A free training module for journalists who want to dig deeper with their journalism and uncover original stories. Ideal for those starting a career in journalism.

1. PROACTIVE
JOURNALISM
Who, Why, When, What, Where & How
Image by
Alexander Henning Drachmann
Released under Creative
Commons

2. Making sense of events for your audience
Going beyond face value
Image by François Rejeté released under Creative Commons
This module is based on a model by Dr Eric Loo, a journalist
who lectures in journalism at the University of Wollongong,
Australia.

3. Observe
The Detail
Watch
Listen
Sense
Absorb
Learn
Discovery
Question
Clarify
Explore
Extend
Analyse
Significance
Impact
Reach
Comparisons
Statistics
Contextualise
History
Dependencies
Relationships
Politics
Reflect
Diversity
Concerns
Assumptions
Fears and hopes

4. @helpingmediawww.mediahelpingmedia.org
Proactive Journalism
 Does what you are seeing
match what you are being
told?
 Listen to what those involved
in the story are saying to
ensure that you are on the
right track.
 Try to get a sense of what
might be behind the story.
 Spend enough time
understanding the issues.
 Be sure to reflect the mood of
those involved.
Observe Detail
Observe
The Detail
Watch
Listen
Sense
Absorb

5. @helpingmediawww.mediahelpingmedia.org
Proactive Journalism
 Take enough time to try to
make sense of what you
have discovered.
 Challenge everything you
have been told.
 If in doubt, seek
clarification.
 Never repeat what you don’t
understand.
 Find new angles that help
people understand old and
current issues.
Learn Discovery
Learn
Discovery
Question
Clarify
Explore
Extend

6. @helpingmediawww.mediahelpingmedia.org
Proactive Journalism
 List the significant elements
of a story.
 Assess the impact on the
lives of the people involved.
 Consider the reach of the
story – how many people it
will affect
 Look for regional, national
and international
comparisons where
appropriate.
 Include data where possible,
give the sources and explain
the significance.
Analyse Significance
Analyse
Significance
Impact
Reach
Comparisons
Statistics

7. @helpingmediawww.mediahelpingmedia.org
Proactive Journalism
 Stand back and consider
what you have discovered.
 Ensure you have included
all significant voices and
views.
 Challenge all assumptions,
especially your own.
 Ensure you apply editorial
integrity, objectivity,
impartiality, fairness and
accuracy.
Reflect Reconcile
Reflect
Diversity
Concerns
Assumptions
Values

8. @helpingmediawww.mediahelpingmedia.org
Proactive Journalism
 Why is the story important?
 Where does it fit in the bigger
picture?
 What are the relationships
between what you are
covering and previous stories?
 Why are those relationships
important?
 What are the politics behind
the story?
 Why does it matter to you
audience?
Context Wider significance
Contextualise
History
Dependencies
Relationships
Politics

9. Observe
The Detail
Watch
Listen
Sense
Absorb
Learn
Discovery
Question
Clarify
Explore
Extend
Analyse
Significance
Impact
Reach
Comparisons
Statistics
Contextualise
History
Dependencies
Relationships
Politics
Reflect
Diversity
Concerns
Assumptions
Fears and hopes

10. @helpingmediawww.mediahelpingmedia.org
Media Helping Media