by News Decoder | 26 Sep 2025 | Journalism, Media Literacy, News Decoder Tips, Reporting
So much is happening that people should know about. But why do so many news stories put us to sleep instead of wake us up? What is the journalist trying to do? A young girl reads a disturbing story. Photo credit: Marcy Burstiner The article below is adapted from...
by Marcy Burstiner | 19 Sep 2025 | Journalism, Mobile Stories, News Decoder Tips, Writing
No matter how careful and talented a writer you are, you want an editor to give your story a careful reading. Here’s what a difference an editor can make. An editor takes a red pen to a story draft. (Illustration by News Decoder) At News Decoder, we share advice...
by Marcy Burstiner | 12 Sep 2025 | Journalism, News Decoder Tips, Writing
A book without dialogue is a slog to read. So is a news story. But once you get quotes from an interview what do you do with them? Here’s a quick guide. A reporter interviews an astronaut on the moon. (Illustration by News Decoder) In News Decoder’s Top...
by News Decoder | 5 Sep 2025 | Journalism, News Decoder Tips, Reporting
Sure, you can Zoom someone in on your laptop or chat over WhatsApp. But when you go out to an event or interview you come back with so much more. A woman tells a journalist about her experience after a fire broke out in the Calypo housing development in Toledo, Spain,...
by Marcy Burstiner | 4 Sep 2025 | Education, Journalism
A global competition has found that collaborations between news organizations and young people can benefit both. A bank of press microphones including ones that say youth voice and teen press. (Illustration by News Decoder) Each year, Global Youth & News Media...
by News Decoder | 29 Aug 2025 | Journalism, Media Literacy, News Decoder Tips
Media is food for our brain. The media you consume might be nutritious. Or maybe it’s addictive, toxic and full of empty calories. Who even makes it? An all-you-can-eat buffet of media. (Illustration by News Decoder) The article below is adapted from material...
by Marcy Burstiner | 22 Aug 2025 | Journalism, News Decoder Tips
With corporations shutting down local news sites, people across the globe are living in “news deserts.” So start your own news site. A woman works on her news site. (Illustration by News Decoder) In News Decoder’s Top Tips, we share advice for young...
by Marcy Burstiner | 15 Aug 2025 | Interviewing, Journalism, News Decoder Tips, Reporting
Recording interviews can make for lazy listening. Good journalists take good notes. Pages and pages of them. It takes practice. A hand holds a pen over a sheet of messy notes with a recorder in the background. Illustration by News Decoder. In News Decoder’s Top...
by News Decoder | 8 Aug 2025 | Journalism, Mobile Stories, News Decoder Tips
You can interview any number of people for a news story. But how many of them know what they’re talking about and won’t steer you wrong with bad information? A news reporter conducts an interview. Photo credit: Viktor Gladkov In News Decoder’s Top...
by Marcy Burstiner | 4 Aug 2025 | Education, Journalism, News Decoder Updates
For 10 years News Decoder has engaged teens through experiential learning and connecting them with people who have been eyewitnesses to world events. Students from schools in two different countries share their thoughts on the U.S. presidency and the rise of white...