UK Journalism Glossary

404 essential journalism terms explained in plain English.

From bylines and wire services to IPSO rulings, contempt of court, AI journalism and newsroom slang — everything you need to understand the vocabulary of British journalism. Every entry links to a deeper guide where one exists.

Last reviewed: 13 June 2026Next review due: 13 December 2026

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Fifteen categories covering UK media law, ethics codes, FOI, freelancing, data, broadcast, AI, OSINT, publishing business models, international reporting, and newsroom practice.

Newsroom slang

97 terms

Bylines, splashes, standfirsts, copy and the day-to-day vocabulary of UK newsrooms.

Ethics

40 terms

NUJ Code, IPSO Editors' Code, public interest, accuracy, intrusion, anonymity.

Media law

36 terms

Defamation, contempt, privacy, copyright, reporting restrictions and source protection.

Court reporting

34 terms

Magistrates, Crown, family and coroners' courts; reporting restrictions; orders.

Digital journalism

33 terms

CMS, RSS, CDN, AMP, paywalls, Web Vitals, newsletters and digital workflow terms.

FOI & data

20 terms

FOI, EIR, exemptions, ICO, datasets, public bodies, internal reviews.

Freelancing

19 terms

Rates, kill fees, contracts, syndication, IR35, VAT, late payment.

Data journalism

17 terms

Pivot tables, SQL, regression, choropleth, sampling, statistical significance.

Parliament

16 terms

Hansard, lobby, division, whip, select committees, Westminster procedure.

Local government

16 terms

Cabinet, scrutiny, ward, planning committee, councillor interests.

Broadcast

26 terms

A-roll, B-roll, OOV, VT, PTC, two-shot, rundown, lavalier and broadcast technical terms.

AI journalism

19 terms

LLMs, hallucination, prompt injection, deepfakes, watermarking, synthetic media, AI ethics.

OSINT & verification

15 terms

Geolocation, chronolocation, EXIF, hash, WHOIS, reverse image search, source triangulation.

Publishing & business

9 terms

Substack, Ghost, Patreon, churn rate, soft paywall, membership models, LTV.

International

7 terms

Fixers, parachute journalism, hostile environment, pool reporter, accreditation, syndication.

How to use this glossary

Search by keyword, browse by letter, or click a category card above. Each entry includes a concise definition grounded in UK journalism practice — from newsroom traditions and regulatory terms to legal concepts, broadcast technical vocabulary and digital tools. Whether you're a student journalist, a career-changer entering the industry, or a seasoned reporter encountering unfamiliar terminology, this glossary is designed to help.

Definitions reference primary sources including the NUJ Code of Conduct, IPSO Editors' Code, Ofcom Broadcasting Code, UK legislation, ICO guidance, and industry-standard style guides. Most terms now link to a deeper guide or blog post.

