This book is a practical guide to all aspects of modern journalism for anyone seeking to study for the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Diploma in Journalism and become a qualified journalist in the UK. Written in collaboration with the NCTJ, Essential Journalism outlines everything you need to know about the journalism industry today, from its ethical framework to its practice across print, television, radio, online and social media. It looks at the core principles and the skills that are required of journalists across all platforms, helping students develop an overall understanding of the business and examining the application and adaptation of traditional best practice to the demands of the digital age. This is a unique one-stop shop for anyone who wants to understand the nature and purpose of journalism, and how it is changing and evolving in today’s digital newsrooms. This book is a core resource for journalism trainees and undergraduates, as well as for seasoned practitioners and lecturers.

"If you want a book that instructs you about all the technical skills you need to pass the examinations set by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and embark on a career in journalism, then this is the book for you. It outlines the basic knowledge required to succeed as a trainee reporter. Shorthand, intros, writing styles, subbing, layout, the way newsrooms work and how to find things out are among the range of skills described." - Times Higher Education "Precisely what it says on the cover - a down-to-earth essential handbook for anyone embarking on a career in journalism. All you need to know about avoiding newsroom minefields and attracting the editor′s attention for the right reasons. If only it had been around in my day!′ - Bob Satchwell, Executive Director, Society of Editors This is a book for everyone who wants to be a journalist: a practical guide to all you need to know, learn and do to succeed as a trainee reporter in today′s newsroom. Although the world of journalism is changing fast, as technology blurs the boundaries between newspapers, radio, television and web-based media, the reporter′s core role remains the same: to recognise news, communicate with people, gather information, and create accurate, balanced and readable stories. Essential Reporting, written by an experienced NCTJ examiner, explains how to do this. Contents include: what makes a good reporter what is news, and how to find it how newsrooms work day-to-day life as a reporter key reporting tasks covering courts and councils successful interviewing writing news stories specialist reporting handling sound, pictures and the web It also contains a wealth of advice, tips and warnings from working journalists, a guide to NCTJ training and examinations, a glossary and a guide to further reading. It will be invaluable to anyone embarking on a career in journalism and is the NCTJ′s recommended introductory text for all students on college and university courses preparing them to become successful reporters.

"An essential guide for anyone hungry to learn how journalism should be practised today, and will be tomorrow. Hill and Lashmar encapsulate the transformative impact technology is having on journalism, but anchor those changes in the basic principles of reporting." - Paul Lewis, The Guardian "As the news business transforms, Online Journalism is a fantastic new resource for both students and lecturers. Informative, straightforward and easily digested, it’s a one-stop shop for the skills, knowledge, principles and mindset required for journalistic success in the digital age." - Mary Braid, Kingston University Online and social media have become indispensible tools for journalists, but you still have to know how to find and tell a great story. To be a journalist today, you must have not only the practical skills to work with new technologies, but also the understanding of how and why journalism has changed. Combining theory and practice, Online Journalism: The Essential Guide will take you through the classic skills of investigating, writing and reporting as you master the new environments of mobile, on-demand, social, participatory and entrepreneurial journalism. You will also develop must-have skills in app development for smartphones and tablets, as well as techniques in podcast, blog and news website production. What this book does for you: Tips and advice from leading industry experts in their own words QR codes throughout the book to take you straight to multimedia links A fully up-to-date companion website loaded with teaching resources, detailed careers advice and industry insights Exercises to help you hone your skills Top five guided reading list for each topic, so you can take it further Perfect for students throughout a journalism course, this is your essential guide!

Set against the background of the fundamental issues facing the industry today, The 21st Century Journalism Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the core principles and practices essential to the modern journalist. Convergence, online, the growth of magazine formats, challenges presented by technology and new demands in news and feature writing are all covered from conceptual and practical perspectives. A thorough grounding in the key debates and techniques is provided; while clear, no-nonsense practical advice helps you develop your journalism skills and make a success of your studies and career. Key Features: A combination of professional insight, academic study and practical exercises allows you to develop at your own pace Thinking it through activities at the end of each chapter allow you to think over the topics discussed and to think about how you could apply these skills Case studies and Closer Look boxes explore real-life examples in more depth Key points to remember and chapter summaries highlight the essential things you need to know Comprehensive but digestible coverage of the key elements of ethics, regulation and law ensures you are fully equipped with the essential frameworks for informed practice With an emphasis on developing the ‘whole journalist’, a creative and visual reporter who can think across different platforms, this text is ideal for all for journalism students training in newspapers, magazines and online reporting.

Anyone studying journalism, or training for the industry, will benefit from the broad scope of information and guidance packed into this textbook. Those already employed in journalism or related areas will also find it useful as a reference book. Essential techniques employed by journalists working across all media are supplemented with detailed sections on the workings of public administration, law, health and safety, regulation and training. Each chapter concludes with suggested learning activities and an extensive list of resources for further study and investigation. The approach throughout chapters covering background issues (e.g. law) is 'journalism centred': all topics are related to the interests and concerns of journalists and journalism. Students of the City and Guilds Diploma in Media Techniques will find the book particularly relevant to their studies as it has been developed to reflect the syllabus of this course.

The definitive media law guide for journalists and students alike. The only media law text endorsed by the NCTJ, McNae's offers unrivalled practical guidance on a wide range of reporting situations - an invaluable tool throughout your journalism career.

News gathering is a large, complicated and often messy task that has traditionally been viewed by journalists as irretrievably idiosyncratic, best learned through trial and error. Advanced Reporting takes the opposite approach, focusing on reporting as a process of triangulation based on three essential activities: analyzing documents, making observations and conducting interviews. In this readable book, veteran journalism professor Miles Maguire shows how the best reporters use these three tools in a way that allows them to cross-check and authenticate facts, to reduce or eliminate unsupportable allegations and to take readers and viewers to a deeper level of insight and understanding. This book will help to prepare students for a profession marked by increasing complexity and competition. To succeed in this environment, journalists must learn to make the most of digital media to intensify the impact of their work. At the same time, reporters must contend with a host of sophisticated public relations techniques while engaging with news audiences that no longer just consume journalism, but also collaborate in its creation. Discussion questions and exercises help students put theory into practice.