presentation skills for journalism

Presentation Guru

The 8-step guide to approaching presentations with a journalistic mindset.

In Gabby Reed’s first post for us she outlined the 5 Dos and Don’ts of Presentation Design . Here she details how to approach a presentation with a journalistic mindset. But what does that mean? Read on to find out…

My educational background is in journalism. And throughout my career – no matter what field I am in – and my personal life, I have found that thinking like a journalist has significantly improved my writing.  Beyond the relentless pursuit of who, what, where, when, and why, various tenets of journalism have the ability to aid people in all disciplines and industries in creating compelling content.

It can include something as simple as asking clients or consumers if there is anything you didn’t ask about a particular area or topic that they believe you should know before leaving a meeting, starting a project, or conducting research. Not only does this simple journalistic tactic demonstrate your interest in the person and the project, but it also prompts the individual to reveal some aspect of their vision or desires that they may not have already divulged in previous conversations.

That’s why this detail-driven strategy is located at the top of the following list of 8 ways to present like a journalist.

1) Focus on details

In Journalism 101, the professor will tell you that one of the main qualities that will separate you from your fellow journalism peers is attention to detail. This means more than knowing an interview subject’s first and last name. It means knowing the color of their eyes, the type of shirt they were wearing, or the way they clutched a coffee cup when they talked about a certain person, place, or thing. It’s the tiny details that most people would miss that make a story unique. That makes it personal.

While I was reporting for a story during a local, downtown event in my small hometown in Indiana, I spent about an hour just observing passersby and writing notes about the environment, the people and the interactions between them. When I sat down to craft my notes into a compelling narrative, I incorporated details from my observations and produced a delayed lead with an anecdote of an interaction I witnessed. Although the story had roots in the news realm, I used these minute details to add some textual imagery.

For a presenter, focusing on the little details of your topic will not only add another level of description to enthrall your audience, but it will also enhance your credibility in the eyes of audience members. Projecting credibility is much more than touting your position status or yammering about your high-profile clients. Focus on the people-centric details of your presentation to form a stronger connection with your audience.

2) Understand your audience

Before a journalist even considers pitching a story to an editor, they identify the publication’s audience and determine what topic would be of interest to them. When working for the local paper, several story pitches came across my desk. But, I only selected those that would provide real value to our readership. That they couldn’t read about somewhere else, or that we could cover in a novel and intriguing way – standing out from competitors.

A presenter should always approach their presentation this way because if your audience isn’t going to care about it, then why should you talk about it?

3) Present timely content

In the same vein as understanding your audience is offering appropriate content to your audience. Today’s 24-hour news cycle has cultivated a culture that demands constant updates on the ever-changing social, political, environmental, national, and global landscapes. Whether you like it or not, event-goers will hold presenters to similar standards of precise and speedy distribution of content. As a weekly newspaper, cultivating timely content could prove a tricky task each week. Though challenging, this task pushed the publication staff to tackle new stories and to cover them in creative ways.

If you provide content that your audience craves, your presentation will be more effective and your audience will be more impressed.

4) Avoid jargon

The average American reads at an eighth grade level . According to a recent study, businessman turned presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks below a sixth grade level , which could explain why he continues to perform well in primary elections across the country, recently snatching another victory in New York.

Another study by Contently’s Shane Snow found that a Buzzfeed article written at a third grade reading level was shared more than more taxing reads from the Huffington Post, New York Times, and Economist.

Another component of the infamous jargon community is the abbreviation – a useful internal tool, but potentially confusing external communication device. Both the AP and APA Stylebooks – the journalism content creation bibles – discourage the frequent and abusive use of abbreviations, primarily due to their reputation for confusing audiences.

When I was writing a story about a local government or state government agency, I made sure to spell out the entire name of said organizational body and then include the abbreviation in parentheses next to it. Although it was referenced with the abbreviation for the remainder of the article, it was spelled out in its entirety in the first paragraph so readers to refer back to it.

This all goes to show that, when possible, limit the use of technical terms and abbreviations in a presentation, especially if the goal is audience comprehension.

5) Craft captivating leads

The average individual’s attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to 8 in the past decade with the increasing popularity of social media sites and quick reference resources. Journalists have understood this well before this recent decrease in attention. During the Civil War era , journalists encountered issues of telegraph lines falling down. To ensure the meat of their story would make it through, they developed a method of writing the most important information first. Nowadays, however, this strategy has become less and less necessary – allowing for more creativity in story openings.

Presenters don’t have to worry about this either, but they do have to worry about audience attention spans. It is paramount that presenters craft a compelling presentation opening .

6) Incorporate supporting visuals

In nearly every newsroom, a journalist cannot simply get away with merely writing a story. Most every editor will expect a visual component – like a graph, poll, map, infographic, photo, etc. – in conjunction with the text. With approximately three out of every four people identifying as visual learners, it’s no mystery why this would be a requirement.

During my days as a reporter, I did everything from interviewing sources, taking notes, and compiling research to writing stories, shooting video, and providing photography options. A well-rounded and deep understanding of a story is a vital part of the journalism field and individuals must be capable of structuring a narrative with text and visuals.

As a presenter, simply telling your audience a piece of information will only garner 10% recall three days after your presentation. But, if you place a relevant, supporting image on your slide, your audience will remember 65% of the content a few days later. Bottom line: include visuals.

7) Embrace a storytelling narrative

If you have ever perused our blog before, you probably know that bullet points break our hearts . It also breaks the hearts of many researchers, with studies indicating that 10-15% of audience members will remember particular bullet pointed information a few minutes after a presentation, compared to the 80% who will recall story-driven, narrative elements and supporting images.

Researchers have discovered that character-focused narratives elevate empathy in listeners as a result of increased oxytocin levels , which rise when people feel like they are bonding socially. Sam Sanders of NPR asks himself how he feels about certain moments during an interview to capture the emotion in a scene so that he can accurately relay it to listeners.

8) Complete thorough research

Perhaps the most crucial lesson my journalism studies taught me was the constant pursuit of accuracy in everything you do – from writing an article to participating in an interview and even giving a presentation. Never purposely mislead your audiences. Always conduct enough research to support your insights and utilize reputable sources to increase trust between you and others. I would spend a large chunk of time just researching a topic, event, or person to inform my question-creation responsibilities and to establish my credibility as a reporter.

The more a journalist knows about a topic, the better and more comprehensive questions he or she can ask. The more a presenter knows about a topic, the better and more comprehensive content he or she can provide to any audience.

Check out this lengthy list of research resources for presenters so you can approach the stage with full confidence in your product.

Pair these tactics with an intense passion for your topic and boundless curiosity and you will have the perfect combination for a powerful presentation. To learn more about a journalist’s mindset and how presenters can harness it, read the following articles and resources:

Storytelling Tactics for Presentations: Creating the Right Villain

7 Ways to think like a journalist when creating content

NPR Editorial Training

• Latest Posts

Gabrielle Reed

+gabrielle reed, latest posts by gabrielle reed ( see all ).

• The 8-Step Guide to Approaching Presentations with a Journalistic Mindset - 21st June 2016
• 5 Dos and Don’ts of Presentation Design - 12th May 2016

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Top 12 Journalism Skills to Put on Your Resume

In the fast-paced and evolving field of journalism, standing out to potential employers requires showcasing a unique set of skills on your resume. This article compiles the top 12 journalism skills that not only highlight your proficiency in storytelling and reporting but also demonstrate your adaptability and dedication to the craft, making you a standout candidate in a competitive industry.

Journalism Skills

• Investigative Reporting
• Multimedia Storytelling
• Data Visualization (Tableau)
• SEO Optimization
• Social Media (Hootsuite)
• Video Editing (Adobe Premiere)
• Audio Editing (Audacity)
• Content Management Systems (WordPress)
• Photo Editing (Adobe Photoshop)
• Fact-Checking
• Mobile Journalism

1. Investigative Reporting

Investigative reporting is a journalistic process that involves deeply researching and analyzing information to uncover facts, often related to crime, corruption, or misconduct, that are hidden from the public, with the aim of holding those in power accountable.

Why It's Important

Investigative reporting is crucial because it uncovers truth and holds power to account, exposing corruption, injustice, and malpractices that otherwise remain hidden, thereby safeguarding democracy and informing the public with in-depth, verified information.

How to Improve Investigative Reporting Skills

Improving investigative reporting involves a multi-faceted approach focusing on enhancing research skills, fostering critical thinking, and embracing technological advancements. Here are concise strategies:

Enhance Research Skills : Journalists should refine their ability to dig deeper into public records, databases, and conduct thorough background checks. The Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE) offers resources and training to improve these skills.

Critical Thinking : Encourage a culture of skepticism and verification. Journalists need to question information critically, check facts rigorously, and not take sources at face value. Poynter provides courses and seminars that emphasize critical thinking in journalism.

Technological Proficiency : Embrace digital tools for data analysis and visualization. Tools like Tableau Public for data visualization and DocumentCloud for analyzing public documents can enhance investigative reporting.

Collaboration : Foster partnerships between journalists and newsrooms across different regions or countries to pool resources and share expertise. Collaborative platforms like The Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) support cross-border investigative journalism.

Legal Knowledge : Journalists should be well-versed in the legal aspects of investigative reporting, including libel laws and freedom of information acts. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press offers legal guides and resources.

Ethical Integrity : Upholding high ethical standards and transparency in reporting processes builds trust with the audience. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) provides a code of ethics that serves as a guideline for investigative reporters.

By focusing on these areas, journalists can significantly improve the quality and impact of their investigative reporting.

How to Display Investigative Reporting Skills on Your Resume

2. AP Style

AP Style, or Associated Press Style, is a standardized approach to writing and formatting news stories used in journalism to ensure clarity, consistency, and accuracy across publications.

AP Style is important in journalism as it ensures consistency, clarity, and professionalism across news writing, facilitating accurate and unbiased communication to a wide audience.

How to Improve AP Style Skills

To improve your AP Style skills in journalism:

Study the AP Stylebook : Familiarize yourself with the latest edition of the AP Stylebook , the journalist's bible. It's updated annually, so staying current is crucial.

Practice Regularly : Apply AP Style rules in your writing. Practice by editing samples or your own past work to identify and correct style errors.

Use Online Resources : Leverage online resources and updates from the AP Stylebook's official Twitter account, which shares tips and clarifications.

Join AP Style Quizzes and Workshops : Participate in workshops or online quizzes. Websites like Newsroom 101 offer exercises based on AP Style.

Keep a Cheat Sheet : Create a cheat sheet of the most commonly used AP Style rules and guidelines relevant to your writing.

Remember, consistency and attention to detail are key in mastering AP Style.

How to Display AP Style Skills on Your Resume

3. Multimedia Storytelling

Multimedia storytelling in journalism refers to the practice of using a combination of various content forms—such as text, audio, video, and interactive elements—to tell a story or report news in a more engaging and comprehensive manner. This approach allows for a richer, more immersive experience, enabling audiences to understand and connect with the story on multiple levels.

Multimedia storytelling is crucial in journalism as it enhances audience engagement by combining text, images, video, and audio, making stories more immersive and accessible across different platforms, and catering to diverse learning and consumption preferences. This multi-faceted approach ensures a broader reach and deeper understanding of news and narratives.

How to Improve Multimedia Storytelling Skills

Improving multimedia storytelling in journalism involves integrating various digital elements to create engaging, informative narratives. Here are concise strategies:

Utilize Diverse Media : Combine text, images, videos, and audio to cater to different audience preferences. This approach enriches the storytelling experience by providing multiple entry points to the story. Poynter offers insights on effectively combining these elements.

Interactive Elements : Incorporate interactive graphics, maps, and timelines to allow readers to explore data and stories at their own pace. Tools like Knight Lab’s projects can help in creating these elements.

Narrative Structure : Craft your story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Consider the arc of storytelling and how each multimedia element contributes. Nieman Storyboard provides examples and analysis of successful narrative structures.

Mobile Optimization : Ensure your multimedia content is accessible and performs well on mobile devices, as a significant portion of the audience consumes news on-the-go. The Google Mobile-Friendly Test is a useful tool for this.

Social Media Integration : Leverage social media platforms to share and promote your stories. Use platform-specific features like Instagram Stories or Twitter threads to tease and link back to your full multimedia story. Social Media Examiner offers strategies for effective social media use.

Feedback and Analytics : Utilize analytics tools to understand how your audience interacts with your stories and use this feedback to refine future projects. Google Analytics can provide valuable insights into user behavior.

By implementing these strategies, journalists can enhance their multimedia storytelling, making it more engaging and accessible to a diverse audience.