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Showing 404 of 404 terms

A-roll: A-roll is the primary footage in a broadcast news package — typically the presenter's piece-to-camera, interview sequences, and studio links. It provides the main narrative thread onto which B-roll cutaways are overlaid in editing.
ABC: The Audit Bureau of Circulations, the UK body that independently verifies newspaper and magazine circulation figures. Publishers use ABC-certified numbers to set advertising rates and demonstrate reach.
Absolute privilege: A complete and unchallengeable defence to defamation that protects statements made in Parliament, in court proceedings, and in certain other official contexts. Reports of parliamentary debates and court proceedings are covered by qualified (not absolute) privilege.
Abstract idea: In UK copyright law, abstract ideas cannot be protected — only the specific expression of an idea is covered. This is sometimes called the idea–expression dichotomy and is a key principle when reporting on intellectual property disputes.
Accreditation: Press accreditation is formal recognition granted by an organisation — such as the UK Parliament, a police force, or a sporting body — that gives a journalist access to restricted events or areas. Accreditation is distinct from a general press card and is typically event- or institution-specific.
Accuracy: The core obligation under all UK press codes and broadcast regulation to report facts correctly, distinguish fact from opinion, and correct errors promptly and prominently. The IPSO Editors' Code Clause 1 and Ofcom Broadcasting Code Section 5 both mandate accuracy.
Active proceedings: A legal case is "active" under the Contempt of Court Act 1981 from the moment a suspect is arrested, a warrant is issued, or a summons is served, until the case is concluded. Publishing material that creates a substantial risk of prejudice during active proceedings can be contempt.
Advertorial: Paid content designed to look like editorial. UK press codes require advertorials to be clearly labelled so readers can distinguish them from independent journalism.
Aggravated damages: Additional damages awarded by a court in defamation cases where the defendant's conduct has been particularly harmful or high-handed. Aggravated damages may be awarded where a defendant persists in a false allegation after being put on notice.
AI disclosure: AI disclosure is the editorial practice of informing readers when artificial intelligence has contributed substantially to the creation of a published piece. Regulators and industry bodies including IPSO are developing guidance on when and how UK publishers should disclose AI involvement.
AI ethics framework: An AI ethics framework is a set of principles and guidelines governing the responsible use of artificial intelligence within an organisation. Leading UK publishers have adopted or are developing such frameworks to address accuracy, transparency, bias, and accountability when deploying AI tools.
ALCS: The Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society, which distributes royalties to writers for secondary uses of their work, including photocopying, digital copying, and cable retransmission. UK freelancers can register to receive annual payments.
Algorithmic bias: Algorithmic bias occurs when an AI system produces systematically skewed results due to biased training data or flawed design. UK journalists must be alert to algorithmic bias when using AI tools for audience targeting, content recommendations, or automated reporting.
Alibi: A defence in criminal proceedings asserting that the accused was elsewhere when the offence was committed. Reporters should be careful not to undermine an alibi defence through prejudicial coverage while proceedings are active.
Alignment: In AI development, alignment refers to ensuring that AI systems behave in accordance with human values and intended goals. Journalists covering AI should understand the alignment problem to report accurately on AI safety debates.
AMP: Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is a Google-backed open standard for creating fast-loading mobile web pages using stripped-down HTML. While adoption has declined since Google removed the AMP requirement for Top Stories, some UK publishers still use it to improve mobile performance.
Angle: The particular focus or perspective chosen for a story. A good angle gives a fresh take on events and determines which facts lead the piece.
Anonymisation: The process of removing or obscuring personal identifiers from data so individuals cannot be identified. Under the UK GDPR, truly anonymised data falls outside data protection law, making anonymisation a key concept for data journalists handling sensitive datasets.
Anonymous source: A person who provides information to a journalist on the condition that their identity is not disclosed. UK journalists are expected to protect anonymous sources, a duty upheld by the NUJ Code of Conduct and, in limited circumstances, by the courts.
Anti-SLAPP: Legislation or legal doctrine designed to protect journalists and others from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation — meritless defamation or nuisance actions filed to silence critics. The UK's Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduced limited anti-SLAPP provisions.
API: Application Programming Interface — a set of protocols that allows software to communicate with another system. Data journalists use APIs to pull live data from government databases, social media platforms, and statistical services.
APPG: All-Party Parliamentary Group — an informal cross-party group of MPs and peers with a shared interest in a particular issue or sector. APPGs have no formal legislative power but can influence policy and are a useful source for parliamentary reporters.
Archive: A searchable repository of past editions, articles, or records held by a news organisation. UK news archives — including the British Newspaper Archive — are valuable research tools for journalists investigating historical stories.
Archive-first capture: Archive-first capture is the practice of saving a copy of an online source — using a service such as the Wayback Machine or archive.today — before attempting to contact subjects or publish, to prevent evidence disappearing. It is a foundational habit in open-source investigative journalism.
Archive.org: The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, which stores historical snapshots of web pages. Journalists use archive.org to retrieve deleted statements, old versions of websites, and evidence of content changes.
Assignment: A specific reporting task given to a journalist by an editor. In freelance contexts, an assignment (or commission) creates an agreement about the story, word count, deadline, and fee.
Attribution: Identifying the source of information or a quote within a story. UK newsrooms follow strict attribution conventions, distinguishing between named sources, anonymous sources, and off-the-record briefings.
Autocue: Autocue (brand name widely used generically) is a teleprompter device positioned in front of or alongside a broadcast camera lens so presenters can read a scrolling script while appearing to look directly at the viewer. Delivery pace and tone remain the presenter's responsibility regardless of autocue use.
B-roll: B-roll is supplementary footage — such as location shots, archive video, or visual cutaways — that is edited over the main interview or narration (A-roll) to illustrate the story. Strong B-roll is essential for UK broadcast packages to avoid prolonged 'talking head' sequences.
Background: Information given to a journalist for context but not intended for direct quotation. In UK political reporting, "on background" means the information can be used but the source must not be identified.
Balance: The journalistic principle of presenting more than one perspective on a contested issue. In broadcast journalism, Ofcom requires "due impartiality" rather than strict mathematical balance. In print, balance is an ethical expectation rather than a legal requirement.
Beat: A specific subject area or geographical patch a reporter covers regularly, such as crime, health, or local government. Beat reporters build specialist contacts and deep knowledge over time.
Bereaved family reporting: Coverage involving the families of those who have died, governed by Clause 4 of the IPSO Editors' Code (intrusion into grief or shock). Journalists must not approach bereaved families in a way that causes unnecessary distress.
Boom: A boom microphone is a directional mic mounted on an extended pole and positioned overhead or in front of the subject, outside the camera frame. It is used in broadcast production when a lavalier microphone is not practical or would be visible on camera.
Briefing: A formal or informal meeting at which officials, politicians, or spokespeople provide journalists with information. UK government briefings range from on-the-record press conferences to lobby briefings under specific attribution rules.
Broadband speed data: Data on internet connection speeds by area published by Ofcom and DCMS. Useful as a local government data journalism source for stories on digital exclusion.
Broadcast impartiality: The requirement under the Communications Act 2003 and Ofcom Broadcasting Code that licensed broadcasters present a range of views on matters of political or industrial controversy and public policy.
Broadsheet: A large-format newspaper traditionally associated with serious, in-depth journalism. In the UK, The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times still print in broadsheet format, though several former broadsheets have moved to compact or Berliner sizes.
Bumper: A bumper is a short audio or video clip — typically featuring music, a jingle, or a brief narration — used to transition between segments of a broadcast or podcast. UK radio and podcast producers use bumpers to signal ad breaks or section changes.
Byline: The journalist's name printed alongside their story. In UK papers, bylines may include the reporter's title or specialism, and shared bylines indicate collaborative reporting.
Cabinet member: In local government, a cabinet member is an elected councillor appointed by the leader of the council to oversee a specific policy portfolio (e.g. housing, transport). Cabinet members hold significant decision-making power and their decisions are reportable.
Cabinet papers: Official documents recording the decisions of the UK Cabinet. Cabinet papers are exempt from FOIA for 30 years (now reduced to some categories at 20 years) but can provide rich historical context once released under the Public Records Act.
Canonical: An HTML link element (`rel="canonical"`) that tells search engines which version of a page is the definitive one. Journalists managing their own websites use canonical tags to prevent duplicate-content penalties when articles are republished.
Caption: The text accompanying a photograph or illustration. UK style typically places captions below images and includes the name of the photographer or picture agency.
Catchline: Another term for slug — the short identifying label attached to a story throughout the editorial process. Catchlines help production teams track multiple stories being processed simultaneously.
CDN: A content delivery network (CDN) is a geographically distributed network of servers that delivers web content to users from the nearest location. Publishers use CDNs to reduce page-load times and handle traffic spikes during major breaking news events.
Chief reporter: The senior reporter responsible for leading a newsroom's reporting team, assigning stories, and maintaining editorial standards. Chief reporters in UK regional newsrooms often also report and write.
Chinese walls: Editorial and commercial separation within a media organisation designed to prevent advertising or business interests from influencing news coverage. UK press ethics standards require robust Chinese walls.
Choropleth: A thematic map that uses colour shading to represent statistical values across geographic areas, such as deprivation indices by local authority. Choropleths are a staple of data-driven UK journalism.
Chronolocation: Chronolocation is the process of determining when a photograph or video was recorded by analysing visual clues such as shadow angles, sun position, seasonal foliage, or dated objects in the frame. Used alongside geolocation, it helps verify the authenticity of conflict imagery and newsworthy footage.
Churn rate: Churn rate is the percentage of subscribers who cancel or do not renew their subscriptions within a given period. Managing churn is critical for UK newsletter publishers and digital media outlets building sustainable reader-revenue models.
Churnalism: Pejorative term for journalism that relies heavily on recycling press releases or wire copy without original reporting. The term was popularised by BBC journalist Waseem Zakir and explored in Nick Davies' book Flat Earth News.
Circulation: The number of copies of a publication distributed, whether sold, subscription, or free. In the UK, circulation figures are independently audited by ABC and remain a key industry metric despite the shift to digital.
Citizen journalism: News gathering and reporting by members of the public, facilitated by smartphones and social media. UK news organisations use citizen journalism content under licence but must verify its authenticity before publication.
