by Marcy Burstiner | 7 Nov 2025 | Journalism, News Decoder Tips, Writing
Many think writing a story isn’t worth the effort when you have AI to do it. But there is satisfaction that only comes by doing it from scratch. A woman chops vegetables. (Photo by Nicolesy) At News Decoder, we share advice for young people from experts in...
by Marcy Burstiner | 4 Nov 2025 | Contests, News Decoder Updates
Over 10 years, News Decoder has told students that their voices are worthy of being heard. Our contests tell them this: Don’t fear the judgement of others. A panel of contest judges. (Illustration by News Decoder) In November 2019, a high school student at...
by Marcy Burstiner | 23 Oct 2025 | Journalism, News Decoder Tips, Writing
Don’t know who to interview? Can’t figure out what your story is about? Try thinking about it as a movie. And grab some popcorn. A movie director on a set. (Illustration by News Decoder) At News Decoder, we share advice for young people from experts in...
by Marcy Burstiner | 17 Oct 2025 | Interviewing, Journalism, Reporting
Before you start interviewing people you need to know what part they play in a story. Only then can you reach out to them. A reporter interviews a source for a story. (Illustration by News Decoder) People, not numbers, are the heart of your stories. Finding those...
by Marcy Burstiner | 10 Oct 2025 | EYES, Journalism, News Decoder Tips
There is a story you want to tell. But how do you convince an editor to green light it? That’s the art of the pitch. An editor takes a red pen to a story draft. (Illustration by News Decoder) The article below is adapted from material created as part of News...