How to Display Multimedia Storytelling Skills on Your Resume

4. Data Visualization (Tableau)

Data Visualization in Tableau for journalism involves using the Tableau software to create interactive and visually compelling charts, graphs, and maps to represent complex datasets, making it easier for journalists to tell stories and convey information clearly and engagingly to their audience.

Data Visualization, particularly through tools like Tableau, is crucial in journalism as it enables the clear and impactful presentation of complex data, helping to tell stories in a visually engaging manner that enhances understanding and retention among audiences.

How to Improve Data Visualization (Tableau) Skills

Improving Data Visualization in Tableau, especially for journalism, involves focusing on clarity, storytelling, and audience engagement. Here’s a brief guide:

Start with a Clear Goal : Know what story you're trying to tell or what question you're answering. This ensures your visualization is purposeful and organized.

Choose the Right Chart Type : Match your data and storytelling goals with the appropriate chart type to enhance comprehension. Tableau provides a guide on choosing the right chart types.

Simplify and Declutter : Remove unnecessary elements (like excessive colors, lines, or text) that don't contribute to the story. This Tableau guide on effective visual practices is helpful.

Use Color Wisely : Use color to highlight key data points or to guide the viewer’s attention. Ensure high contrast for readability. Tableau’s tips on using color can be insightful.

Annotate and Label Clearly : Annotations and labels should be concise, adding context or emphasizing key insights without overwhelming the viewer.

Ensure Accessibility : Make your visualizations accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. This includes considering color blindness and ensuring your visualizations are legible for all. Learn more from Tableau's accessibility considerations.

Iterate and Get Feedback : Share drafts with peers or members of your intended audience for feedback. Their insights can help refine and improve the visualization.

Stay Updated with Tableau’s Resources : Tableau’s blog and training videos are great resources to learn new tips, tricks, and updates.

Focusing on these aspects can significantly enhance the effectiveness and impact of your data visualizations in journalism.

How to Display Data Visualization (Tableau) Skills on Your Resume

5. SEO Optimization

SEO Optimization for journalism involves tailoring online content to improve visibility and ranking on search engine results pages. This includes using relevant keywords, compelling headlines, and high-quality content to attract more readers and enhance the discoverability of news articles and features.

SEO optimization is crucial for journalism as it helps ensure that content reaches a wider audience by improving visibility and ranking on search engines, thereby enhancing reader engagement and driving more traffic to news websites.

How to Improve SEO Optimization Skills

To improve SEO optimization for journalism, focus on these concise strategies:

Keyword Research : Identify target keywords relevant to your content. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner for research.

Quality Content : Create high-quality, engaging, and informative articles that answer readers' questions. See Google's Quality Guidelines for reference.

Headlines and Meta Descriptions : Craft compelling headlines and meta descriptions incorporating your target keywords. Yoast SEO provides great tips on this.

Mobile-Friendly Design : Ensure your website is responsive and mobile-friendly. Test your site with Google's Mobile-Friendly Test .

Page Speed : Improve page loading times for better user experience. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to analyze and optimize.

Internal and External Linking : Link to relevant internal pages and credible external sources to enhance content value. Moz's guide on link building offers excellent insights.

Social Media Engagement : Promote content on social media platforms to drive traffic. Hootsuite's social media tips can help.

Regular Updates : Keep content fresh and updated to stay relevant and authoritative.

By implementing these strategies, you can significantly improve your SEO optimization in journalism.

How to Display SEO Optimization Skills on Your Resume

6. Social Media (Hootsuite)

Social Media, in the context of journalism, refers to online platforms like Hootsuite that facilitate the sharing, creation, and dissemination of news and information through interactive communication among users. Hootsuite specifically is a management tool that allows journalists to schedule, publish, and monitor content across multiple social media channels from a single dashboard, enhancing their ability to engage with audiences and track news trends efficiently.

Social media platforms like Hootsuite are important for journalism as they enable efficient management and scheduling of content across various social networks, facilitate real-time engagement with audiences, and provide tools for analyzing social media trends and impact, thereby enhancing the dissemination and promotion of journalistic content in the digital age.

How to Improve Social Media (Hootsuite) Skills

To improve your use of Hootsuite for journalism, follow these concise steps:

Strategize Your Content : Plan content that resonates with your audience. Use Hootsuite’s Planner to schedule posts related to trending topics, breaking news, and evergreen journalism pieces.

Leverage Analytics : Utilize Hootsuite’s Analytics feature to track the performance of your posts. Analyze metrics to understand what content types and topics your audience engages with the most.

Engage Your Audience : Use Hootsuite to monitor mentions and comments. Respond promptly to engage with your audience. This guide has tips to increase engagement on your posts.

Utilize Hootsuite Apps : Integrate third-party apps from the Hootsuite App Directory to enhance your social media management. Apps like TrendSpottr can help you identify trending topics relevant to your audience.

Optimize Posting Times : Post when your audience is most active. Hootsuite’s AutoSchedule feature can help, but also refer to this article for insights on the best times to post on various platforms.

Monitor Competitors : Keep an eye on competitors’ social media strategies. Use Hootsuite’s Streams to monitor their content and audience engagement, helping you refine your strategy.

Continuous Learning : Stay updated with social media trends and Hootsuite features by visiting the Hootsuite Blog . It’s a valuable resource for tips, trends, and strategies in social media.

Implementing these steps will enhance your journalism practices on social media via Hootsuite, making your content more engaging and reaching a wider audience efficiently.

How to Display Social Media (Hootsuite) Skills on Your Resume

7. Video Editing (Adobe Premiere)

Video editing in Adobe Premiere for journalism involves cutting, assembling, and enhancing video footage to create compelling news stories or features. This process includes adding titles, transitions, effects, and adjusting audio levels to produce a polished and informative final product for broadcast or online publication.

Video editing, especially through tools like Adobe Premiere, is crucial in journalism for crafting compelling, clear, and engaging news stories. It enables journalists to effectively combine footage, interviews, and graphics, enhancing storytelling and ensuring the accurate conveyance of information to the audience.

How to Improve Video Editing (Adobe Premiere) Skills

Improving video editing skills in Adobe Premiere for journalism involves focusing on storytelling, efficiency, and technical mastery. Here’s a concise guide:

Learn the Basics : Start with Adobe’s own tutorials to understand the interface and key functions.

Storytelling : Journalism is about stories. Use the rule of thirds for composition and J and L cuts to make your edits seamless and engaging.

Keyboard Shortcuts : Speed up your workflow by mastering keyboard shortcuts. This saves time and lets you focus more on creativity.

Color Grading : Enhance the visual appeal of your videos with color correction and grading. Adobe provides a solid foundation on how to get started .

Audio Editing : Good video isn’t just visual. Improve your audio quality and editing skills with tutorials like those from Adobe on mixing audio.

Transitions and Effects : Use transitions sparingly and effects wisely to support the story, not distract. Adobe’s guide on applying transitions offers best practices.

Export Settings : Ensure your content looks good across platforms with the right export settings.

Stay Updated : Adobe Premiere Pro is constantly evolving. Stay updated with the latest features and improvements on the Adobe Blog.

Practice : Like any skill, practice is key. Challenge yourself with new projects, replicate styles you admire, and incorporate feedback.

Join Communities : Engage with online forums and communities (e.g., r/premiere ) to learn from others, share your work, and get feedback.

Remember, improvement is a continuous process. Be patient and persistent.

How to Display Video Editing (Adobe Premiere) Skills on Your Resume

8. Audio Editing (Audacity)

Audio editing in Audacity for journalism involves manipulating and refining audio recordings to enhance clarity, remove unwanted noise, and ensure the audio content is engaging and informative for listeners. This process is crucial for producing high-quality, professional audio pieces for news reports, interviews, and podcasts.

Audio editing, particularly through tools like Audacity, is crucial in journalism for producing clear, engaging, and professional audio content. It allows journalists to refine interviews, reports, and podcasts by removing unwanted noise, adjusting levels, and ensuring seamless transitions, thereby enhancing storytelling and communication effectiveness.

How to Improve Audio Editing (Audacity) Skills

Improving audio editing in Audacity, particularly for journalism, involves mastering a few key techniques and utilizing the right resources. Here’s a concise guide:

Noise Reduction : To minimize background noise, select a portion of the audio with only the noise, then go to Effect > Noise Reduction . Use the "Get Noise Profile" feature, then apply the effect to the entire track. Official Guide

Leveling and Compression : To ensure even audio levels, use the Compressor effect under Effect > Compressor . This reduces the dynamic range, making quiet and loud sounds more consistent. Compressor Basics

Equalization : To improve voice clarity, use the Equalization effect to boost or cut frequencies. Typically, enhancing frequencies between 1kHz and 4kHz can make speech clearer. Equalization Tips

Cutting and Trimming : For a tight narrative, use the Selection Tool to highlight unwanted parts and press Delete . Use the Time Shift Tool to rearrange segments. Editing Basics

Fade In/Out : To smoothly start or end your audio, select the beginning or end of your track and choose Effect > Fade In or Fade Out . Fading Audio

For more in-depth techniques and tips, consider exploring resources such as:

Transom : A showcase and workshop for new public radio, offering tools and techniques for storytelling. Transom Audacity Tutorials

The Audacity to Podcast : Offers tips on how to use Audacity specifically for podcasting, which is closely related to journalism. The Audacity to Podcast

Remember, practice and experimentation are key. The more you work with Audacity, the better your results will be.

How to Display Audio Editing (Audacity) Skills on Your Resume

9. Content Management Systems (WordPress)

A Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress is a software platform that enables journalists and publishers to create, manage, and publish digital content easily without the need for specialized technical knowledge, facilitating timely and dynamic news dissemination.

Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress are crucial for journalism as they streamline the process of creating, editing, publishing, and managing digital content. This enables journalists to quickly disseminate timely news, engage with audiences through interactive media, and maintain an online presence without needing advanced technical skills.

How to Improve Content Management Systems (WordPress) Skills

Improving Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress for journalism necessitates focusing on performance, security, content organization, and SEO. Here's a concise guide:

Performance Optimization : Enhance your site's speed by using a reliable hosting service, optimizing images ( TinyPNG ), and using caching plugins ( W3 Total Cache ). Google's PageSpeed Insights is valuable for identifying performance issues.

Security Enhancement : Secure your site by regularly updating WordPress, themes, and plugins. Implement security plugins like Wordfence and enable SSL encryption to safeguard data.

Content Organization : Utilize categories and tags effectively for better navigation and use plugins like Yoast SEO to optimize content structure and readability, ensuring your journalism content is accessible and engaging.

SEO Optimization : Improve your site's visibility in search engines by focusing on keyword optimization, generating XML sitemaps through Yoast SEO, and optimizing meta descriptions to increase click-through rates. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console can provide insights and track your site's performance.

Mobile Responsiveness : Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, considering the majority of users access content via smartphones. Themes like Astra are designed to be responsive and fast.

Engagement Features : Implement plugins to add social sharing buttons ( Social Snap ) and comment management systems ( Disqus ) to enhance user engagement and interaction.

By focusing on these areas, you can significantly improve the functionality and user experience of a WordPress site tailored for journalism purposes.

How to Display Content Management Systems (WordPress) Skills on Your Resume

10. Photo Editing (Adobe Photoshop)

Photo editing in Adobe Photoshop, especially in the context of journalism, involves digitally manipulating or enhancing images to improve their clarity, composition, and overall impact, while maintaining ethical standards to ensure the accurate and truthful representation of events.

Photo editing, particularly through tools like Adobe Photoshop, is crucial in journalism for enhancing visual clarity and impact, ensuring accurate representation, and meeting publication standards, all while adhering to ethical guidelines to preserve the integrity and truthfulness of the imagery.

How to Improve Photo Editing (Adobe Photoshop) Skills

Improving photo editing skills in Adobe Photoshop, especially for journalism, involves mastering techniques that enhance the storytelling aspect while preserving the integrity of the image. Here are concise tips with relevant resources:

Learn Basic Tools : Familiarize yourself with Photoshop's basic tools like the Crop Tool, Adjustment Layers, and Clone Stamp for essential edits. Adobe's official tutorials are a great place to start.

Understand Color Correction : Enhance your photos' mood and feel by mastering Color Correction. Use Levels, Curves, and Color Balance to adjust brightness, contrast, and color. PetaPixel offers a straightforward guide on color correction.

Sharpen Images : Learn to sharpen images appropriately to enhance clarity without overdoing it, crucial for journalistic integrity. Adobe's guide on sharpening images is useful.