Closed session: Part of a local authority meeting from which the press and public are lawfully excluded to discuss confidential matters under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. Journalists should challenge unlawful exclusions.
CMS: A content management system (CMS) is software that enables journalists and editors to create, edit, and publish digital content without writing code. Common examples used by UK newsrooms include WordPress, Arc Publishing, and Brightspot.
Colour piece: A descriptive, atmospheric article that conveys the mood or feel of an event or place. Colour pieces rely on vivid detail and observation rather than hard news.
Commission: A formal agreement between an editor or publisher and a journalist to produce a specified piece of work for an agreed fee. A commissioning email can constitute a binding contract under UK law.
Community interest company: A type of limited company designed for social enterprises, including community-owned news organisations. Some UK local news outlets are structured as CICs to maintain editorial independence while accessing social investment.
Conduit privilege: In UK parliamentary reporting, the privilege that protects fair and accurate reports of proceedings in Parliament from defamation claims. Absolute privilege applies to members' statements in the House; qualified privilege covers media reports.
Conflict of interest: A situation in which a journalist's personal, financial, or professional interests could compromise — or appear to compromise — their impartiality. UK press codes require disclosure or recusal when conflicts arise.
Contact book: A journalist's personal directory of sources and contacts, built up over a career. Protecting a contact book is a matter of both professional ethics and data protection law, as it contains personal information.
Contempt of court: Any act that risks prejudicing or impeding the administration of justice. For UK journalists, contempt can arise from publishing material about active proceedings that creates a substantial risk of serious prejudice, as defined by the Contempt of Court Act 1981.
Content Credentials: Content Credentials (based on the C2PA standard) are cryptographically signed records of provenance attached to digital media, showing where and how an image or video was created or edited. UK news organisations and photo agencies are beginning to adopt the standard to help audiences distinguish authentic from manipulated content.
Contrarian: A columnist or commentator who deliberately takes positions contrary to the prevailing narrative. UK media publications often commission contrarian pieces to provoke debate, but editors must ensure contrarian opinion is grounded in fact.
Copy: The written text of a news story or article. Journalists "file copy" to their newsdesk, and sub-editors process the copy before publication.
Copy taster: A senior newsroom staffer who reads incoming agency copy and reporter filings to decide what is worth using and prioritising. Copy tasters are gatekeepers in high-volume national newsrooms.
Correction: A formal acknowledgement that a published story contained an error, accompanied by the accurate information. Under IPSO's Editors' Code Clause 1, corrections must be made promptly and with due prominence.
Correspondent: A journalist assigned to a specific subject area or location. UK outlets employ specialist correspondents (political, diplomatic, defence) and foreign correspondents based overseas.
Council agenda: The formal list of items to be discussed at a local authority meeting. Under the Local Government Act 1972, council agendas and supporting papers must be published at least five clear days before a meeting, giving journalists advance notice.
Court list: The daily schedule of cases to be heard in a court. In England and Wales, court lists are published online by HMCTS and are the starting point for reporters planning court coverage.
Cross-examination: The questioning of a witness by the opposing party in legal proceedings. UK reporters covering trials should record cross-examination carefully as it often contains the most newsworthy material.
Crosshead: A small sub-heading inserted into the body of a story to break up long blocks of text. UK newspapers use crossheads extensively to improve readability, especially in tabloid layouts.
Crown Court: The court in England and Wales that handles the most serious criminal cases, including murder, rape, and major fraud. Crown Court proceedings are public and fully reportable unless restricted by judicial order.
Crown Prosecution Service: The CPS — the principal prosecuting authority in England and Wales. CPS charging decisions, case summaries, and press releases are primary sources for court reporters covering criminal proceedings.
CSV: Comma-Separated Values — a plain-text format for storing tabular data. CSV files are the most common format for data releases from UK government bodies and are easily imported into spreadsheet applications for analysis.
Cuttings: A collection of published articles, traditionally clipped from newspapers. UK journalists maintain cuttings files (now mostly digital) as a portfolio of their work and for background research.
D-notice: A formal request from the UK government's Defence and Security Media Advisory Committee asking editors not to publish specific information on national security grounds. D-notices are voluntary and not legally binding.
Data journalism: Journalism that relies on analysing structured datasets to find stories. UK data journalists use tools such as spreadsheets, SQL, Python, and R to interrogate public datasets and hold institutions to account.
Data protection: The legal framework governing how personal data is collected, processed, and stored. UK data protection is governed by the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, regulated by the ICO. Journalists have a specific exemption for processing personal data for journalistic purposes.
Dataset: A structured collection of data, typically held in a spreadsheet or database format. UK public bodies are required under the transparency code to publish a range of datasets, making them a starting point for data-driven investigations.
Dateline: The line at the beginning of a story indicating where and when it was filed. UK convention places the dateline in capitals before the first paragraph of a report filed from outside the newsroom's home city.
Day rate: The fee charged by a freelance journalist for a full day's work. UK day rates vary widely by specialism and outlet; the NUJ publishes recommended minimum rates that members are encouraged to use as a benchmark.
Deadline: The latest time by which copy must be submitted for publication. In UK print newsrooms, deadlines are determined by press times and edition schedules; digital deadlines are effectively continuous.
Death knock: The practice of visiting the home of a recently deceased person to seek comment or photographs from relatives. It is one of the most difficult tasks in UK journalism, governed by Clause 4 (Intrusion into grief) of the IPSO Editors' Code.
Deck: A line of a headline. Multi-deck headlines use several lines of decreasing size. In UK tabloids, a story might carry a three-deck headline for maximum impact.
Deepfake: Synthetic media — typically video or audio — in which a person's likeness or voice is convincingly manipulated using AI. UK journalists must verify media authenticity before publication to avoid spreading disinformation.
Deeplink: A hyperlink that points directly to a specific page or section within a website, rather than its homepage. Deep linking is standard practice in digital journalism and helps readers reach relevant source material quickly.
Defamation: The publication of a false statement that causes or is likely to cause serious harm to a person's reputation. In English law, defamation includes both libel (written/broadcast) and slander (spoken), governed by the Defamation Act 2013.
Defamation Act 2013: The statute that reformed English and Welsh defamation law, introducing the serious harm threshold, the public interest defence, and updated defences for honest opinion and truth. Scotland has separate defamation law.
Dek: American variant of "deck" — a secondary headline or standfirst. The term appears in UK digital newsrooms influenced by US editorial practices.
Derogatory mitigation: Remarks made in mitigation at sentencing that attack the character of a victim or witness without proper basis. UK judges can restrict reporting of such remarks where they risk causing serious harm.
Diary: In UK newsrooms, the diary is the schedule of known upcoming events (court cases, press conferences, parliamentary business) that may generate stories. Diary reporters cover pre-planned events.
Digital first: An editorial strategy that prioritises publishing stories online before (or instead of) in print. Most UK news organisations now operate a digital-first approach, updating websites continuously throughout the day.
Disclosure: In legal proceedings, the process of exchanging relevant evidence between parties before trial. Journalists should be aware that unpublished notes and footage may be sought through third-party disclosure orders.
Division: A parliamentary vote in which MPs or peers physically divide into "Aye" and "No" lobbies. Division lists are published in Hansard and are a valuable source for political reporters tracking MPs' voting records.
Doorstep: Approaching someone for comment without prior arrangement, typically at their home or office. Doorstepping is a contentious practice in UK journalism, regulated by the IPSO Editors' Code, and usually reserved for stories of significant public interest.
Downpage: A story placed in the lower half of a newspaper page, generally carrying less visual prominence than the splash or page lead. A downpage story typically has a smaller headline and photograph.
Doxxing: Doxxing is the malicious act of researching and publicly publishing private personal information about an individual — such as their home address, workplace, or family details — without consent. UK journalists must be aware both of the legal and ethical risks of inadvertent doxxing, and of being targeted themselves.
Drop intro: A news story opening that starts with an anecdote, scene-setting, or delayed revelation before delivering the key news point in the second or third paragraph. Common in UK broadsheet feature writing.
Due accuracy: An Ofcom Broadcasting Code requirement that broadcast journalists present information that is sufficiently accurate given the nature and context of the programme. "Due" means appropriate to context, not absolute.
Due impartiality: The Ofcom Broadcasting Code requirement that broadcasters present a range of significant views on controversial matters. "Due" means appropriate weight rather than strict mathematical balance.
Edge cache: Edge caching stores copies of web content on servers close to end users, reducing latency and server load. News sites rely on edge caching to serve high-traffic articles quickly, particularly during breaking stories.
Editorial: An opinion article written on behalf of the newspaper rather than an individual journalist. UK newspapers traditionally run editorials (also called "leaders") expressing the publication's institutional view on issues of the day.
Editorial independence: The principle that editorial decisions are made by journalists and editors free from commercial, political, or proprietorial interference. Editorial independence is foundational to press freedom and is enshrined in NUJ agreements and some publishers' editorial codes.
EIR: Environmental Information Regulations 2004 — the right to request environmental information from public bodies. EIR is in some respects broader than FOIA, with fewer exemptions, and is the preferred route for information about pollution, planning, and climate policy.
Either way: An "either way" (or triable either way) offence can be heard in either the magistrates' court or Crown Court. Reporting restrictions at magistrates' court committal hearings may apply; reporters should check the current restrictions.
Embargo: A restriction placed on information, stipulating it must not be published before a specified date and time. UK government departments, universities, and PR agencies regularly issue embargoed press releases.
Environmental impact: Under the EIR, public bodies must provide information on measures or activities that may affect the environment. This can include planning applications, pollution monitoring data, and environmental risk assessments.
Environmental information: Any information relating to the state of the environment, emissions, waste, or human health. Requests for environmental information should be made under the EIR rather than FOIA, even when submitted to the same public authority.
ETL: Extract, Transform, Load — the three-stage process of pulling data from a source, cleaning and reshaping it, and loading it into a database or tool for analysis. Data journalists use ETL pipelines to handle large or complex datasets.
Exclusive: A story obtained and published by one outlet before any competitor. UK tabloids often label exclusives prominently on the front page to signal original reporting and attract readers.
Exclusive dealing: An arrangement where a journalist agrees to give a story solely to one outlet, usually in exchange for higher payment or prominent placement. Exclusive deals must be clearly agreed before work begins to avoid disputes.
