overload.
3. Select clips that provide opinions rather than just information to engage the audience.
4. Pauses create a natural flow and prevent the package from feeling rushed.
5. Review the structure and order of interviewees to ensure logical progression and coherence.
6. They are overused, boring, and do not make the best use of the medium.
7. Excessive editing can misrepresent the interviewee and make the package difficult to process.
8. Avoid repeating words from the end of the commentary and the start of the clip to maintain flow.
9. Alternate interviewees on opposite sides of the screen to avoid visual monotony.
10. Include an option for an early ending with appropriate out-words for flexibility in broadcast timing.

The post How to create a broadcast news package first appeared on Media Helping Media.