Retouch Photos Ethically : In journalism, it's vital to retouch photos ethically, focusing on minor corrections without altering the story. The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) provides Code of Ethics which should guide your editing process.

Stay Updated with Latest Trends : Photography and editing techniques evolve, so it's essential to stay updated. Websites like Fstoppers and DPReview offer the latest news and tutorials.

Practice Regularly : The key to mastery is consistent practice. Challenge yourself with projects from sites like Behance for inspiration and feedback from the creative community.

Remember, in journalism, the goal of photo editing is to enhance the narrative while maintaining the photograph's authenticity and integrity.

How to Display Photo Editing (Adobe Photoshop) Skills on Your Resume

11. Fact-Checking

Fact-checking in journalism is the process of verifying the accuracy of information, claims, and statements made in a news story or article before it is published or broadcast. This ensures the reliability and credibility of the content presented to the public.

Fact-checking in journalism is crucial to ensure accuracy, uphold credibility, and maintain public trust by verifying information before publication, thus preventing the spread of misinformation and disinformation.

How to Improve Fact-Checking Skills

Improving fact-checking in journalism requires a multi-faceted approach, focusing on both the methods used by journalists and the resources available to them. Here’s a concise guide:

Strengthen Research Skills : Journalists should enhance their research skills, including advanced internet searches, public records examination, and understanding statistical data. The Poynter Institute offers courses and resources to help journalists refine these skills.

Utilize Fact-Checking Tools : Leverage digital tools and databases such as FactCheck.org , Snopes , and PolitiFact to verify claims and statements.

Develop Expert Networks : Building relationships with experts across various fields can provide reliable insights and quick fact checks. Tools like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) can connect journalists with experts.

Cross-Verify Sources : Always cross-verify information with multiple reliable sources. This practice helps ensure the accuracy of the information being reported.

Embrace Transparency : Clearly communicate the fact-checking process to the audience, including sources used. This builds trust and credibility. The Trust Project provides guidelines for transparency in journalism.

Educational Programs : Encourage participation in fact-checking and media literacy programs. Organizations like The News Literacy Project offer resources for journalists and the public to improve understanding of media content.

Adopt a Fact-Checking Protocol : Establish a standardized fact-checking protocol within the organization. The American Press Institute offers guidance on creating such protocols.

By combining these strategies, journalists can significantly improve their fact-checking capabilities, contributing to the accuracy and reliability of their reporting.

How to Display Fact-Checking Skills on Your Resume

12. Mobile Journalism

Mobile Journalism (MoJo) is a form of journalism that involves using smartphones or portable devices to gather, edit, and distribute news stories and content, allowing for real-time reporting from virtually anywhere.

Mobile journalism is important because it allows for immediate, accessible, and versatile reporting from anywhere, using smartphones to capture and share news in real-time, ensuring timely delivery of information to a global audience.

How to Improve Mobile Journalism Skills

Improving Mobile Journalism (MoJo) involves leveraging the power of smartphones and mobile devices to produce high-quality journalistic content efficiently. Here are concise strategies:

Enhance Skills : Journalists should undergo training in mobile-specific photography, videography, editing, and storytelling techniques to improve content quality.

Utilize Apps : Adopt specialized apps for editing, live streaming, and reporting to streamline workflows and enhance storytelling.

Invest in Gear : Acquire mobile journalism gear, like stabilizers, microphones, and lenses, to improve production values.

Stay Updated : Keep abreast of the latest trends and technologies in mobile journalism by following platforms like NiemanLab and Journalism.co.uk for industry insights and updates.

Engage Audiences : Use social media and interactive features to engage with the audience, gather feedback, and tailor content accordingly. Platforms like Twitter and Instagram are essential for real-time engagement.

Focus on Storytelling : Regardless of technology, compelling storytelling remains central. Prioritize clear, engaging narratives that resonate with your audience.

By following these strategies, journalists can enhance their mobile journalism skills, producing impactful and engaging content for their audiences.

How to Display Mobile Journalism Skills on Your Resume

Eight presentation skills you can learn from journalists

• Presentation skills

Love them or loathe them, there is much you can learn from journalists to help you deliver better presentations.

Reporters, whether they work on television, radio or newspapers, have a unique understanding of what makes audiences tick and how to maintain their attention.

Whether you are preparing to present to customers, colleagues or delivering an online presentation, current working journalist led presentation training can provide all you need to produce a compelling performance.

Here are eight things you can learn from reporters to improve your public speaking and business presentations:

1 Immediate impact

It may sound shallow but when you are presenting your audience will form an almost instant impression of you. In fact, you have between three and 10 seconds to get that first impression right. So you need to engage your audience from the start. This is part of everyday life for journalists who have to ensure their story introductions instantly grab attention.

Delivering you messages in a dull, flat monotone way will ensure audiences quickly switch off. You need to inject passion, enthusiasm and energy in to your voice. Broadcast journalists depend on their voice and can show you make your voice more impactful by including ‘light and shade’ to your deliver.

3 Understanding the audience

The more you know about your audience the more effective you will be at making the content of your presentations appeal to them. When journalists consider a story idea they are looking at whether it is relevant to their viewers, listeners and readers. That’s why, for example, some stories are only covered by tabloid newspapers or publications with a particular interest in, for example, finance.  

4 Good structure

When presentations don’t flow the audience gets lost and switches off. Consequently, the opportunity to get your messages across has gone. Structuring your presentation is key to avoid your audience having to sit through a disorganised and frustrating ramble. You need to know where you are going – and so does the audience. It’s exactly the same for news stories and that is why journalists are ideally placed to help you get you presentation structure right.

5 Avoiding jargon

Journalists hate jargon and know it is a huge turn-off for their audience. That’s why they cringe when someone they are interviewing falls in to corporate speak. It’s exactly the same with presentations. Journalist will stress upon you the importance of using the language you would normally use when speaking to friends – not just for engagement, but also comprehension.

6 The importance of storytelling

People love stories and good stories are memorable because they trigger an emotional response. Crafting storytelling into your presentation will make your messages much more memorable than a series of bullet points. And who better to learn from than people who are paid to identify and tell stories every day?

7 Making it timely

One of the key components of something being newsworthy is timeliness. Similarly a presentation audience is much more likely to be engaged if you are discussing something new, of the moment and something people are talking about. Our journalist trainers can help you to understand what is newsworthy and what will interest audiences.

8 Human interest

Ask any journalist what makes a good story and the answer will be human interest. People like hearing about other people. So when you prepare your next presentation focus on what is in it for the people you are talking to and the impact what you are announcing will have on your customers.

Media First  are media and communications training specialists with over 30 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers. 

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10 Journalism Skills Every Modern Journalist Needs to Have

Digital media has completely transformed the news—and the journalism skills needed to produce and deliver it.

Twenty years ago, Americans turned to traditional media for the news. TV, radio and newspapers were the go-to sources.

Now, digital media dominates. Over half of U.S. adults prefer to get their news from a digital platform, such as podcasts or social media.

What does the shift to digital media mean for aspiring and working journalists? They need to master a variety of journalism skills. While the foundations of journalism endure, the field requires new expertise to break in and stay relevant.

This blog post will introduce you to the most in-demand digital journalism skills. You’ll also learn how you can enhance yours through the new online Master of Arts in Digital Journalism at St. Bonaventure University.

What’s the Evolution of Journalism Over the Past 20 Years?

In the last two decades, technology has sparked seismic shifts in journalism.

Three developments stand out: the internet, mobile devices and social media. Together, they've changed the accessibility, creation and delivery of journalism.

Today, almost every adult in America connects to the internet and social media through a digital device. Their extensive use makes it easy to forget that these technologies are relatively new to our daily lives.

All three emerged in the 1990s. Since then, adoption has soared. According to 2019 data from the Pew Research Center:

• 52 percent of U.S. adults used the internet in 2000. By 2019, that number grew to 90 percent.
• Between 2011 and 2019, smartphone ownership more than doubled from 35 percent to 81 percent.
• In 2005, just 5 percent of U.S. adults used at least one social media site. In 2019, 72 percent reported the same.

To retain their audiences, journalists had to meet the public online.

Between 2000 and 2020, the news proliferated on websites, mobile apps and social media. Traditional outlets published repurposed and original online content. At the same time, news organizations offering exclusively digital content emerged.

The internet, digital devices and social media created new distribution platforms for journalism. As a result, the public enjoyed more access to news than ever before.

But these technologies also drove the evolution of journalism creation.

Journalists gained new tools for real-time reporting. They could publish stories more quickly and to a broader audience. It also became easier to get immediate feedback, conduct research, access and analyze data and tell stories through multiple media.

Thanks to advancements in technology, a new branch of journalism emerged—digital journalism.

Is Journalism Dead?

It's true that the news media face challenges. Revenue generation, public media literacy and political intervention are examples. But the idea that journalism is dying is a common misconception.

Technology has made content more accessible than ever. As a result, content consumption is rising. In 2020, people worldwide doubled the amount of content they consumed every day.

Moreover, the news is one of the fastest-growing types of content. Consider these facts:

• Almost half of global consumers are spending more time on news websites and apps.
• Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have purchased print or digital news subscriptions than canceled them.

Journalism isn’t dead. It’s just different than 20 years ago.

What’s the Current State of Journalism?

According to consumers, digital media rules journalism. More U.S. adults like to get their news from digital sources than traditional ones.

In January 2021, 86 percent of those surveyed by Pew Research Center said they get their news from a digital device “often” or “sometimes.” That’s higher than the percentage of adults who rely on TV (68 percent), radio (50 percent) and print publications (32 percent) for news.

Why do people prefer digital journalism? To start, it’s convenient. News content can now be accessed from anywhere at any time.

But digital journalism is also engaging. Digital media deepens storytelling by integrating writing, visuals and sound. It enhances the audience’s experience with a story.

News organizations now use multiple media platforms to publish content online, including:

• Websites and blogs
• Mobile apps
• Data analysis and visualizations
• Photos and videos
• Social media
• Augmented reality
• Interactive web experiences

These digital platforms allow journalists to tell stories that foster greater empathy, exploration, education and investigation.

The current state of journalism demands a unique skillset. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, journalists with digital media experience will have the best job prospects.

Which Journalism Skills Are In-Demand?

Digital media has created exciting opportunities for journalists to produce and share their stories. Yet to be effective digital content creators, journalists need mastery of a variety of journalism skills.

They need as much proficiency in digital media as they do in the foundations of journalism. The following are the most in-demand skills for journalists.

1. Interviewing

Interviewing continues to be one of the most vital journalism skills. It helps journalists develop trustworthy, accurate and impactful storytelling.

Interviews are a tool for:

• Collecting authoritative information.
• Verifying information from other sources.
• Uncovering and exploring different perspectives.

Journalism skills for interviews go beyond asking questions.

Journalists need to prepare through goal setting and research. During interviews, they need active listening skills and the ability to maintain the flow and focus.

Conducting quality interviews isn’t easy. That’s why strong interviewing skills are highly sought-after.

2. Reporting

Most U.S. adults say news organizations need more transparency. They want to know how journalists find and choose sources, produce their stories and issue corrections.

These concerns are related to reporting, another one of the most crucial journalism skills. Reporting is the heart of trustworthy and well-researched journalism.

Today’s journalists need the skills to:

• Identify, observe, gather, assess, record and share relevant information.
• Report with empathy and compassion.
• Conduct thorough journalistic research and evaluate information appropriate to their media.
• Understand and make meaning of data.

Growing public distrust in the media has drawn new attention to ethical journalism skills.

In 2000, approximately half of U.S. adults reported having a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of trust in the news media. That figure dropped to 40 percent by 2020.

Fortunately, 75 percent of U.S. adults say the news media can improve their level of confidence.

Producing journalism of the highest standard will earn public trust. To do so, practitioners must demonstrate ethical journalism skills. That means committing to truth, accuracy, fairness, diversity and freedom of speech.

Journalists must understand how to:

• Apply the best ideals of journalist excellence and ethics to new forms of media.
• Apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press.
• Produce inclusive work that illustrates an awareness of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and other forms of diversity.

Writing is another foundational journalism skill. Journalists must master written communication for all media types, from text stories and podcast scripts to photo captions and social media posts.

Journalism skills related to writing include understanding the principles of grammar and punctuation. Journalists should also know how to write clearly, simplify complex information and adhere to a style guide.

5. Digital Journalism Skills

The public’s growing preference for digital media means that digital journalism skills are now imperative.

Journalists must be able to strategically use digital storytelling tools to connect with audiences on various platforms. This means thinking critically and creatively about the best forms of media to serve the target audience.