Exemption: A provision in FOIA or EIR that allows a public body to withhold information. Exemptions can be absolute (e.g., court records) or qualified (requiring a public interest test). UK journalists should challenge over-broad use of exemptions.
EXIF: EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) data is metadata automatically embedded in digital photographs by cameras and smartphones, often including the GPS location, date, time, and device model. Journalists should strip EXIF data from images when protecting source location and should examine it during verification of submitted photographs.
Fact-checking: The systematic verification of factual claims in journalism, both before publication and as a standalone editorial product. UK dedicated fact-checking organisations include Full Fact and Channel 4 FactCheck.
Fair comment: Now known in English law as "honest opinion" under the Defamation Act 2013. A defence to defamation for statements of opinion on matters of public interest, provided the comment is based on facts that were true or protected.
Fair dealing: A UK copyright exception allowing limited use of copyrighted works without permission for purposes of news reporting, criticism, review, or quotation. The use must be fair and, for news reporting, must not apply to photographs.
Feature: A longer, more in-depth article that goes beyond straightforward news reporting. Features may include profiles, investigations, background analysis, or human interest stories and are a staple of UK weekend supplements.
File: To submit or transmit copy to the newsdesk. "Filing" refers to the act of sending a completed story; journalists on location "file" via email, phone dictation, or content management systems.
Filler: A short, usually light item used to fill remaining space on a page. UK newspapers keep a stock of timeless fillers (odd facts, quirky stories) ready for layout needs.
Financial journalism: Reporting on economic matters, company results, markets, and personal finance. UK financial journalists must be aware of market abuse regulations and should not trade on information obtained before publication.
Fine-tuning: The process of further training a pre-existing AI model on a smaller, domain-specific dataset to adapt its behaviour. Newsrooms exploring AI tools should understand whether a vendor's model has been fine-tuned and on what data.
First-tier authority: In the UK local government structure, a council that provides all local services in its area — typically unitary authorities, London boroughs, and metropolitan district councils.
First-Tier Tribunal: The independent tribunal that hears appeals against ICO decisions on FOI and data protection matters. Journalists who receive an unsatisfactory ICO decision can ask the First-Tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) to review it.
Fixer: A fixer is a local journalist, translator, or contact who assists foreign correspondents with logistics, translation, source introductions, and cultural guidance in unfamiliar territory. Fixers are indispensable to international reporting but are often poorly credited and face greater physical risks than the visiting journalists they support.
Flat plan: A diagram showing the layout of every page in an edition, indicating which pages are advertising and which are editorial. UK newspaper production teams use flat plans to manage page allocation.
Fleet Street: Historically the centre of British national newspaper publishing in London. Although most papers left Fleet Street by the late 1980s, the name remains synonymous with the UK national press.
FOI: Freedom of Information — the legal right to request information from public bodies under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) or the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. FOI requests are a vital tool for UK investigative journalists.
FOIA: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 — the primary statute governing public access to information held by public authorities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It imposes a duty to publish and a duty to respond to requests within 20 working days.
Foundation model: A large AI model trained on vast amounts of data that can be adapted for many downstream tasks. GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini are examples of foundation models. Understanding these underpins AI journalism coverage.
Freedom of expression: The right to hold and express opinions and receive information, protected by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. UK courts balance freedom of expression against competing rights such as privacy and reputation.
Freelance: A self-employed journalist who sells work to multiple outlets rather than being on staff. UK freelancers may join the NUJ and should register as self-employed with HMRC for tax purposes.
Freemium: The freemium model offers a basic tier of content for free while charging subscribers for premium access, features, or archives. Many UK digital news outlets use freemium to grow their audience before converting free readers to paying subscribers.
Generative AI: AI systems that can produce text, images, audio, or video in response to prompts. UK journalists use generative AI for research, transcription, and drafting assistance, but must verify outputs for accuracy.
Geolocation: Geolocation is the process of identifying the precise geographic location where a photograph or video was recorded, using visual landmarks, satellite imagery, mapping tools, and sun-angle analysis. It is a key verification technique used by UK investigative and conflict journalists to authenticate footage.
Ghost (platform): Ghost is an open-source newsletter and membership publishing platform used by independent journalists and small publishers to host paid or free newsletters and websites. It is popular among UK freelance journalists seeking full control over their content and subscriber data.
Ghost-writing: Writing content that is attributed to another person. In UK journalism, ghost-writing is most common for celebrity autobiographies, op-eds, and blog posts; the ethical obligation to disclose ghosting is context-dependent.
Goodyear indication: A process in Crown Court where a defendant may seek the judge's indication of the maximum sentence they would receive if they pleaded guilty at that stage. Named after R v Goodyear (2005); reporters should note that any indication given may be subject to reporting restrictions.
Grant funding: Non-repayable funding from government, charitable, or philanthropic sources to support journalism projects. UK newsrooms and freelancers can apply to bodies such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Journalism Funders Forum, and NESTA.
GREL: Generally Recognised Electoral Law — Ofcom's framework governing broadcast coverage of elections. Broadcasters must take particular care during election periods to ensure due impartiality and avoid giving undue advantage to any party.
Gross misconduct: Serious employee wrongdoing that may justify immediate dismissal. Journalists facing gross misconduct allegations may need union representation; the NUJ provides assistance to members.
Guardian-style: Informal reference to The Guardian's distinctive style guide, which favours lowercase, inclusive language, and plain English. Available online and widely consulted by UK journalists.
Hack: Informal slang for a journalist, used affectionately within the profession. In UK newsrooms, calling someone "a good hack" is a compliment meaning a reliable, resourceful reporter.
Hallucination: When an AI model generates plausible-sounding but factually incorrect information. Hallucination is a significant risk for journalists using AI tools; all AI-generated facts should be independently verified before publication.
Hansard: The official verbatim record of proceedings in the UK Parliament, published daily. Reporters rely on Hansard for accurate quotes from MPs and peers and for checking the wording of statutory instruments and debates.
Hard intro: A news story opening that leads immediately with the most important fact — who, what, where, when. The hard intro is the default structure for breaking news in UK print and digital newsrooms.
Hard paywall: A hard paywall blocks all content from non-subscribers, requiring payment before any article can be read. The Times and The Telegraph operate hard paywalls as a core part of their digital revenue strategies.
Hash: A cryptographic hash is a fixed-length fingerprint of a file, generated by a mathematical algorithm such as SHA-256. Journalists handling leaked documents use hashes to verify that files have not been altered in transit and to prove they hold the authentic originals.
Headless CMS: A headless CMS separates the content repository (the 'body') from the presentation layer (the 'head'), allowing publishers to push content to websites, apps, and other channels through an API. UK news organisations adopting multi-platform distribution increasingly favour headless architectures.
Headline: The title of a story, designed to grab attention and summarise the content. In UK newspapers, headlines are usually written by sub-editors rather than the reporter who wrote the story.
Hearing: A formal session of a court, tribunal, or select committee at which evidence is presented or legal argument is made. Pre-trial hearings in criminal cases are normally subject to reporting restrictions unless the court orders otherwise.
Hed: Newsroom shorthand for headline, especially in digital workflows. A "hed and dek" refers to the main headline and its supporting subheading.
Henry VIII clause: A provision in primary legislation that gives ministers the power to amend or repeal Acts of Parliament by secondary legislation (statutory instrument) without full parliamentary scrutiny. The term is pejorative and controversial; parliamentary reporters should flag its use.
Hold the front page: An instruction to delay printing because a major breaking story has come in. Though largely a cliché now, the phrase captures the urgency of UK print journalism when a late-breaking exclusive demands the splash be changed.
Honest opinion: The successor to the "fair comment" defence under the Defamation Act 2013. Protects statements of opinion on matters of public interest, provided the opinion is indicated as such and is based on facts that were true or privileged at the time of publication.
Hostile environment: Hostile environment training (HEFAT) prepares journalists to work safely in war zones, civil unrest, natural disasters, or other high-risk situations. Most UK national broadcasters and major news agencies require journalists and fixers to complete accredited hostile environment courses before deploying to conflict areas.
House style: The set of spelling, grammar, and formatting rules specific to a publication. Major UK outlets like The Guardian, The Times, and the BBC each publish their own style guides.
Human interest: A type of story that focuses on the experiences and emotions of individuals, rather than news events per se. Human interest stories are a staple of UK regional journalism and supplements.
Hyperlocal: News coverage focused on a very small geographic area — a neighbourhood, village, or street. UK hyperlocal outlets (often run by sole traders or volunteers) have grown to fill gaps left by declining regional newspapers.
ICO: The Information Commissioner's Office — the UK's independent authority for upholding information rights. The ICO can investigate FOI complaints, issue enforcement notices, and fine organisations for data protection breaches.
Idea-expression dichotomy: A fundamental principle of copyright law: ideas, facts, and information are not protected, but the specific expression of them is. This allows journalists to report on events covered by others without infringing copyright.
Impartiality: The obligation to present information and views fairly, without favouring one side. Impartiality is a legal requirement for UK broadcasters under the Communications Act 2003 and an ethical expectation for print journalists.
IMPRESS: The only press regulator in the UK recognised under the Royal Charter on self-regulation of the press. IMPRESS regulates a smaller number of publishers than IPSO and offers an arbitration scheme for the public.
IMPRESS Code: The IMPRESS Standards Code, which sets out ethical and editorial standards for IMPRESS-regulated publishers. It covers accuracy, privacy, discrimination, and accountability, and underpins the IMPRESS complaints process.
Indemnity: A contractual commitment from a publisher or employer to cover a journalist's legal costs and damages in defined circumstances. Freelancers should check whether commissioning contracts include an indemnity or whether they need their own professional indemnity insurance.
Indictable: An offence that must be tried at Crown Court before a judge and jury. The most serious criminal offences — murder, manslaughter, rape — are indictable only. Reporting restrictions at preliminary hearings are narrower than for either-way offences.
Injunction: A court order restraining publication of specified information. UK journalists who receive an injunction should seek immediate legal advice; breaching an injunction can be contempt of court. Some injunctions (super-injunctions) also prohibit reporting that an injunction exists.
Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong ethical principles. In journalism, integrity means reporting without fear or favour, being transparent about conflicts of interest, and correcting mistakes promptly.
Interim injunction: A temporary court order restraining publication, granted urgently before a full hearing. In UK privacy and defamation cases, respondents (publishers) are entitled to argue against interim injunctions before they are granted.
Internal review: The first stage of an FOI appeal, in which the public authority itself reconsiders its decision. UK journalists who receive an unsatisfactory FOI response should first request an internal review before complaining to the ICO.
Interview: A formal conversation with a source, conducted on-the-record, on background, or off the record. UK journalists should clarify the terms of an interview before it begins to avoid subsequent disputes about what was agreed.
Intro: The opening paragraph of a news story, known as the "lede" in American journalism. A UK news intro typically delivers the key facts in a single, punchy sentence of around 25 words.
Inverted pyramid: The traditional news-writing structure that places the most important information first and the least important last. It remains the standard approach taught in UK journalism training.
Investigative journalism: In-depth reporting that exposes wrongdoing, injustice, or matters of significant public interest through original research. UK investigative journalism is supported by organisations including the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Centre for Investigative Journalism.
Invoice: The formal document a freelance journalist issues to claim payment for completed work. UK invoices should include the freelancer's name, address, invoice number, date, services rendered, rate, VAT number (if applicable), and payment terms.
IPFS: The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) is a distributed, peer-to-peer protocol for storing and sharing files identified by content hash rather than location. Some whistleblower platforms and activist groups use IPFS to publish documents in a censorship-resistant manner, making them relevant to investigative journalists.
IPSA: The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which regulates and administers MPs' pay, pensions, and expenses in the UK. IPSA publishes detailed expense data online, making it a valuable source for parliamentary accountability journalism.
IPSO: The Independent Press Standards Organisation, the largest press regulator in the UK. IPSO handles complaints against member publications and enforces the Editors' Code of Practice.
IPSO Editors' Code: The code of practice enforced by IPSO, covering accuracy, privacy, harassment, intrusion into grief, reporting of crime, children, and discrimination. Member publications are contractually bound to comply with its clauses.
Jigsaw identification: The unintentional identification of a person — typically a victim of sexual assault or a child — through the combination of individual details that are each individually permissible to publish but, when read alongside other reports, allow identification. UK law and press codes prohibit jigsaw identification.
Journalist visa: A journalist visa is a specific entry permit required by some countries for credentialled media workers, separate from a tourist or business visa. UK journalists planning to cover sensitive stories abroad must research visa requirements carefully, as working on a tourist visa can result in detention or expulsion.
Journalist's privilege: The protection afforded to journalists against being compelled to reveal the identity of confidential sources, rooted in Section 10 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981. Courts can override this protection where disclosure is necessary in the interests of justice or national security.
JSON: JavaScript Object Notation — a lightweight, human-readable data format widely used in APIs and data feeds. UK data journalists frequently parse JSON responses when pulling government statistics or social media data programmatically.
Judicial review: A form of legal challenge in the High Court where the lawfulness of a public body's decision is examined. JR proceedings are public and fully reportable; they are a key accountability mechanism that journalists regularly cover.
Justification: The traditional English law defence to defamation (now called "truth" under the Defamation Act 2013). A publisher can defend a defamatory statement by proving it is substantially true.
Kicker: A small line of text above the main headline, used to categorise a story or add context. Also used to mean the final punchy line of a feature or broadcast piece that gives the story a satisfying close.
Kill fee: A reduced payment made to a freelance journalist when a commissioned piece is accepted but ultimately not published. UK kill fees are typically 25–50% of the agreed rate and should be negotiated before starting work.
Lavalier: A lavalier (or 'lav') is a small clip-on microphone attached discreetly to a subject's clothing, used in broadcast interviews and pieces-to-camera. It allows hands-free recording while delivering clear, close-proximity audio without the need for a handheld or boom mic.
LDRS: Local Democracy Reporting Service — an initiative funded by the BBC and DCMS that funds reporters at local news organisations to cover councils, local government, and public institutions across the UK. LDRS reporters' content is shared across the wider local press.
Lead: The main story in a newspaper or bulletin, or the opening paragraph of a story. In UK print, "the lead" usually refers to the most prominent story on a page.
Leader: An editorial opinion article expressing the publication's institutional view on a topic. UK newspapers publish leaders (also called editorials) daily. The leader column is distinct from signed commentary.
Lede: American spelling of "lead" used in UK digital newsrooms — the opening sentence or paragraph of a news story. A strong lede answers the key questions (who, what, where, when, why) concisely.
Legals: Short for "legal read" — the process of having a story checked by a media lawyer before publication to assess risks of libel, contempt, or privacy breach. UK newsrooms with dedicated legal teams run legals on sensitive investigations.
Libel: A published false statement that damages someone's reputation. UK libel law places the burden of proof on the defendant (the publisher), making it among the strictest in the world. The Defamation Act 2013 introduced a "serious harm" threshold.
Licence fee: The annual fee paid by UK households to fund the BBC. The licence fee settlement is a major political and media story renewed periodically. Coverage of the BBC's funding model is central to UK broadcasting journalism.
Lifetime value: Lifetime value (LTV) is the total revenue a publisher can expect to earn from a subscriber over the duration of their relationship. Understanding LTV helps UK news entrepreneurs set appropriate subscriber acquisition costs and prioritise retention over short-term promotional discounts.
Lineage: Payment to freelance journalists calculated per line of published text. Lineage rates vary between UK publications and are less common now than flat fees or day rates.
Live blogging: Real-time, rolling text updates published online as an event unfolds — a court verdict, a parliamentary debate, a press conference. Live blogs are a standard digital journalism format for UK newsrooms covering major news events.
LLM: Large Language Model — an AI model trained on large amounts of text data that generates text by predicting the most likely next word or token. ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are LLMs. Understanding LLM limitations is essential for AI journalism coverage.
Lobby: The group of accredited political journalists who cover the UK Parliament. Lobby correspondents attend private briefings from government spokespeople under established attribution rules.
Local Democracy Reporter: A journalist funded under the BBC-backed LDRS scheme, covering local councils and public bodies for regional news organisations. Their content is shared under licence across the local press.
Local government: The tier of government below national level, comprising county, district, metropolitan, and unitary authorities in England, plus separate arrangements in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Local government decisions are a primary beat for regional UK journalists.
Long read: A lengthy, in-depth article — typically 2,000–10,000 words — exploring a topic with narrative depth. Long reads are a premium editorial format for UK broadsheets, magazines, and digital-native outlets.
Machine-readable: Data published in a format that can be processed by software without manual intervention, such as CSV, JSON, or XML. UK transparency regulations encourage public bodies to publish data in machine-readable formats rather than PDFs.
Magistrates' court: The first tier of the English and Welsh court system, handling the vast majority of criminal cases. Most minor and medium-level offences are tried here; more serious offences are committed to Crown Court. Reporting from magistrates' courts is generally open, but some restrictions apply in youth cases.
Malice: In defamation law, malice defeats the defences of qualified privilege and honest opinion. Malice is established where the publisher knew a statement was false, was reckless as to its truth, or was actuated by improper motive.
Masthead: The newspaper's title and logo as displayed on the front page. The masthead is a key part of a UK paper's brand identity and rarely changes.
Masthead editorial: An editorial statement appearing in a publication's masthead area, often stating its editorial mission or values. Some UK specialist publications publish masthead editorials to clarify their editorial positioning.
McKenzie friend: A person who assists a litigant in person in court proceedings, usually a non-lawyer. Courts can restrict McKenzie friends from speaking. Their presence at hearings does not affect the normal rules on reporting court proceedings.
Media law: The body of law governing journalism, including defamation, privacy, copyright, contempt, reporting restrictions, and data protection. UK media law training is central to journalism qualification requirements.
Membership model: A membership model is a reader-revenue approach in which audiences pay a regular fee not just for access to content but to support journalism they value, often receiving community benefits or additional perks in return. The Guardian and many UK local news outlets use membership to supplement or replace advertising revenue.
Metadata: Data that describes other data — for instance, information about when a document was created or modified, or who wrote it. Journalists use metadata analysis to authenticate documents and digital media.
Micropayments: Micropayments are very small financial transactions — typically a few pence — that allow readers to pay per article rather than committing to a full subscription. Proponents argue micropayments could unlock casual readers for UK publishers, though no single platform has yet achieved widespread adoption.
Misrepresentation: A false or misleading statement that induces another party to enter a contract or take action. In journalism ethics, misrepresentation covers deceiving sources or subjects, not just publication. UK press codes prohibit misrepresentation except in limited public interest circumstances.
Mobile journalism: Journalism produced using smartphones — shooting, editing, and filing video and audio stories from a single device. "MoJo" has become mainstream in UK broadcast and digital newsrooms.
Model card: A model card is a standardised document that discloses the intended uses, limitations, training data, and performance characteristics of an AI model. Journalists and editors should request or review model cards when assessing whether a particular AI tool is appropriate for a given journalistic task.
Monitoring officer: A statutory officer appointed by every UK local authority responsible for ensuring the council complies with the law and its constitution. The monitoring officer is a key contact for journalists investigating council governance failures.
Morgue: The newsroom library or archive where past cuttings, photographs, and reference material are stored. In the UK, the term dates from Fleet Street's heyday; most morgues are now digital databases.
Multimodal: An AI system capable of processing and generating multiple types of data — text, images, audio, and video. Multimodal AI tools are increasingly relevant for newsrooms handling diverse content formats.
Mystery shopper: A covert research method in which a journalist poses as a customer to test the quality or compliance of goods or services. Permissible under UK press codes when in the public interest and material cannot be obtained openly.
Narrative journalism: Longform writing that uses techniques of fiction — scene-setting, character, dialogue — to tell true stories. Influential in US journalism, it has grown in the UK through outlets like Delayed Gratification and longform supplements.
National security exemption: Under FOIA Section 23 and Section 24, information may be withheld absolutely where it relates to national security bodies or where disclosure would prejudice national security. A certificate signed by a minister is conclusive evidence of the exemption.