Here are a few examples of digital journalism skills:

• Live streaming video on Twitter from a mobile device.
• Transforming a data spreadsheet into a responsive visualization for a website.
• Shooting and editing video into a series of GIFs.

6. Investigative Reporting

Investigative reporting helps protect individuals and society from harmful practices. It ensures accountability, drives change and preserves democracy.

Recent recipients of The Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting uncovered predatory lending in the New York City taxi industry, the source of opioids in Western Virginia and escalating neglect in Florida mental health hospitals.

Where there's potential wrongdoing, there's an opportunity for investigative reporting. For that reason, it will always be one of the core journalism skills.

Investigative reporting takes special craft. Journalists must know how to integrate all of the foundational journalism skills in this list—but on a larger and more complex scale.

7. Mobile Journalism Skills

The top journalism skills include mobile proficiency.

Of the U.S. adults who get their news from digital devices, approximately 7 in 10 rely on news websites or apps. That’s more than the number who prefer search, social media or podcasts.

Today’s journalists must use mobile devices to connect with the public. To do so, they need the mobile journalism skills to:

• Take and edit photos.
• Record and edit audio and video.
• Report in real-time on social or traditional news channels.
• Publish stories on the go.

Editing is also among the most desirable journalism skills. Journalists should know how to critically evaluate their work and that of others.

Copyediting is a necessary step in creating excellent journalism. It ensures:

• Appropriate style.
• Grammatical correctness.

9. Social Media

Social media is the third-most-common source of digital news among U.S. adults. Fifty-three percent get their news from social media, at least sometimes.

That number could increase. Between 2014 and 2019, social media use rose steadily across adults of all ages.

The widespread consumption of news on social media means journalists need the skills to:

• Connect with audiences on the most popular platforms. Most U.S. adults who get their news on social media do so on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit.
• Report in real-time on the various social platforms. This involves critical and creative thinking about the most appropriate media for each platform.
• Build a personal brand on social media. Twitter is the leading social network among journalists, and LinkedIn is gaining popularity.

10. Video Journalism Skills

Modern journalists must know how to create impactful content for video.

Digital media has given Americans more ways to watch the news, which is how many like to consume it. Forty-seven percent of U.S. adults prefer viewing the news over reading or listening to it, either on TV or online.

Video journalism skills are both editorial and technical. Today’s journalists must be proficient in all of them—from developing a compelling narrative to shooting and editing video on a mobile device.

Enhance Your Journalism Skills With an Online Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

How do your journalism skills compare with industry demands?

If you need to expand your capabilities, then consider pursuing graduate-level education in digital journalism. It will strengthen your knowledge and skillset and position you for more desirable career opportunities.

St. Bonaventure University is now offering an online Master of Arts in Digital Journalism for aspiring digital journalists. This program, offered through the university’s ACEJMC-accredited Jandoli School of Communication, provides the complete package.

It’s a graduate degree that emphasizes journalistic standards while preparing students with digital journalism skills. Graduates will be prepared to tell impactful stories across the media landscape—with skill, integrity and creativity.

As a student, you’ll master content creation for digital, traditional, audio and video applications. Learn how to:

• Contextualize today’s digital journalism in the broader best ideals of journalism.
• Apply programming languages to facilitate digital storytelling.
• Demonstrate foundational skills in photography, video, design and audio.
• Understand and make meaning of data for news and public interest stories.
• Report stories in real-time via social media.
• Build your brand as a journalist.
• Develop, research and execute a major journalism project.

You’ll also develop as a socially conscious and ethically committed journalist. Franciscan values shape SBU, providing a moral and ethical framework for the journalism profession.

The online Master of Arts in Digital Journalism is new at SBU, but the Jandoli School of Communications has a legacy of journalistic excellence. Our alumni are award-winning media professionals, including Pulitzer Prize, duPont, Peabody and Emmy recipients.

SBU will help you become a leader in producing ethical journalism for diverse audiences in the digital world. Are you ready?

Get more information about the online Master of Arts in Digital Journalism.

Read more of SBU online's top blogs below:

1. The Digital Evolution of Sports Journalism: Q&A with Michael Vaccaro (@MikeVacc)

2. Coping With Isolation: 25 Strategies for Optimizing Mental Health

3. Successful Online Student: 20 Tips for Hitting Your Goals

4. Jandoli School of Communication Earns Prestigious Accreditation

*Please note that information contained in this blog post may be subject to change per program or regulatory requirements.

Whether you have a simple question or need advice to determine if this program is right for you, our knowledgeable advisors are here to help. They can chat with you on your schedule and guide you through the entire admissions process, so you can feel confident moving forward with your online St. Bonaventure University program.

Connect with an Advisor Today

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6 presentation skills and how to improve them

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What are presentation skills?

The importance of presentation skills, 6 presentation skills examples, how to improve presentation skills.

Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety

Learn how to captivate an audience with ease

Capturing an audience’s attention takes practice. 

Over time, great presenters learn how to organize their speeches and captivate an audience from start to finish. They spark curiosity, know how to read a room , and understand what their audience needs to walk away feeling like they learned something valuable.

Regardless of your profession, you most likely use presentation skills on a monthly or even weekly basis. Maybe you lead brainstorming sessions or host client calls. 

Developing effective presentation skills makes it easier to contribute ideas with confidence and show others you’re someone to trust. Although speaking in front of a crowd sometimes brings nerves and anxiety , it also sparks new opportunities.

Presentation skills are the qualities and abilities you need to communicate ideas effectively and deliver a compelling speech. They influence how you structure a presentation and how an audience receives it. Understanding body language , creating impactful visual aids, and projecting your voice all fall under this umbrella.

A great presentation depends on more than what you say. It’s about how you say it. Storytelling , stage presence, and voice projection all shape how well you express your ideas and connect with the audience. These skills do take practice, but they’re worth developing — especially if public speaking makes you nervous. 

Engaging a crowd isn’t easy. You may feel anxious to step in front of an audience and have all eyes and ears on you.

But feeling that anxiety doesn’t mean your ideas aren’t worth sharing. Whether you’re giving an inspiring speech or delivering a monthly recap at work, your audience is there to listen to you. Harness that nervous energy and turn it into progress.

Strong presentation skills make it easier to convey your thoughts to audiences of all sizes. They can help you tell a compelling story, convince people of a pitch , or teach a group something entirely new to them. And when it comes to the workplace, the strength of your presentation skills could play a part in getting a promotion or contributing to a new initiative.

To fully understand the impact these skills have on creating a successful presentation, it’s helpful to look at each one individually. Here are six valuable skills you can develop:

1. Active listening

Active listening is an excellent communication skill for any professional to hone. When you have strong active listening skills, you can listen to others effectively and observe their nonverbal cues . This helps you assess whether or not your audience members are engaged in and understand what you’re sharing. 

Great public speakers use active listening to assess the audience’s reactions and adjust their speech if they find it lacks impact. Signs like slouching, negative facial expressions, and roaming eye contact are all signs to watch out for when giving a presentation.

2. Body language

If you’re researching presentation skills, chances are you’ve already watched a few notable speeches like TED Talks or industry seminars. And one thing you probably noticed is that speakers can capture attention with their body language. 

A mixture of eye contact, hand gestures , and purposeful pacing makes a presentation more interesting and engaging. If you stand in one spot and don’t move your body, the audience might zone out.

3. Stage presence

A great stage presence looks different for everyone. A comedian might aim for more movement and excitement, and a conference speaker might focus their energy on the content of their speech. Although neither is better than the other, both understand their strengths and their audience’s needs. 

Developing a stage presence involves finding your own unique communication style . Lean into your strengths, whether that’s adding an injection of humor or asking questions to make it interactive . To give a great presentation, you might even incorporate relevant props or presentation slides.

4. Storytelling

According to Forbes, audiences typically pay attention for about 10 minutes before tuning out . But you can lengthen their attention span by offering a presentation that interests them for longer. Include a narrative they’ll want to listen to, and tell a story as you go along. 

Shaping your content to follow a clear narrative can spark your audience’s curiosity and entice them to pay careful attention. You can use anecdotes from your personal or professional life that take your audience along through relevant moments. If you’re pitching a product, you can start with a problem and lead your audience through the stages of how your product provides a solution.

5. Voice projection

Although this skill may be obvious, you need your audience to hear what you’re saying. This can be challenging if you’re naturally soft-spoken and struggle to project your voice.

Remember to straighten your posture and take deep breaths before speaking, which will help you speak louder and fill the room. If you’re talking into a microphone or participating in a virtual meeting, you can use your regular conversational voice, but you still want to sound confident and self-assured with a strong tone.

If you’re unsure whether everyone can hear you, you can always ask the audience at the beginning of your speech and wait for confirmation. That way, they won’t have to potentially interrupt you later.

Ensuring everyone can hear you also includes your speed and annunciation. It’s easy to speak quickly when nervous, but try to slow down and pronounce every word. Mumbling can make your presentation difficult to understand and pay attention to.

6. Verbal communication 

Although verbal communication involves your projection and tone, it also covers the language and pacing you use to get your point across. This includes where you choose to place pauses in your speech or the tone you use to emphasize important ideas.

If you’re giving a presentation on collaboration in the workplace , you might start your speech by saying, “There’s something every workplace needs to succeed: teamwork.” By placing emphasis on the word “ teamwork ,” you give your audience a hint on what ideas will follow.

To further connect with your audience through diction, pay careful attention to who you’re speaking to. The way you talk to your colleagues might be different from how you speak to a group of superiors, even if you’re discussing the same subject. You might use more humor and a conversational tone for the former and more serious, formal diction for the latter.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses when it comes to presenting. Maybe you’re confident in your use of body language, but your voice projection needs work. Maybe you’re a great storyteller in small group settings, but need to work on your stage presence in front of larger crowds. 

The first step to improving presentation skills is pinpointing your gaps and determining which qualities to build upon first. Here are four tips for enhancing your presentation skills:

1. Build self-confidence

Confident people know how to speak with authority and share their ideas. Although feeling good about your presentation skills is easier said than done, building confidence is key to helping your audience believe in what you’re saying. Try practicing positive self-talk and continuously researching your topic's ins and outs.

If you don’t feel confident on the inside, fake it until you make it. Stand up straight, project your voice, and try your best to appear engaged and excited. Chances are, the audience doesn’t know you’re unsure of your skills — and they don’t need to.

Another tip is to lean into your slideshow, if you’re using one. Create something colorful and interesting so the audience’s eyes fall there instead of on you. And when you feel proud of your slideshow, you’ll be more eager to share it with others, bringing more energy to your presentation.

2. Watch other presentations

Developing the soft skills necessary for a good presentation can be challenging without seeing them in action. Watch as many as possible to become more familiar with public speaking skills and what makes a great presentation. You could attend events with keynote speakers or view past speeches on similar topics online.

Take a close look at how those presenters use verbal communication and body language to engage their audiences. Grab a notebook and jot down what you enjoyed and your main takeaways. Try to recall the techniques they used to emphasize their main points, whether they used pauses effectively, had interesting visual aids, or told a fascinating story.

3. Get in front of a crowd

You don’t need a large auditorium to practice public speaking. There are dozens of other ways to feel confident and develop good presentation skills.

If you’re a natural comedian, consider joining a small stand-up comedy club. If you’re an avid writer, participate in a public poetry reading. Even music and acting can help you feel more comfortable in front of a crowd.

If you’d rather keep it professional, you can still work on your presentation skills in the office. Challenge yourself to participate at least once in every team meeting, or plan and present a project to become more comfortable vocalizing your ideas. You could also speak to your manager about opportunities that flex your public speaking abilities.

4. Overcome fear

Many people experience feelings of fear before presenting in front of an audience, whether those feelings appear as a few butterflies or more severe anxiety. Try grounding yourself to shift your focus to the present moment. If you’re stuck dwelling on previous experiences that didn’t go well, use those mistakes as learning experiences and focus on what you can improve to do better in the future.

Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety 

It’s normal to feel nervous when sharing your ideas. In fact, according to a report from the Journal of Graduate Medical Education, public speaking anxiety is prevalent in 15–30% of the general population .

Even though having a fear of public speaking is common, it doesn’t make it easier. You might feel overwhelmed, become stiff, and forget what you were going to say. But although the moment might scare you, there are ways to overcome the fear and put mind over matter.

Use these tactics to reduce your stress when you have to make a presentation:

1. Practice breathing techniques

If you experience anxiety often, you’re probably familiar with breathing techniques for stress relief . Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine can help you stop worrying and regulate anxious feelings. 

Before a big presentation, take a moment alone to practice breathing techniques, ground yourself, and reduce tension. It’s also a good idea to take breaths throughout the presentation to speak slower and calm yourself down .

2. Get organized

The more organized you are, the more prepared you’ll feel. Carefully outline all of the critical information you want to use in your presentation, including your main talking points and visual aids, so you don’t forget anything. Use bullet points and visuals on each slide to remind you of what you want to talk about, and create handheld notes to help you stay on track.

3. Embrace moments of silence

It’s okay to lose your train of thought. It happens to even the most experienced public speakers once in a while. If your mind goes blank, don’t panic. Take a moment to breathe, gather your thoughts, and refer to your notes to see where you left off. You can drink some water or make a quick joke to ease the silence or regain your footing. And it’s okay to say, “Give me a moment while I find my notes.” Chances are, people understand the position you’re in.

4. Practice makes progress

Before presenting, rehearse in front of friends and family members you trust. This gives you the chance to work out any weak spots in your speech and become comfortable communicating out loud. If you want to go the extra mile, ask your makeshift audience to ask a surprise question. This tests your on-the-spot thinking and will prove that you can keep cool when things come up.

Whether you’re new to public speaking or are a seasoned presenter, you’re bound to make a few slip-ups. It happens to everyone. The most important thing is that you try your best, brush things off, and work on improving your skills to do better in your next presentation.

Although your job may require a different level of public speaking than your favorite TED Talk , developing presentation skills is handy in any profession. You can use presentation skills in a wide range of tasks in the workplace, whether you’re sharing your ideas with colleagues, expressing concerns to higher-ups, or pitching strategies to potential clients.

Remember to use active listening to read the room and engage your audience with an interesting narrative. Don’t forget to step outside your comfort zone once in a while and put your skills to practice in front of a crowd. After facing your fears, you’ll feel confident enough to put presentation skills on your resume.

If you’re trying to build your skills and become a better employee overall, try a communications coach with BetterUp. 

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

The 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills

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Types of Skills for Journalists

Investigative research and fact-checking, storytelling and content creation, digital proficiency and multimedia skills, ethical and legal understanding, communication and interpersonal skills, adaptability and resilience, top hard skills for journalists.

Essential skills for crafting compelling stories, from investigative research to multimedia production, underpinned by a strong foundation in media law and ethics.

• Investigative Research
• Data Journalism and Data Visualization
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Empowering journalists with the skills to ethically engage, analyze, and convey stories with precision and empathy in a dynamic media landscape.

• Effective Communication and Storytelling
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• Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Attention to Detail and Accuracy
• Time Management and Meeting Deadlines
• Empathy and Cultural Sensitivity
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Most Important Journalist Skills in 2024

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• Master Multimedia Storytelling: Develop proficiency in various forms of media, including video, audio, and interactive digital content, to tell more engaging and comprehensive stories.
• Expand Data Journalism Expertise: Learn to analyze and visualize data to uncover and communicate complex stories in a clear and compelling way.
• Embrace New Technologies: Stay abreast of emerging technologies such as AI, AR, and VR that can transform how stories are reported and experienced by audiences.
• Strengthen Social Media Savvy: Refine your social media strategy to effectively distribute content, engage with audiences, and source news stories.
• Engage in Continuous Learning: Take advantage of online courses, webinars, and workshops to keep up with the latest trends and best practices in journalism.
• Build a Personal Brand: Cultivate a strong online presence and niche expertise to stand out and establish credibility in the field.
• Practice Ethical Journalism: Regularly review and apply ethical guidelines to ensure integrity and trustworthiness in your reporting.
• Network and Collaborate: Connect with other media professionals to exchange ideas, share resources, and collaborate on projects.
• Improve Investigative Skills: Sharpen your investigative techniques to unearth stories that matter and hold power to account.
• Focus on Mental Agility: Train yourself to think critically and creatively, adapting quickly to changing news landscapes and diverse perspectives.

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Presenting and reporting skills for broadcast

Learn how to present breaking news, conduct on-air interviews and deliver live reports on this two-day online course for both beginners and experienced journalists

Broadcast journalism can be daunting if you are not used to speaking to camera, conducting interviews on the air or dealing with hostile guests. But it can also be an extremely rewarding career – and turn you into a household name.

This practical workshop, led by investigative journalist and experienced broadcaster Paul Connolly, examines the techniques required to take your presenting skills to the next level, leading to more polished and effective live reporting.

From managing difficult interviewees and handling technical problems to balancing personality with professionalism, the course covers a wide range of topics and offers tons of tips and tricks to take away.

The course is perfect for journalists wanting to break into broadcasting, or experienced on-air reporters looking to polish their techniques.

As with all Journalism.co.uk courses, the training will focus on the latest tools and techniques with an emphasis on practical, hands-on learning.

Preparation

No preparation is required.

We will cover

Advanced live and pre-recorded interview skills:

• How best to conduct short on-air interviews
• How best to conduct short on-air interviews with experts/contributors
• Hostile interview skills - how to handle evasive politicians, controversial figures and difficult contributors effectively
• How best to conduct longer, in-depth interviews for news.

Advanced breaking news skills:

• How to ad-lib and fill time whilst the production team build the story and feed it through
• How to stay calm whilst under that kind of pressure and broadcasting with very little information
• How best to conduct interviews you are not prepared for.

Advanced on-location live reporting:

• How best to prepare for, and write, a live report
• How best to deliver a live report
• How to handle a breakdown in communication with the studio
• How to handle interference from members of the public during a live broadcast
• How best to deliver a live report from a potentially dangerous location or the location of civil unrest/volatile protests.

How to recover quickly and effectively from a mistake:

• In live TV, we all make mistakes. But how strongly you recover from those mistakes will determine how successful a broadcaster you become. Here, we outline effective strategies for remaining calm and composed after making a trivial or potentially troublesome, even libellous, mistake on live or pre-recorded television.

Advanced presentation skills:

• Polished is good, but polish plus real personality is better. Here we advise on how to break down self-imposed barriers between newsreaders and the viewing public, allowing professionalism and personality to merge on air
• Using negativity - as a broadcast journalist, you may become the target of criticism. Here you will learn how to steel yourself against that kind of criticism - and turn it into a positive
• Self-analysis - we outline and explain (with the help of practical exercises) why constant self-analysis and self-improvement are key to becoming a trusted, even treasured broadcast journalist and a household name.

Legal compliance - libel and defamation:

• The dos and don’ts for broadcast journalists
• How to initiate immediate damage limitation should a guest libel an individual or organisation mid-broadcast.

Getting there

This is an online course taking place over two four-hour sessions on 23 and 24 January. Start and end times may vary due to scheduling.

About Paul Connolly

Paul Connolly is an investigative broadcast journalist, television and radio presenter and documentary maker with more than 15 years’ experience under his belt.

Best known for his work on crime and the daring undercover operations that have seen him infiltrate criminal gangs in cities and towns across Britain, Paul’s acclaimed documentaries have aired on Channel 5 (UK), ITV, Netflix, Facebook Watch, Discovery Channel, BBC Worldwide, BBC Radio 4, Nine Network in Australia, Virgin Media One in Ireland and on many networks besides.

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Tips for Enhancing On-Air Presence in Broadcast Journalism

• Published: November 21, 2023
• By: Yellowbrick

Improving On-Air Presence in Broadcast Journalism

Broadcast journalism is a dynamic and competitive field that requires individuals to have not only the skills and knowledge to report news accurately but also the ability to engage and captivate audiences. One key aspect of being a successful broadcast journalist is having a strong on-air presence. Your on-air presence encompasses your delivery, confidence, body language, and overall presentation style. In this article, we will explore various tips and techniques to help you improve your on-air presence in broadcast journalism.

Develop Strong Communication Skills

Effective communication is at the core of broadcast journalism. To enhance your on-air presence, it is crucial to develop strong communication skills. This includes improving your vocal delivery, clarity, and diction. Practice speaking clearly and articulately, paying attention to your tone, pitch, and pace. Engage in activities such as voice exercises, reading out loud, and even joining public speaking clubs to refine your communication skills.

Master Body Language

Body language plays a significant role in on-air presentation. Viewers not only listen to what you say but also observe your non-verbal cues. Pay attention to your posture, gestures, and facial expressions. Stand tall, maintain an open and confident posture, and use appropriate hand gestures to emphasize key points. Practice in front of a mirror or record yourself to identify areas for improvement.

Enhance Your Delivery

Your delivery style greatly impacts how your message is received by the audience. Aim for a conversational and engaging delivery that resonates with viewers. Vary your tone and pitch to add depth and interest to your storytelling. Practice reading news scripts out loud to develop a smooth and natural delivery style. Remember to breathe properly and pause at appropriate moments to allow the audience to absorb the information.

Develop a Strong Presence

Confidence is key when it comes to on-air presence. Believe in yourself and your abilities as a broadcast journalist. Cultivate a strong presence by being knowledgeable about the topics you report on. Research extensively, stay updated with current events, and be prepared to answer questions or provide additional insights. This will not only boost your confidence but also establish you as a credible and authoritative figure in the field.

Connect with Your Audience

Building a connection with your audience is vital for a successful broadcast journalist. Find ways to engage with your viewers by speaking directly to them. Use inclusive language, address their concerns, and make your content relatable. Incorporate storytelling techniques to captivate their attention and evoke emotions. Remember, your audience should feel like you are speaking directly to them, creating a personal connection.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Improving your on-air presence requires consistent practice. Set aside time each day to practice your delivery, work on your body language, and refine your communication skills. Seek feedback from mentors, and colleagues, or even record yourself to analyze and identify areas for improvement. Dedication and perseverance will help you refine your on-air presence over time.

Seek Professional Development Opportunities

To further enhance your on-air presence, consider seeking professional development opportunities. Look for workshops, seminars, or courses that focus on broadcast journalism and presentation skills. Yellowbrick offers online courses specifically designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in journalism. These courses provide valuable insights and practical techniques to help you improve your on-air presence.

Key Takeaways

• Developing strong communication skills is essential for improving your on-air presence in broadcast journalism. Work on your vocal delivery, clarity, and diction to effectively convey your message.
• Mastering body language is crucial in an on-air presentation. Pay attention to your posture, gestures, and facial expressions to create a positive impact on viewers.
• Enhance your delivery by adopting a conversational and engaging style. Vary your tone and pitch to capture the audience’s attention and make your storytelling more compelling.
• Cultivate a strong presence by staying knowledgeable about the topics you report on. Research extensively, stay updated with current events, and exude confidence in your expertise.
• Building a connection with your audience is vital. Speak directly to them using inclusive language, address their concerns, and incorporate storytelling techniques to make your content relatable.
• Consistent practice is key to improving your on-air presence. Dedicate time to refine your delivery, body language, and communication skills. Seek feedback and keep refining your approach.

To further enhance your career in broadcast journalism and improve your on-air presence, consider enrolling in the NYU | Modern Journalism online course and certificate program offered by Yellowbrick. This comprehensive program will provide you with valuable insights, practical techniques, and the opportunity to learn from industry experts. Invest in your professional growth and take the necessary steps to excel in the field of broadcast journalism.

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Blog Beginner Guides 9 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills For Your Next Meeting

9 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills For Your Next Meeting

Written by: Hannah Tow Feb 03, 2020

Presenting to an audience is one thing, but presenting ideas in a persuasive manner to the key stakeholders of your business is a whole other ball game.

The fact of the matter is that successfully presenting to a room full of people is a skill that’s mastered by very few. It takes practice, practice, and even more practice to start feeling comfortable with everyone’s eyes focused on you so you can effectively get your point across. 

The reality of presenting is that you can’t escape it. Especially as you start to move up in your career. If you’re yearning to improve, this article will walk you through the top nine tips to use to enhance your presentation skills for your next big meeting as well as throughout your life. Let’s get started.

9 top tips for improving your presentation skills:

• Practice speaking in front of others
• Use less text and more visuals in your presentation
• Leverage your personality
• Welcome questions and comments during
• Be passionate and engaging
• Maintain eye contact with your audience
• Obsess over your listeners
• Focus on confident body language
• Keep it as short as possible

Constantly practicing, refining and improving upon your presentation skills will not only make you a more confident individual, but you will find that you rise quicker to success in your career. However, having great presentation skills does not just affect your work-life. Great presentation skills are truly life skills that you should integrate into more areas than just the conference room.

1. Practice speaking in front of others 

Practice always makes perfect. 

It doesn’t matter how well you know what you’re talking about, the moment you have to persuade, engage, or teach in front of an audience, you will probably stumble a bit. This is a natural reaction that affects pretty much everyone when all eyes are pointed in one direction and the anxiety sets in. 