Newsgathering: The process of finding, developing, and obtaining information for publication. In UK law, newsgathering activities can engage data protection and privacy law, and journalists must ensure their methods are lawful and proportionate.
Newsletter platform: A newsletter platform is a hosted service for composing, delivering, and monetising email newsletters. Popular platforms among UK journalists include Substack, Ghost, and Mailchimp, each offering different balances of editorial control and built-in audience tools.
Newsroom: The physical or virtual workspace where journalists produce news. UK newsrooms range from large multi-platform national operations to small regional teams of two or three reporters.
Newton hearing: A hearing held after a guilty plea where the judge must determine disputed facts before passing sentence. In cases where a Newton hearing is held, the judge's findings of fact are significant for sentencing and can be reported.
Nib: A news in brief — a very short story of just two or three paragraphs. UK newspapers run nibs in columns to cover minor stories that don't warrant a full report.
NIB: News In Brief — a short news item of two or three sentences running in a column format. NIBs are a staple of UK regional and national newspapers for items that merit mention but not a full story.
NUJ: The National Union of Journalists, the trade union and professional body for journalists in the UK and Ireland. The NUJ negotiates pay, defends press freedom, and publishes its own Code of Conduct.
NUJ Code: The NUJ Code of Conduct, which sets out ethical principles for journalists in the UK and Ireland, including commitments to accuracy, source protection, and public interest. The code is binding on NUJ members.
NUJ rate: Recommended minimum rates of pay for freelance journalists published by the National Union of Journalists. UK freelancers are encouraged to use NUJ rates as a floor for fee negotiations.
Ofcom: The Office of Communications — the UK's regulator and competition authority for broadcasting, telecommunications, and postal services. Ofcom enforces the Broadcasting Code and can fine broadcasters for serious breaches.
Ofcom Broadcasting Code: The regulatory code enforced by Ofcom governing standards in broadcast content, including due impartiality, due accuracy, harm, and offensive content. All UK licensed broadcasters must comply with the code.
Off the record: Information given on the strict condition that it will not be published in any form. In UK journalism, true off-the-record conversations are meant to guide the reporter's understanding without appearing in print.
OG tags: Open Graph tags — HTML metadata elements that control how a URL is displayed when shared on social media. Correct OG tags (title, description, image) improve how UK news articles appear on platforms like X/Twitter and Facebook.
On background: Information that may be used in a story but the source must not be directly identified. UK political journalists often receive briefings "on background" and attribute them to phrases like "a senior government source."
On the record: Information given openly and attributable by name. On-the-record quotes carry the most weight in UK reporting because readers can assess the source's credibility.
OOV: Out-of-vision (OOV) is a broadcast scripting term for narration delivered by a presenter or reporter who is not visible on screen at that moment, while footage plays over their words. It is a common format in UK television news packages to maximise visual storytelling.
Op-ed: An opinion piece published opposite the editorial page, typically written by an outside contributor or named columnist. UK broadsheets commission op-eds from politicians, academics, and public figures.
Open data: Data published freely for anyone to access, use, and redistribute. UK government open data is available at data.gov.uk and includes datasets on health, transport, planning, and spending.
Open justice: The principle that court proceedings should be conducted in public and that the public (including the press) has the right to attend and report. Open justice is a cornerstone of UK law; derogations require specific legal authority.
Open-source intelligence: Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is the collection and analysis of information gathered from publicly available sources — including social media, company registries, satellite imagery, and court records — without covert means. OSINT skills are increasingly central to UK investigative, conflict, and data journalism.
Opinion polling: Systematic surveys of public opinion, published by UK polling organisations such as YouGov, Ipsos, and Survation. Journalists reporting polls should include sample size, methodology, and fieldwork dates.
Oral history: Recorded accounts of historical events gathered through interviews with witnesses or participants. UK journalism archives and programmes like BBC Radio 4's oral history collections provide rich primary source material.
OSINT framework: An OSINT framework is a structured methodology or curated toolkit that organises open-source intelligence tools and techniques by category and use case. Journalists use OSINT frameworks to navigate the wide range of publicly available tools for tasks such as identity research, company tracing, and social media analysis.
Over-shoulder: An over-shoulder (OS) shot frames one speaker from behind the other's shoulder, showing both subjects in a two-person interview or dialogue. It is a standard camera composition in UK broadcast journalism for studio interviews and press conferences.
PA Media: Press Association Media — the UK's domestic news agency, providing copy, photographs, video, and data to subscribing outlets. PA Media's court reporters and parliamentary team are a key resource for regional and national journalists.
Package: In broadcast journalism, a self-contained pre-recorded report combining presenter introduction, reporter voiceover, interview clips, and natural sound. UK broadcast packages typically run 1.5–2.5 minutes for news bulletins.
Page lead: The main story on a given newspaper page, typically carrying the largest headline and most prominent placement. The page lead is second in importance only to the splash for UK print editors.
Par: Short for paragraph. UK journalists count "pars" when structuring stories and sub-editors cut from the bottom when space is tight, so each par must be able to stand alone if the piece is trimmed.
Parachute journalism: Parachute journalism is the practice of sending a reporter to cover a story in an unfamiliar country or community for a brief period, with limited local knowledge or contacts. Critics argue it produces superficial coverage compared with journalism by resident correspondents or local reporters.
Parish council: The lowest tier of local government in England, covering rural and small urban areas. Parish councils have limited powers but are required to hold public meetings and publish their minutes, making them accessible to community reporters.
Parliament Act: Either of the Parliament Acts 1911 or 1949, which limit the Lords' power to block primary legislation. Understanding the Parliament Acts is essential for UK parliamentary reporters covering constitutional crises or blocked Bills.
Particular sensitivity: A concept in the Ofcom Broadcasting Code identifying subject areas — such as suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, and dangerous behaviour — that require special care in broadcast coverage to avoid causing unjustifiable harm or offence.
Patreon: Patreon is a membership platform that enables content creators, including journalists and podcasters, to receive recurring payments from supporters in exchange for exclusive content or community access. Some UK freelance journalists use Patreon to fund investigative work or build direct audience relationships outside traditional employment.
Paywall: A mechanism restricting access to online content to paying subscribers. UK news organisations use hard paywalls (no free content), metered paywalls (a set number of free articles), and freemium models.
Peg: The news event or topical hook that justifies publishing a story at a particular time. UK editors ask "what's the peg?" to determine why a feature is timely and relevant now.
Picture desk: The newsroom department responsible for sourcing, commissioning, and selecting photographs. In UK newspapers, the picture desk works closely with reporters and page designers to ensure strong visual storytelling.
Piece to camera: A broadcast journalist's direct address to the camera, typically recorded on location to establish context. Also called a "stand-up" or PTC, it is a standard element of UK television news packages.
Pivot table: A spreadsheet tool that summarises and reorganises large datasets by grouping and aggregating values. Pivot tables are one of the most-used tools in data journalism for quickly identifying patterns in FOI data releases.
Podcast hosting: Podcast hosting refers to the specialised hosting platforms that store audio files and distribute them to directories such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify via RSS feeds. UK journalists and newsrooms producing podcasts typically use services such as Acast, Podbean, or Transistor.
Podcast journalism: Long-form audio journalism distributed as a podcast. UK podcast journalism has grown significantly, with investigative podcasts from outlets like Tortoise Media, The Guardian, and the BBC producing significant public interest journalism.
Political journalism: Coverage of party politics, government policy, and parliamentary proceedings. UK political journalism is governed by lobby rules, parliamentary privilege, and the Ofcom Broadcasting Code during elections.
Pool: An arrangement where a limited number of journalists represent the wider media at restricted events. Pool reporters share their material with all outlets. UK pool arrangements are common at royal events and court proceedings.
Pool reporter: A pool reporter is a single journalist or small group admitted to a restricted event on behalf of all credentialled media, who then share the resulting content with other outlets. Pool arrangements are common in UK royal reporting, crime scenes, and other access-controlled situations.
Press card: An identity card issued to working journalists, most commonly the UK Press Card issued by the UK Press Card Authority, backed by major media employers and the NUJ. It is the only card formally recognised by UK police and public authorities.
Press freedom: The principle that journalists can report without interference from governments, courts, or other powerful interests. The UK's press freedom ranking (Reporters Without Borders) is a regular benchmark story for media correspondents.
Press release: A written statement issued by an organisation to the media to announce news. UK journalists receive hundreds of press releases daily and must evaluate them critically rather than publish them unchecked.
Primary legislation: Acts of Parliament — the main form of law in the UK, passed by both Houses of Parliament and receiving Royal Assent. Parliamentary journalists track Bills through all stages of their passage into primary legislation.
Print run: The total number of copies of a publication printed for a given edition. UK print runs have declined significantly over the past two decades as audiences have migrated to digital.
Privacy: The right to respect for private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, incorporated into UK law via the Human Rights Act 1998. UK courts and regulators balance privacy against freedom of expression on a case-by-case basis.
Privacy injunction: A court order restraining publication of private information about an individual, typically sought by celebrities or public figures under Article 8 (right to privacy). Judges must balance privacy against freedom of expression under Article 10.
Professional indemnity insurance: Insurance covering a freelance journalist's legal liability for professional errors, including defamatory publication or breach of confidence. Some commissioning outlets require freelancers to hold their own PI insurance.
Prompt engineering: The practice of crafting precise, structured inputs (prompts) to elicit more accurate, relevant, or useful outputs from AI language models. UK journalists using AI tools benefit from basic prompt engineering skills to improve research efficiency.
Prompt injection: Prompt injection is an attack where malicious instructions are embedded in content an AI system processes, causing it to deviate from its intended behaviour. This poses a security risk for newsrooms using AI tools to parse untrusted documents or web pages.
Proof: A pre-publication version of a page or story checked for errors. In UK print journalism, proofreaders and sub-editors review proofs before pages are sent to press.
PTC: A piece to camera (PTC) is a segment of a broadcast news package in which the reporter speaks directly to the camera lens from a location relevant to the story. It is used to demonstrate a journalist's presence, add credibility, and bridge narrative sections of a package.
Public affairs: The practice of managing an organisation's relationships with government and regulatory bodies. Public affairs professionals are frequent sources for UK political and business journalists, though their communications should be treated with scepticism.