It’s important to remember that the overwhelming feeling of stress you probably feel is the result of your unfamiliarity with the situation, not from your lack of preparedness. The more comfortable you are with taking the stage and having everyone’s attention on you, the less nervous you’ll get. 

The greater confidence you have in your presentation skills will allow you to focus on what actually matters–which is the material that you’re presenting. 

The best way to implement this practice is by starting off small. Prepare a presentation to give to your friends, family, or closest co-workers. This sounds easy, but you will learn that it’s not necessarily who is listening to you that causes nerves, but it’s the fact that all of the attention is on you. 

You’ll become more comfortable with the attention when you begin practicing in front of others more often, which will allow you to effectively present your ideas next time it’s your turn to speak in the conference room.

RELATED: Learn the top ten public speaking tips to better prepare you for your practice sessions. 

2. Use less text and more visuals in your presentation

We’ve all been there before: sitting at the conference table trying our very best to stay interested and engaged with the presentation before us. The presentation lacks color, images, and all sense of creativity while containing an over-abundance of text and long-form paragraphs. 

These types of presentations are horrible for two reasons: 

The first reason being that the minute you have words on the screen, your audience will direct their attention away from you to begin reading and completely tune you out. 

The second reason is if your presentation skills are poor, not only will your presentation be dull to listen to, but it will be unbelievably boring to look at as well. You’ll quickly find out how easy it is to lose most of the room’s attention when you create a lackluster presentation. 

If you feel lost attempting to design your slides into an exciting work of art, try using creative presentation templates . PowerPoint templates make it simple to produce something beautiful, and they can also make you feel like an accomplished designer after seeing the outcome, such as this business presentation example . 

In addition to nicely designed slides, you should always try to use infographics and charts to help you better summarize the complex information you’re relaying to your audience. It will be much easier for your listeners to understand what you’re explaining when they have something to visualize it with. Plus, there are plenty of resources out there to help you craft these visuals.

Learn how to make an infographic in five easy steps or produce an impressive graph .

If you feel worried that your presentation doesn’t hold enough content, you must remember the main reason for visual aids: 

They are to enhance what you’re speaking about, not lead it! 

If you’ve done enough practicing, you should feel confident in your presentation skills to thoroughly explain your main ideas and you won’t need to rely on the screen anyhow.

TIP: If you’re looking for even more ways to engage your audience with your visuals, check out 120+ presentation ideas that are sure to wow and delight! 

3. Leverage your personality

As cliche as it sounds, you should always be true to who you are, especially if when you’re presenting. 

It’s incredibly easy to tell if someone is faking it for the sake of their audience, so you should never pretend to act in a way that you don’t typically do. Not only will you feel unnatural and uncomfortable doing it, but you can also risk embarrassment when you try to tell a forced joke and no one laughs or your new-found trait of sarcasm doesn’t sit well with your boss. 

It should bring you comfort knowing that most everyone in your meeting knows who you are. Use this to your advantage and start the presentation by playing up your best personality traits. Use your humor if you’re known to crack jokes or throw in your typical mannerisms.

These little additions will make your presentation feel much more relaxed for everyone involved. In addition to your own unique quirks, you should also bring a level of personability to your meeting.

Be empathetic, smile more, and look around the room.  Doing so will improve your presentation skills, make you more likable, and allow your audience to be more receptive to you. 

In many cases, you may be presenting virtually, rather than in person. You can still allow your personality to shine through and energize your virtual presentation. Lisa Schneider, Chief Growth Officer at Merriam-Webster, wrote for Venngage on how to adapt an in-person presentation into a virtual presentation . Check it out.

4. Welcome questions and comments during your presentation

Be flexible throughout your presentation. Answer questions and respond to any comments your audience may have either through hand raising or an audience response tool . Don’t worry if it veers you off your script. Chances are if one person has a question or comment, the others in the room are thinking it too. 

Use this as an opportunity to prove how well you understand the material you’re presenting–your audience will take notice.

Also, take some time out at the start or your presentation to ask your audience some icebreaker questions and slowly transition into the more important stuff. 

Taking this minute to talk through anything that your audience is thinking of is a good thing because it means they are engaged with you and really paying attention to the words coming out of your mouth. Doing so will also relax the format of your presentation, allowing you to feel more confident and relaxed as well.

5. Be passionate and engaging 

When creating your presentation, craft it in such a way that makes your audience curious and makes them have questions for you. A persuasive presentation is the best way to get the positive reactions you are looking for, so be as passionate as you can be about your subject matter to seal the deal. 

Remember that questions and comments during your presentation are a good thing, especially if you’re the one prompting them! 

The more excited you are to present your ideas and show off your expertise, the more excited and engaged your audience will be. Own your subject matter and know what you’re talking about, it’s one of the most important presentation skills to have.

6. Maintain eye contact with your audience

This is a very obvious tip that will go a long way with your audience. 

When the people you’re speaking to feel like you’re taking notice of them, they are much more likely to take notice of you and pay better attention to everything that you’re saying. 

It’s important to remember that losing eye contact and looking everywhere but at the people that you’re presenting to is a common nervous behavior. Pay extra close attention to whether or not you’re guilty of that, and work to ensure you have your eyes on at least one person.

7. Obsess over your listeners 

Be receptive to your listeners. You can’t forget that what you’re presenting is for the audience, and it has nothing to do about you! 

Focus on the value you can provide to the people in the room. The more serving you are to them, the greater chance you have at driving your point home and nailing your presentation. 

It’s also important not to forget about those listening to you remotely over video conferencing . Make sure they know you’re aware of them and engage them as well! 

8. Focus on confident body language 

Smiling, hand gestures, eye contact, and a powerful stance all exude confidence. 

If you don’t have strong body language and are showing physical signs of nervousness (ie. tapping, bouncing, shaking, darting eyes, and more) your audience will have a hard time focusing on the material you’re presenting and hone in on the fact that you’re nervous and probably don’t know what you’re talking about as much as you say you do.

No matter how nervous you are, take a deep breath and pretend otherwise. You might actually start to believe it!

9. Keep it as short as possible

Every single person’s time is valuable ( especially at work), so don’t waste precious meeting time. If you can say everything you need to in half of the time that is allotted, you should do so. 

Ensure that you’re only sharing the most important information. All of the extra fluff will bore your audience and you will lose their attention very quickly.

It’s a great idea to wrap up your presentation with key takeaways and action items. Doing so will ensure that no matter how quickly your meeting ended, your team understands their next steps. You can send out a quick, summarizing slide deck or an easy to read one-pager for their reference later. These visuals will make sure all of your bases are covered and that everyone is on the same page upon leaving the meeting.

A good presentation makes all the difference. Check out the top qualities of awesome presentations and learn all about how to make a good presentation to help you nail that captivating delivery.

Never stop refining your presentation skills 

Possessing great presentation skills doesn’t come naturally to most people–it’s something that’s learned and practiced over time. As with most things in life, you must continuously work on refining your skills to get better and better. 

Use these nine proven presentation tips that we covered in this article to improve your presentation skills and ace different presentation styles . By doing so, you will find that presenting at your key meetings becomes easier and easier and you’ll begin to nail it every single time.

More presentation guides:

How to Make a Persuasive Presentation

120+ Best Presentation Ideas, Design Tips & Examples

33 Presentation Templates and Design Tips to Hold Your Audience’s Attention

Presentation Design Guide: How to Summarize Information for Presentations

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Journalistic writing is, as you might expect, the style of writing used by journalists. It is therefore a term for the broad style of writing used by news media outlets to put together stories.

Every news media outlet has its own ‘house’ style, which is usually set out in guidelines. This describes grammar and style points to be used in that publication or website. However, there are some common factors and characteristics to all journalistic writing.

This page describes the five different types of journalistic writing. It also provides some tips for writing in journalistic style to help you develop your skills in this area.

The Purpose of Journalistic Writing

Journalistic writing has a very clear purpose: to attract readers to a website, broadcaster or print media. This allows the owners to make money, usually by selling advertising space.

Newspapers traditionally did not make most of their money by selling newspapers. Instead, their main income was actually from advertising. If you look back at an early copy of the London Times , for example (from the early 1900s), the whole front page was actually advertisements, not news.

The news and stories are only a ‘hook’ to bring in readers and keep advertisers happy.

Journalists therefore want to attract readers to their stories—and then keep them.

They are therefore very good at identifying good stories, but also telling the story in a way that hooks and keeps readers interested.

Types of Journalistic Writing

There are five main types of journalistic writing:

Investigative journalism aims to discover the truth about a topic, person, group or event . It may require detailed and in-depth exploration through interviews, research and analysis. The purpose of investigative journalism is to answer questions.

News journalism reports facts, as they emerge . It aims to provide people with objective information about current events, in straightforward terms.

Feature writing provides a deeper look at events, people or topics , and offer a new perspective. Like investigative journalism, it may seek to uncover new information, but is less about answering questions, and more about simply providing more information.

Columns are the personal opinions of the writer . They are designed to entertain and persuade readers, and sometimes to be controversial and generate discussion.

Reviews describe a subject in a factual way, and then provide a personal opinion on it . They are often about books or television programmes when published in news media.

The importance of objectivity

It should be clear from the list of types of journalistic writing that journalists are not forbidden from expressing their opinions.

However, it is important that any journalist is absolutely clear when they are expressing their opinion, and when they are reporting on facts.

Readers are generally seeking objective writing and reporting when they are reading news or investigative journalism, or features. The place for opinions is columns or reviews.

The Journalistic Writing Process

Journalists tend to follow a clear process in writing any article. This allows them to put together a compelling story, with all the necessary elements.

This process is:

1. Gather all necessary information

The first step is to gather all the information that you need to write the story.

You want to know all the facts, from as many angles as possible. Journalists often spend time ‘on site’ as part of this process, interviewing people to find out what has happened, and how events have affected them.

Ideally, you want to use primary sources: people who were actually there, and witnessed the events. Secondary sources (those who were told by others what happened) are very much second-best in journalism.

2. Verify all your sources

It is crucial to establish the value of your information—that is, whether it is true or not.

A question of individual ‘truth’

It has become common in internet writing to talk about ‘your truth’, or ‘his truth’.

There is a place for this in journalism. It recognises that the same events may be experienced and interpreted in different ways by different people.

However, journalists also need to recognise that there are always some objective facts associated with any story. They must take time to separate these objective facts from opinions or perceptions and interpretations of events.

3. Establish your angle

You then need to establish your story ‘angle’ or focus: the aspect that makes it newsworthy.

This will vary with different types of journalism, and for different news outlets. It may also need some thought to establish why people should care about your story.

4. Write a strong opening paragraph

Your opening paragraph tells readers why they should bother to read on.

It needs to summarise the five Ws of the story: who, what, why, when, and where.

5. Consider the headline

Journalists are not necessarily expected to come up with their own headlines. However, it helps to consider how a piece might be headlined.

Being able to summarise the piece in a few words is a very good way to ensure that you are clear about your story and angle.

6. Use the ‘inverted pyramid’ structure

Journalists use a very clear structure for their stories. They start with the most important information (the opening paragraph, above), then expand on that with more detail. Finally, the last section of the article provides more information for anyone who is interested.

This means that you can therefore glean the main elements of any news story from the first paragraph—and decide if you want to read on.

Why the Inverted Pyramid?

The inverted pyramid structure actually stems from print journalism.

If typesetters could not fit the whole story into the space available, they would simply cut off the last few sentences until the article fitted.

Journalists therefore started to write in a way that ensured that the important information would not be removed during this process!

7. Edit your work carefully

The final step in the journalistic writing process is to edit your work yourself before submitting it.

Newsrooms and media outlets generally employ professional editors to check all copy before submitting it. However, journalists also have a responsibility to check their work over before submission to make sure it makes sense.

Read your work over to check that you have written in plain English , and that your meaning is as clear as possible. This will save the sub-editors and editors from having to waste time contacting you for clarifications.

Journalistic Writing Style

As well as a very clear process, journalists also share a common style.

This is NOT the same as the style guidelines used for certain publications (see box), but describes common features of all journalistic writing.

The features of journalistic writing include:

Short sentences . Short sentences are much easier to read and understand than longer ones. Journalists therefore tend to keep their sentences to a line of print or less.

Active voice . The active voice (‘he did x’, rather than ‘x was done by him’) is action-focused, and shorter. It therefore keeps readers’ interest, and makes stories more direct and personal.

Quotes. Most news stories and journalistic writing will include quotes from individuals. This makes the story much more people-focused—which is more likely to keep readers interested. This is why many press releases try to provide quotes (and there is more about this in our page How to Write a Press Release ).

Style guidelines

Most news media have style guidelines. They may share these with other outlets (for example, by using the Associated Press guidelines), or they may have their own (such as the London Times style guide).

These guidelines explain the ‘house style’. This may include, for example, whether the outlet commonly uses an ‘Oxford comma’ or comma placed after the penultimate item in a list, and describe the use of capitals or italics for certain words or phrases.

It is important to be aware of these style guidelines if you are writing for a particular publication.

Journalistic writing is the style used by news outlets to tell factual stories. It uses some established conventions, many of which are driven by the constraints of printing. However, these also work well in internet writing as they grab and hold readers’ attention very effectively.

Continue to: Writing for the Internet Cliches to Avoid

See also: Creative Writing Technical Writing Coherence in Writing

Mining skills shortage looms as Ontario gears up for EV boom

We're so close. Help us pass the finish line!

Ontario's mining industry risks a shortfall of over 3,500 skilled green-collar workers by 2040, unless it jump-starts education and training for the new generation of technicians needed as Canada's critical minerals-hungry electric vehicle (EV) sector gears up this decade, according to a new strategy report unveiled by the government.

The province last week launched its Critical Minerals Talent Strategy, a multi-department initiative developed by the government's Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) to head off this employment bottleneck as mining deepens its focus on extracting the cobalt, lithium, nickel and other materials key to manufacturing EV batteries.

Ontario's mining sector will be supporting almost 23,000 jobs by the end of the next decade, a 163 per cent rise on today's headcount, according to OVIN's scenario-scoping. But the head of the group flags that without a "supportive talent strategy, about one in seven jobs [could be] going unfilled."

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"The race towards Ontario’s electric future starts with harnessing the ability of the current and future generations of the workforce to access our wealth of critical minerals... to advance the automotive and mobility and [mining] sectors," said Raed Kadri, head of OVIN, which acts as the Ontario government's think-tank on the future of advanced automotive technology and smart mobility solutions.

"Together, we must ensure the development of a highly skilled workforce and keep Ontario at the forefront of the global shift to electrification.”

The Critical Minerals Talent Strategy, one of six "pillars" of a wider sectoral plan launched by Ontario in 2022, focuses on "key practices" including raising awareness of job opportunities among the next generation of sector recruits, increasing access to training and education programs, engaging women and other underrepresented groups and establishing long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities.

"Ontario has a world-class workforce ready for the mining sector of the future," Ontario Minister of Mines George Pirie told delegates at the BEV + In-depth conference in Sudbury on Thursday.

"But as this opportunity grows, we have to ensure we continue to train and attract the best talent to guarantee we can seize this opportunity to unlock our [country's] mineral wealth to support development of our EV supply chain.

"Frankly, I think [OVIN's jobs forecast] is too low and we've got to do it before 2040. So we have one hell of a challenge ahead of us. But I believe by working together using strategies such as this one, it is realizable. As I have often said, it is not just about what we mine, it's about how we mine it.”

"This strategy will have wide-ranging impacts on the province, from the #mining sector to economic development in many #Ontario communities, preparing the #workforce of tomorrow," said OVIN CEO @Raed_Kadri1.

Pirie added: "Ultimately, it is all about getting off fossil fuels and moving to clean energy and battery technology — that includes green jobs."

OVIN's Kadri, speaking to Canada's National Observer , said "a whole-of-Ontario approach" was key to the province seizing "a once-in-a-generation opportunity" to build an end-to-end EV supply chain.

"This strategy will have wide-ranging impacts on the province, from the mining sector to supporting economic development and job creation in many Ontario communities, preparing the workforce of tomorrow with new skills and training and driving prosperity for all as we make a successful transition to an all-electric future."

The largest number of vacancies in the critical minerals sector, according to OVIN, will be for "certified and technical" jobs, but the highest vacancy rates will be in the "skilled and certified" categories, "suggesting these jobs will be the most difficult to fill."

Among the most sought-after skills will be machinery operation and control, equipment monitoring, quality control testing, tool selection and troubleshooting, according to the Critical Minerals Talent Strategy. "These are often the most difficult to find and train for," said Kadri.

Automakers Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen and, most recently, Honda , have announced plans for EV-linked production in Canada, which plans to phase out gas-fuelled vehicles by 2035, while battery-makers Northvolt and Stellantis have also started plans to operate factories in the country.

Ontario's Ring of Fire — a 5,000 sq. km. area about 500 km northeast of Thunder Bay, Ont. — promises to be the source of mother lodes of critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, copper and platinum for EV battery production.

OVIN developed the Critical Minerals Talent Strategy in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development; the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade; the Ministry of Northern Development; the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and the Ministry of Mines.

• Darius Snieckus
• Business Correspondent

Keep reading

More toxic food coming to your table

Sad but true, there is no way to reverse climate change

Australian mining giant signs key deal for Ring of Fire EV nickel processing plant

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Really, National Observer,

Really, National Observer, mining may be good for a growth economy, for the mining industry, and for jobs, but it is quite obviously not good for the environment, water quality or quantity when water has become so precious, for already beleaguered biodiversity, for wildlife and their habitats, for people who love and hold sacred the land, and eventually everyone, including those who are purposefully turning a blinkered eye to the unintended collateral destruction to be caused by mining and so-called "clean/green" energy.

• International

Claudia Sheinbaum projected to be Mexico's first woman president

By Kathleen Magramo, Maureen Chowdhury, Matt Meyer, Antoinette Radford and Melissa Macaya, CNN

The count: Mexico Elections 2024

Mexico's outgoing president says he will not try to influence sheinbaum in naming future officials.

From CNN's Abel Alvarado in Atlanta

Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he will not influence newly elected president Claudia Sheinbaum in naming future officials for the country after Sunday’s landslide victory.

 “She (Sheinbaum) is the one empowered to make all the decisions. I am not going to influence anything,” López Obrador said during his morning presser on Monday.

“She is going to choose her team,” he added.

However, he suggested that changes would come with the new president because it was part of the “transformation” he started for the country when he took office nearly six years ago.

López Obrador also said he may discuss constitutional reforms with Sheinbaum during the transition period but made it clear that he didn’t “want to impose anything.”

Sheinbaum will take office on October 1. Her term will last six years.

López Obrador, who is Sheinbaum’s political mentor, congratulated her on the win.

“We already spoke yesterday (Sunday); I congratulated her. I am very happy because imagine what it means to hand over the presidency to a woman after 200 years of only men ruling Mexico,” the president said.

The president said that once he hands over the presidential band, he plans to retire from political life entirely and will do so with “a lot of satisfaction.”

“Let it be heard loud and clear: after I finish my term in office, I will retire, and I will never again participate in any public or political act,” he said. 

Biden congratulates Sheinbaum for her historic win

US President Joe Biden congratulated Claudia Sheinbaum on her historic presidential win as Mexico's first woman to lead the country's government.

"I look forward to working closely with President-elect Sheinbaum in the spirit of partnership and friendship that reflects the enduring bonds between our two countries," he said in a statement Monday. "I expressed our commitment to advancing the values and interests of both our nations to the benefit of our peoples."

Read Biden's full statement:

"I congratulate Claudia Sheinbaum on her historic election as the first woman President of Mexico. I look forward to working closely with President-elect Sheinbaum in the spirit of partnership and friendship that reflects the enduring bonds between our two countries. I expressed our commitment to advancing the values and interests of both our nations to the benefit of our peoples. I also congratulate the Mexican people for conducting a nationwide successful democratic electoral process involving races for more than 20,000 positions at the local, state, and federal levels."

Mexican peso falls against the US dollar

From CNN's Krystal Hur

The Mexican peso slipped roughly 3% against the US dollar Monday morning.

It comes after Claudia Sheinbaum's projected landslide victory, which has raised concerns that the ruling Morena party will be able to pass more ambitious constitutional reforms, many of which had been sought by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

"Sheinbaum is perceived as more of a technocrat than AMLO, and she also has a background in climate science. Both offer potential shifts in Mexican policy," wrote Bespoke Investment Group researchers in a Monday note.

Latin American leaders celebrate Claudia Sheinbaum's projected win

From CNN's Abel Alvarado

Latin American leaders are celebrating Claudia Sheinbaum's projected win as Mexico's president with leaders referencing a common theme — that her appointment would hopefully see strengthened relationships between countries on the continent.

Sheinbaum will face several challenges, including security, organized crime, energy and immigration, and would also set the tone for  the pivotal US-Mexico bilateral relationship . 

• Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel  said in a post on X: "We wish her success in her management, the first for a woman in that position."
• Honduran President Xiomara Castro extended her "sincere congratulations" to Sheinbaum, "as the first female president of Honduras" on X . Castro said she spoke to Sheinbaum following her victory and agreed "to work together for the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean."
• Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called her win a "great victory for the Great Homeland. I hug you! Long live Mexico!"
• Bolivian President Luis Arce congratulated her on X and added that they "salute salute all the Mexican people for their democratic vocation and broad participation in the electoral process."
• Colombian President Gustavo Petro described Sheinbaum's appointment as "a triumph for the Mexican people and for their democracy."
• Costa Rica 's presidency referred to the two countries as "brother countries" and congratulated Sheinbaum on her appointment.

Millions turn out for largest election in Mexico's history

From CNN's Tara John and CNN en Español

Sunday’s poll was the largest election in the country’s history. More than 98 million voters were registered to cast a ballot, and 1.4 million Mexicans were eligible to vote abroad.

In addition to the presidency, more than 20,000 positions were being contested by an estimated 70,000 candidates vying to become senators, mayors and governors.

But the elections were plagued by  immense violence . There have been more than 20 political killings since September, according to the Mexican government. By some estimates though, that number is even higher. According to Mexican consultancy firm Integralia, at least 34 candidates were murdered in the run-up to the vote.

Voting was suspended for several hours on Sunday in the southeastern Mexican town of Coyomeapan due to violence at the polling centers, according to state electoral authorities.

And while the murder rate fell in Mexico  between 2019 and 2022 , in absolute numbers the country is still reeling from historically high levels of around 30,000 homicides each year. The true number is likely higher, experts say.

The violence appeared to have been a top concern for voters as cartels extend their grip through Mexico.

Claudia Sheinbaum has been coy about her security proposals but has pointed to her record as Mexico City mayor, when, according to her team, she improved the police force’s working conditions and intelligence-gathering abilities.

Outgoing Mexican president congratulates Sheinbaum

From CNN's Mia Alberti

Mexico's President Andres Manuel López Obrador has congratulated Claudia Sheinbaum on her expected win in Sunday's presidential election. 

"With all my affection and respect I congratulate Claudia Sheinbaum who came out victorious with an ample margin. She will be the first (female) President of Mexico... but also the President, possibly, with most votes obtained in all of the history of our country," he said in a video posted on X. 

López Obrador also congratulated the other presidential candidates and the Mexican people, saying he was proud of the large turnout.

Mexico's expected president Sheinbaum pledges to govern all Mexicans "without distinction"

From CNN's Michael Rios

Claudia Sheinbaum has responded to the announcement of her projected victory in Mexico's presidential election early Monday morning, saying her administration would govern all Mexicans “without distinction,” even though not everyone supports her policies.

“Our duty is and will always be to look after every single Mexican without distinction. So even though many Mexicans do not fully agree with our project, we will have to walk in peace and harmony to continue building a fair and more prosperous Mexico,” she told supporters in a speech.

She also spoke about the historical significance of becoming the first female president of the country.

Sheinbaum said her two rivals in the race, Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez, had called to congratulate her on her projected victory.

Sheinbaum, the candidate from the ruling party, received the most votes in Sunday's elections, according to preliminary results from the National Electoral Institute.

The Electoral Court must validate the presidential election, and if confirmed, Sheinbaum will start her presidency on October 1.

Sheinbaum's large margin shows power of Mexico's ruling party, CNN journalist says

From CNN's Kathleen Magramo

Even though Claudia Sheinbaum was expected to win during campaign polls, her large margin in the votes came as a shock, CNN’s Gustavo Valdes reports from Mexico City.

Sheinbaum might get up to 60% of the vote, which is even higher than outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador when he was elected six years ago, Valdes said.

Sheinbaum is the candidate for the ruling Morena party.

"That gives you an idea of the political power that López Obrador has amassed over the past six years," Valdes told CNN's Rosemary Church.

Valdes said voters told CNN that a woman president would help change Mexico's image of being a "macho" country, where patriarchal culture impedes women's advancements.