Public interest: The principle that some invasions of privacy, deception, or other departures from normal ethical standards may be justified by the benefit to the public. UK press codes and broadcast regulations require a genuine public interest test before such methods are used.
Public interest defence: Under the Defamation Act 2013, a publisher may defend a defamatory statement if it was on a matter of public interest and the defendant reasonably believed publication was in the public interest. This replaced the Reynolds defence.
Public interest test: The balancing exercise carried out under FOIA to determine whether the public interest in disclosure of information outweighs the public interest in maintaining a qualified exemption. UK journalists can argue the public interest when challenging refusals.
Publication privilege: Protections under UK law that shield fair and accurate reports of public proceedings (courts, Parliament, public meetings) from defamation liability. The scope of publication privilege is defined in the Defamation Act 2013.
Pull quote: A highlighted excerpt from a story displayed in larger text to draw the reader's eye. UK newspaper and magazine designers use pull quotes to break up text and emphasise key points.
Qualified privilege: A legal defence to defamation that protects the fair and accurate reporting of certain public proceedings, such as parliamentary debates, court hearings, and public meetings of local authorities. Qualified privilege can be defeated by proof of malice.
Quotation: A direct reproduction of words spoken or written by a source. UK journalism standards require quotes to be accurate; altering a quote in a way that changes its meaning is regarded as a serious ethical breach.
Raw data: Unprocessed data exactly as collected, before any cleaning, aggregation, or transformation. UK FOI responses sometimes provide raw data; journalists must clean and validate it before drawing conclusions.
Reader revenue: Income from readers — subscriptions, memberships, donations — as distinct from advertising. UK news organisations increasingly rely on reader revenue as digital advertising income has shifted to tech platforms.
Redtop: A British tabloid newspaper with a red masthead, such as The Sun, the Daily Mirror, or the Daily Star. Redtops are associated with populist, entertainment-heavy coverage and bold headlines.
Regex: Regular expression — a pattern-matching syntax used to search and manipulate text in data journalism tools, spreadsheets, and programming languages. Regex allows journalists to extract, clean, and filter data with precision.
Reporter: A journalist who gathers information and writes news stories. In UK newsrooms, reporters may be general news reporters or specialists covering specific beats like crime, health, or education.
Reporting restriction: A court order or statutory provision limiting what can be published about legal proceedings. UK reporting restrictions include bans on naming defendants, victims, or witnesses; postponement orders; and automatic restrictions applying to youth proceedings.
Reprographic licence: A licence granted by the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) or ALCS allowing organisations to copy published works. UK freelancers whose work appears in publications covered by a CLA licence may be eligible for royalty distributions.
Retainer: A regular advance payment made to a freelance journalist to secure their availability or exclusive access over a defined period. Retainer agreements should specify deliverables, exclusivity terms, and cancellation notice.
Retrieval-augmented generation: An AI architecture that supplements a language model's response by retrieving relevant documents from an external knowledge base at query time. RAG can improve accuracy in AI tools used for journalism research.
Reverse image search: Reverse image search is a technique that uses a photograph as the query to find where else on the web the image has appeared, revealing its true origin or earlier usage. Tools such as Google Lens, TinEye, and Yandex Images are commonly used by UK journalists to detect fabricated or miscontextualised visuals.
Rewrite: To substantially revise a story, or a journalist who rewrites copy filed by others. In UK newsrooms, a rewrite person may take facts phoned in by reporters in the field and craft them into polished copy.
Reynolds defence: The predecessor to the public interest defence in English defamation law, established in Reynolds v Times Newspapers [2001]. It set out a list of factors — the "Reynolds Test" — for assessing whether publication was responsible. Formally replaced by the Defamation Act 2013, s.4.
Reynolds Test: The ten-factor test from Reynolds v Times Newspapers (2001) used to assess whether a defamatory publication was protected by responsible journalism. Superseded by the statutory public interest defence in the Defamation Act 2013, but its principles remain influential.
Right of reply: The convention of giving a person or organisation the opportunity to respond to allegations before publication. UK press codes and defamation law both encourage (and in some contexts require) offering a right of reply.
RSS: Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a web feed format that lets readers subscribe to content updates from websites using a feed reader. Journalists use RSS aggregators to monitor multiple news sources and beats simultaneously.
Ruling: A judicial decision on a point of law or procedural matter. Rulings — especially those given in open court — are fully reportable and may set precedent that journalists should note.
Rundown: A rundown is the sequential list of stories, segments, and timings that makes up a broadcast news programme. Producers use rundowns to manage the editorial flow of a bulletin, allocating time to each item and ordering stories by priority.
Running story: A story that develops over hours, days, or weeks, requiring ongoing coverage and updates. UK newsrooms assign dedicated reporters to running stories and update online editions continuously.
Runsheet: A runsheet is the radio equivalent of a television rundown — a detailed plan listing each segment, its duration, presenter cues, and technical requirements. UK radio producers build runsheets for live programmes to ensure tight time management and seamless transitions.
S114 notice: A Section 114 Local Government Finance Act 1988 notice, issued by a local authority's s151 officer when the authority cannot balance its budget. Also called a "bankruptcy notice," it triggers council expenditure controls and is major news for local reporters.
S151 officer: The statutory officer in a UK local authority (usually the chief finance officer) responsible for ensuring the lawfulness of the authority's financial affairs under Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972.
Schema markup: Structured data code (typically JSON-LD) added to web pages to help search engines understand content. News publishers use NewsArticle schema to improve visibility in Google's news products and rich results.
Scoop: An exclusive story of major significance obtained ahead of all competitors. Landing a scoop is one of the highest achievements in UK journalism, recognised annually at awards such as the British Journalism Awards.
Scrape: To programmatically extract data from websites. Web scraping is a core skill in data journalism but must be done in compliance with a site's terms of service, robots.txt, and applicable UK data protection law.
Screenshot evidence: A captured image of a web page or social media post used to preserve evidence that may later be deleted. UK journalists should use screenshot tools alongside archive services to create timestamped records of online content.
Scrutiny committee: A committee of councillors that examines the executive decisions of a local authority and holds the council leadership to account. Scrutiny committee meetings are open to the press and public and are an important source for local government reporters.
Second reading: The stage in Parliament at which the general principles of a Bill are debated by MPs or peers. Second reading debates set out the government's case for legislation and the opposition's response; they are primary source material for parliamentary reporters.
Section 11: A power under the Contempt of Court Act 1981 enabling courts to prohibit publication of information withheld from the public during proceedings, such as the name of a witness given anonymity for their protection.
Section 17: Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 places a duty on local authorities to consider crime and disorder reduction in all their functions. It is a useful hook for journalists questioning councils' decisions on planning, housing, or licensing.
Section 39: Section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 allows courts in England and Wales to prohibit publication of details that would identify a child involved in proceedings (now partially replaced by Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 for Crown Court).
Section 4(2): A power under the Contempt of Court Act 1981 that allows courts to postpone publication of reports of legal proceedings where necessary to avoid a substantial risk of prejudice to those or other proceedings.
Section 45: Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 gives Crown Courts the power to restrict publication of information that would identify a person under 18 involved in criminal proceedings. Applies to witnesses and victims as well as defendants.
Secure drop: An open-source whistleblowing platform that allows sources to submit documents and communicate with journalists anonymously. Several major UK news organisations operate SecureDrop instances.
Select committee: A committee of MPs or peers that scrutinises the work of government departments, examines legislation, and conducts inquiries. Select committee hearings are public and fully reportable. Their reports are major sources for parliamentary journalists.
Selfie journalism: The practice of using personal social media content — selfies, posts, stories — as primary source material in news reporting. UK journalists must verify the authenticity and context of social media content before using it.
Sentencing remarks: The judge's formal statement at the conclusion of a criminal trial explaining the sentence and the reasons for it. In England and Wales, sentencing remarks are public documents and can be published in full.
SEO: Search Engine Optimisation — techniques used to improve the ranking of web pages in search engine results. UK news publishers optimise headlines, metadata, and page structure to maximise organic search traffic to their articles.
Serious harm: The threshold introduced by the Defamation Act 2013 requiring a claimant to show that a publication has caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm to their reputation before a defamation claim can proceed. For companies, the harm must be serious financial loss.
Sidebar: A supplementary story or information box that accompanies the main article. UK newspapers use sidebars for background explainers, key facts, or related human-interest angles.
Slander: Spoken defamation, as distinct from libel (written). Under UK law, slander generally requires proof of actual damage unless it falls into specific categories (including allegations of criminal offences or professional unfitness).
Slug: A short identifying label given to a story as it moves through the editorial process. UK newsrooms assign slugs early so that editors, sub-editors, and production staff can track the piece.
Social media verification: The process of confirming the authenticity and accuracy of content found on social media platforms before publication. UK journalists should use reverse image search, geolocation, and platform metadata to verify user-generated content.
Soft intro: An opening paragraph that eases the reader in with an anecdote, description, or striking detail before the main news point. Soft intros are used in features, profiles, and human interest stories across UK media.
Soft paywall: A soft paywall (or metered paywall) allows readers to access a limited number of free articles per month before requiring a subscription. The Financial Times pioneered the metered model, and it is now widely used by UK newspapers seeking to balance free reach with paid conversion.
Soft power: The ability to influence through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion. UK soft power through the BBC World Service and British press is a recurring topic in political and media journalism.
Source: A person, document, or record that provides information for a story. UK journalists are expected to protect confidential sources, a principle supported by the NUJ Code of Conduct and the Contempt of Court Act 1981, Section 10.
Source protection: The ethical and legal obligation of UK journalists to protect the identity of confidential sources. Section 10 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 provides a qualified legal protection; the NUJ Code makes source protection an absolute ethical duty.
Source triangulation: Source triangulation is the practice of corroborating a claim or piece of evidence using at least three independent sources or verification methods before publication. It is a cornerstone of responsible investigative journalism, reducing the risk of publishing manipulated or fabricated material.