"Mexico has actually changed its laws to encourage and actually force the parties to have more female candidates. So so there's a very equal division of power between many woman in congress and the governorships," Valdes said.

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It’s journalism conference season. Here’s your guide.

From ona to ire to that one in italy that gives us the travel ache.

It’s unofficially summer and that means it’s officially journalism conference season. Maybe you’re on the circuit, attending a few and pitching sessions. Maybe you’ve never been but this is the year your newsroom finally approved the cost and time. Or maybe you just enjoy scanning social media and seeing smart people together discussing the issues facing our industry.

Whatever your needs, here’s a quick guide to help you navigate several months’ worth of opportunities to learn, network and maybe even find your next job. Also, if the costs seem too high, look for opportunities to volunteer or apply for scholarships. Many conferences offer both.

If you can’t make any conferences this year, you can always keep up with the highlights, starting with News Product Alliance’s roundup from its recent forum . Take a look at this year’s International Symposium of Online Journalism in Austin, the Collaborative Journalism Summit in Detroit and N3Con in Singapore . You can also check out the WAN-IFRA (or World Association of News Publishers) conference that’s happening now in Denmark.

Now dust off your lanyard collection, dig through that bag of swag you swore you’d use and prepare for your next work adventure.

(Screenshot)

Who runs it? Public Media Journalists Association When is it? June 5-7 Where is it? Washington, D.C. Cost: Members cost $575, nonmembers cost $850, student members cost  $200 and student nonmembers cost $300

PMJA’s conference site reads “We want to focus attention on how local news plays a vital role in strengthening democracy and build the capacity of public media journalists as they cover the 2024 elections.”

Health Journalism 2024

Who runs it? Association of Health Care Journalists When is it? June 6-9 Where is it? New York City Cost: Onsite registration costs $175 for a single day and $450 for the full conference.

According to AHCJ, “Join us for an unparalleled event as we bring together journalists, health care professionals, policymakers and experts from various fields to explore and discuss the latest trends, challenges and innovations in health journalism.”

Who runs it?   Institute for Nonprofit News When is it? June 11-12 Where is it? San Diego, California Cost: Registration is closed, but this is a good one to mark for next year.

According to its site, “INN Days brings together leaders across the nonprofit news field to highlight examples, share practical skills, and host solutions-focused conversations on the challenges and opportunities to fund and increase access to quality news and information that connects communities, holds the powerful accountable and strengthens our democracy.”

Who runs it? Radio Television Digital News Association When is it? June 12-14 Where is it? Milwaukee Cost: $295 for members, $185 for student members, $485 for nonmembers

According to the event site, “RTDNA24 is a one-of-a-kind news-leadership retreat designed with you in mind. Whether you’re a news manager with decades of experience or an early career journalist, let us help refresh your mind, restore your well-being, rekindle your creativity and reconnect with some of the brightest minds in journalism. ”

2024 NNPA Annual National Convention

Who runs it? National Newspaper Publishers Association When is it? June 19-22 Where is it? Baltimore Cost: $350

From its about page: “NNPA is a trade association of the more than 200 African American-owned community newspapers from around the United States. Since its founding 79 years ago, NNPA has consistently been the voice of the Black community and an incubator for news that makes history and impacts our country.”

Who runs it? IRE and NICAR (that’s Investigative Reporters and Editors and National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting) When is it? June 20-23 Where is it? Anaheim, California Cost: $100 for students, $425 for professionals

This annual investigative conference offers sessions that, according to a recent tweet , “will teach you about election coverage, public records, storytelling strategies, beat reporting, data journalism and so much more.”

GlobalFact 11

Who runs it? Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network When is it? June 26-28 Where is it? Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Cost: Virtual tickets cost $49, in-person costs $399

According to the description, “More than 3,700 people have attended GlobalFact conferences since 2014. Past conference locations have included London, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Rome, Cape Town, Oslo and Seoul. During the pandemic, thousands of people across 16 time zones attended the summit virtually in 2020 and 2021. Numerous industry-leading projects and fact-checking advancements have originated through past GlobalFacts, including International Fact-Checking Day, the IFCN Code of Principles and partnerships with major tech companies.”

NAHJ 40th Anniversary Conference and Expo

Who runs it? National Association of Hispanic Journalists  When is it? July 9-13 Where is it? Hollywood, California Cost: $399 for members, $175 for student members, $550 for nonmembers, $250 for nonmember students (the deadline to register is May 31.)

According to NAHJ, “The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is the leading organization for Latinos in the media. We are dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Latinos in the news industry, plus excellence in coverage of the entire Latino community.“

AAN Convention

Who runs it? Association of Alternative Newsmedia When is it? July 10-12 Where is it? Charleston, South Carolina Cost: For members, early bird registration costs $299. For nonmembers, it costs $899.

From its about page, AAN “provides services and leadership that ensure its members’ success and strengthen narrative, investigative and community journalism through advocacy and education. AAN focuses on accelerating member success through various initiatives, always with an eye toward excellent journalism and community engagement.”

Indigenous Media Conference

Who runs it? Indigenous Journalists Association When is it? July 25-27 Where is it? Oklahoma City Cost: Early bird rates are available through May 31. Tickets cost $300 for members, $400 for nonmembers and $100 for students.

According to its about page, IJA “exists to empower the Indigenous voice through journalism with programs and actions designed to enrich journalism and promote the accurate portrayal of Indigenous people and cultures.”

NABJ 2024 Convention and Career Fair

Who runs it? National Association of Black Journalists  When is it? July 31-August 4 Where is it? Chicago Cost: Pre-registration, which ends June 1, costs $380 for members, $200 for student members, $550 for nonmembers and $250 for nonmember students.

According to NABJ’s site, “This year’s convention in the Windy City will attract industry leaders, innovators, and influencers in journalism, media, technology, business, government, community service, health, arts, entertainment, academia, and more. Join us as thousands of the nation’s best and brightest journalists, media executives, journalism educators, communications and marketing professionals, and students unite in a vibrant city where the Black community has had a lasting impact on culture and history worldwide, including a legacy of thriving Black-owned businesses and cultural institutions.”

2024 AAJA Convention

Who runs it? Asian American Journalists Association When is it? August 7-11 Where is it? Austin, Texas Cost: Through June 19, early bird registration costs $315 for members, $150 for student members, $525 for nonmembers and $175 for nonmember students.

This year’s theme is “Meeting the Moment.” According to AAJA’s site, “It recognizes that amid tough times, our work as Asian American and Pacific Islander journalists is more important than ever. We encourage attendees to be fully present as we gather in the Texas state capital during an election year to engage with what’s happening right now — and what’s set to happen — in journalism, politics, and society.”

Who runs it? Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication When is it? August 8-11 Where is it? Philadelphia Cost: Through July 15, attendance costs $285 and $175 for students and retirees.

From the conference’s site: “Be prepared to attend excellent sessions, informative workshops, activities, and exciting socials. Each day will be an opportunity to learn from colleagues and absorb knowledge about the industry.”

SRCCON 2024

Who runs it? OpenNews When is it? August 15-16 Where is it? Minneapolis Cost: Prices are in tiers depending on the size of your newsroom. They range from $275 to $695.

According to its website: “Our participants represent organizations ranging from massive to tiny, and come from all over the U.S. and many other countries. SRCCON participants are developers, designers, journalists, editors, and allies: the practitioners and leaders who are transforming their newsrooms into more representative and innovative places to work. Participants come to SRCCON to change journalism by creating more intentional processes, better relationships with the communities they cover, and new ways to engage and inform people.”

Media Party

Who runs it? Media Party When is it? August 29-31 Where is it? Buenos Aires, Argentina Cost: Free

From Media Party’s site: “Media Party invites journalists, software developers, designers and entrepreneurs to work together for the future of media, news and our societies …”

2024 NLGJA National Convention

Who runs it? NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists When is it? September 5-8 Where is it? Los Angeles Cost: Members cost $370, nonmembers cost $505, student members cost $200, student nonmembers cost $250.

According to its about page, NLGJA “is an organization of journalists, media professionals, educators and students working from within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ issues.”

Independent News Sustainability Summit

Who runs it? Local Independent Online News Publishers When is it? September 5-7 Where is it? Chicago Cost: Through June 28, tickets cost $65 for members and $115 for nonmembers

From the conference description: “Hosted by LION Publishers, this event will gather independent news publishers, industry experts, and supporters of independent news to share expert knowledge, hard-won lessons, and actionable advice on running a news business while being in community with people who care deeply about strengthening the local news ecosystem.”

Who runs it? Journalism & Women Symposium When is it? September 13-15 Where is it? New Orleans Cost: Early bird registration costs $375 for members, $500 for nonmembers and $150 for students.

From JAWS’ FAQs: “This will be JAWS’ 39th CAMP. While the format and size have varied over the years, the goal has not: bringing women journalists from different specialties, beats, demographics and geographies together share with, learn from and empower each other. There will be structured presentations and workshops, planned social events and free time for unstructured relationship-building and city exploration.”

LMA Fest 2024

Who runs it? Local Media Association  When is it? September 23-25 Where is it? Chicago Cost: Free for members, $695 for nonmembers

According to its site, this will be “a unique event focused on revenue, opportunities, and the future of local media.”

Radically Rural

Who runs it? The Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship and The Keene Sentinel When is it? September 25-26 Where is it? Keene, New Hampshire Cost: Tickets are tiered depending on need, from $50 to $225

From the about us page: “Radically Rural (RR) is a grassroots movement founded in Keene, NH, that aims to amplify collective rural impact by connecting folks with each other and with ideas.  Through virtual Roundtables, our annual September summit, chat groups, and more, RR offers a platform for rural leaders across the country to learn from each other.  Every year, the RR summit in New Hampshire convenes hundreds of diverse and interesting people, cultivates engaging and memorable sessions, and offers great local food and entertainment — all wrapped up in an amazing small New England town experience. Our attendees leave the Radically Rural Summit overflowing with great ideas and filled with inspiration.”

Who runs it? The Online News Association When is it? September 18-21 Where is it? Atlanta Cost: Through June 13, tickets cost $350 for members, $150 for student members, $175 for nonmember students and $650 for nonmembers.

From the about page, “ONA’s conferences provide a platform to learn, connect and contribute to shaping the future of digital journalism. Attendees represent global news outlets, local news startups, technology companies, universities and the broader ecosystem of journalism support organizations.”

ACES VCON 24

Who runs it? ACES, The Society for Editing When is it? September 25-27 Where is it? For the third year in a row, this one is virtual. Cost: Prices aren’t yet listed. Registration opens in July.

According to ACES, “if you work with language and want to connect with editors, communication professionals, and language experts from around the globe who share a common goal: to improve the quality of the written word and the working lives of editors.”

NNAF’s 138th Convention and Trade Show

Who runs it? National Newspaper Association Foundation When is it? September 26-27 Where is it? Omaha, Nebraska Cost: Full registration costs $435, nonmember registration costs $625

According to the description, this event will “address pressing business objectives of community newspaper owners, publishers and senior staff with educational sessions and peer sharing activities and the opportunity to connect with newspaper vendor partners.”

Women in Visual Journalism

Who runs it? National Press Photographers Association When is it? October 26-27 Where is it? Dallas Cost: $75 for members, $100 for nonmembers, $10 for student members, $20 for nonmember students

According to the conference description, “Television reporters, still and TV photojournalists, online journalists, freelancers, and documentary filmmakers — this conference has something for every visual storyteller. There are so many ways to tell stories — this event embraces them all — because we are better together.”

International Journalism Festival

Who runs it? The International Journalism Festival When is it? April 9-13, 2025 Where is it? Perugia, Italy Cost: Free

Who should attend? From the conference’s FAQ, “The biggest annual media event in Europe. The 2023 festival had 188 sessions and 539 speakers in the 5-day program.”

Opinion | Inside Sally Buzbee’s departure and what’s next for The Washington Post

Buzbee’s abrupt resignation and the ensuing plans have staffers angry, confused and curious about the future of one of America’s great institutions

Opinion | AP Stylebook’s new chapter on crime is a glimpse into the future

A decade from now, American newsrooms will have replaced cheap stories with data-rich narratives that educate communities and hold cops accountable

Does Trump’s felony conviction bar him from owning a gun?

Federal law prohibits people with felony convictions from possessing or acquiring firearms

Opinion | Sally Buzbee steps down as executive editor of The Washington Post

Buzbee joined the Post in 2021 after a career at The Associated Press. She was the first female editor of the Post, which was founded in 1877.

What do horse race journalists think of ‘horse race journalism’?

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, breathless reporting of incremental polling has already begun.

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