Sparkline: A small, inline chart embedded in text or a table to show a trend at a glance. UK data journalists use sparklines in digital articles to contextualise statistics without requiring a full-size chart.
Spike: To reject or kill a story, preventing its publication. The term comes from the metal spike on old Fleet Street newsdesks where discarded copy was impaled.
Splash: The main front-page story in a newspaper. In UK tabloids, the splash is usually accompanied by a large photograph and a bold, punchy headline designed to sell copies at the newsstand.
Splash sub: A senior sub-editor who specialises in writing the front-page (splash) headline and standfirst. The splash sub's work is the most visible in a UK print newspaper.
Sponsor disclosure: The requirement to declare when a piece of content has been funded or sponsored by a third party. UK press codes and ASA guidelines require clear labelling of sponsored content to prevent readers from mistaking it for independent journalism.
Standfirst: A short introductory paragraph between the headline and the body text, summarising the story or setting the scene. Standfirsts are widely used in UK broadsheets and magazines.
Statement: In parliamentary terms, a ministerial statement in which a government minister addresses the House to announce policy or explain decisions. Statements are followed by questions from MPs and are fully reportable.
Statutory instrument: Secondary legislation made by ministers under powers delegated by an Act of Parliament. Statutory instruments can create, amend, or repeal law without full parliamentary debate. They are scrutinised by select committees and are reportable.
Statutory interest: Interest that freelancers and other creditors may charge on overdue invoices under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. The statutory rate is 8% above the Bank of England base rate.
Stinger: A stinger is a very brief audio or music ident — usually a few seconds long — used to open, close, or punctuate sections of a broadcast or podcast. In UK news podcasts, stingers help establish brand identity and mark transitions between editorial segments.
Story conference: A daily or regular editorial meeting at which reporters pitch story ideas and editors assign coverage. Story conferences are the engine room of UK newsroom planning.
Strapline: A secondary headline that sits above or below the main headline, providing additional context. UK newspapers use straplines to add detail or a different angle to the splash headline.
Straw poll: An informal, non-scientific survey of opinion. UK journalists use straw polls to gauge sentiment but should not present them as statistically representative surveys.
Stringer: A freelance journalist who regularly contributes to a particular outlet, often from a specific location. UK national papers use stringers in regional cities and abroad to extend their reporting reach.
Structured data: Structured data is information formatted so that machines can reliably parse and process it, typically using standards such as JSON-LD or schema.org vocabularies. For digital journalists, structured data underlies both technical SEO and data-driven investigations.
Sub judice: Literally "under a judge" — describes a matter currently before the courts. UK journalists must take care not to publish material that could prejudice active legal proceedings; the sub judice rule is backed by the Contempt of Court Act 1981.
Sub judice rule: The common law and statutory rule preventing publication of material that might prejudice pending legal proceedings. In the UK, the Contempt of Court Act 1981 codified the rule for strict liability contempt.
Sub-editor: A journalist who checks, edits, and prepares copy for publication, including writing headlines, captions, and standfirsts. Sub-editors (or "subs") are a cornerstone of UK newsroom quality control, though many roles have been cut in recent years.
Subscriber acquisition cost: Subscriber acquisition cost (SAC) is the average amount a publisher spends on marketing and promotions to gain each new subscriber. Keeping SAC below the lifetime value of a subscriber is the fundamental unit economics challenge facing UK digital news businesses.
Subscription model: A revenue model in which readers pay a recurring fee (monthly or annual) to access content. UK news publishers including The Times, FT, and The Athletic operate subscription models as their primary revenue source.
Substack: Substack is a newsletter platform that allows writers to publish free or paid email newsletters directly to subscribers, handling payment processing and distribution. It has become a significant outlet for UK journalists launching independent newsletters, particularly those covering politics, media criticism, and niche beats.
Subterfuge: The use of deceptive methods — such as disguise, false identities, or covert recording — by journalists to obtain information. UK press codes permit subterfuge only when the story is in the public interest and the material cannot be obtained by other means.
Summary: A summary offence is one that can only be tried in the magistrates' court and is generally less serious (e.g. minor traffic offences). Reporting from magistrates' courts is largely unrestricted, though some summary offences involving children or sexual matters carry automatic restrictions.
Super-injunction: A particularly strict form of injunction that prohibits not only publication of specific information but also reporting that an injunction exists. Super-injunctions are rare in UK law and require exceptional justification.
Syndicate: Syndication is the licensing of published content — articles, photographs, or graphics — for republication by other outlets, typically for a fee. UK news agencies such as PA Media and Reuters operate large-scale syndication networks, while freelance journalists can syndicate their own work to generate additional income from a single piece.
Syndication: The sale or licensing of content to other publications. UK syndication agencies distribute stories, photographs, and features to outlets worldwide, providing an additional revenue stream for publishers and freelancers.
Synthetic media: Synthetic media is any content — images, video, audio, or text — that has been generated or substantially altered by artificial intelligence rather than produced by humans directly. Verification protocols are essential before publishing any such material.
Tabloid: A compact-format newspaper, traditionally associated with popular, accessible journalism. In the UK, tabloids include both redtops (The Sun, Daily Mirror) and middle-market papers (Daily Mail, Daily Express).
Teleprompter: A teleprompter is a display device that scrolls a speaker's script within the camera's line of sight so presenters can deliver their lines while maintaining eye contact with the audience. UK broadcast journalists operating in studio or on red-carpet events use teleprompters for scripted sequences.
Third reading: The final stage of a Bill's passage through the House of Commons or House of Lords, where it is considered in its final amended form before passing to the other chamber. Votes at third reading are closely watched and frequently reported.
Third-party data: Data collected by an organisation other than the journalist's own outlet, such as commercial data providers, NGOs, or research institutes. UK journalists using third-party data should verify methodology and check for conflicts of interest.
Tip-off: Information received from a source alerting a journalist to a potential story. UK newsrooms encourage tip-offs via dedicated phone lines, email addresses, and secure drop systems like SecureDrop.
Training data: The datasets on which an AI model is trained to learn patterns and produce outputs. Questions about the composition of training data — including copyright infringement and bias — are increasingly relevant to AI journalism coverage.
Transparency code: The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 (England), which requires councils to proactively publish a wide range of data including expenditure, contracts, and senior salaries. It is a starting point for local government data journalism.
Treemap: A visualisation that represents hierarchical data as nested rectangles, with each rectangle's area proportional to a value. UK data journalists use treemaps to illustrate budget distributions and spending breakdowns.
Truth: The main defence to defamation in English law under the Defamation Act 2013, formerly called justification. A defendant must show that the defamatory imputation is substantially true.
Two-shot: A two-shot is a camera composition that frames two people within the same shot, commonly used in broadcast studio interviews to show both the interviewer and interviewee simultaneously. It establishes spatial relationships and is a standard setup in UK news studios.
Two-source rule: An editorial convention requiring that significant factual claims be confirmed by at least two independent sources before publication. While not universal, the two-source rule is a standard check in UK investigative journalism.
UK GDPR: The UK's retained version of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, as amended by the Data Protection Act 2018. UK GDPR governs how personal data is processed, stored, and transferred, with a specific exemption for special-purpose processing including journalism.
Under embargo: Information released to journalists in advance with a condition that it not be published until a specified time. Breaking an embargo risks damaging relationships with sources and may have commercial consequences.
Unipolar coverage: News coverage that presents only one side of a contested issue, risking editorial bias and potential regulatory complaints for broadcast outlets.
Up-table: Instructed by an editor to move a story higher in a bulletin or page order, reflecting greater news importance. Up-table decisions are made in story conferences and throughout the production cycle.
Urgent question: A question granted by the Speaker of the House of Commons requiring a minister to come to the chamber and answer immediately on a matter of public importance. Urgent questions are significant news events and generate direct ministerial quotes.
User-generated content: News-relevant material — video, photographs, social media posts — created by members of the public rather than professional journalists. UK newsrooms use UGC extensively but must verify authenticity and obtain consent before publication.
VAT: Value Added Tax, charged at 20% on most goods and services. UK freelance journalists who exceed the VAT registration threshold (currently £90,000 per year) must register for VAT, charge it on their services to VAT-registered clients, and file VAT returns.
Vector database: A vector database stores data as high-dimensional numerical embeddings, enabling fast similarity searches used in AI-powered search and recommendation systems. Investigative journalists building document-analysis pipelines increasingly use vector databases alongside large language models.
Verification provenance: Verification provenance refers to the documented chain of evidence showing how a piece of content was authenticated — including the tools used, analysts involved, and steps taken. Maintaining clear verification provenance records protects journalists legally and supports editorial accountability.
Vexatious: An FOI exemption under Section 14 of FOIA that allows public authorities to refuse requests that place a disproportionate burden on the authority or are made to harass or cause disruption. UK journalists should be aware that authorities misuse this exemption; the ICO publishes detailed guidance.
Vicarious liability: The legal principle that makes an employer responsible for wrongful acts committed by employees in the course of their employment. In UK media law, publishers may be vicariously liable for the actions of their journalists.
Victim anonymity: The automatic right to anonymity given to complainants in rape and other serious sexual offence proceedings under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992. UK journalists commit a criminal offence if they publish information likely to identify the complainant.
Visualisation: The representation of data in graphical form — charts, maps, infographics, and interactive graphics. Data visualisation is central to modern UK news journalism and helps readers understand complex statistical information.
Vlog journalism: Video journalism published as a video blog, typically to YouTube, TikTok, or a news organisation's website. UK video journalists use vlogs for firsthand reporting, explainers, and commentary.
Vlookup: A spreadsheet function that searches for a value in one column and returns a corresponding value from another column. Data journalists use vlookup (and its modern successor xlookup) to match records across different datasets.
Vox pop: Short interviews with members of the public to gauge opinion on a topical issue. The term comes from the Latin vox populi ("voice of the people") and is a staple of UK broadcast and newspaper journalism.
VT: VT (video tape, now used generically for any pre-recorded video insert) is a self-contained edited package that plays out during a live broadcast bulletin. Reporters and producers prepare VTs in advance so that the programme can cut seamlessly from live studio presentation to the filed package.
Warrant: A legal document authorising a law enforcement action, such as an arrest, search, or interception of communications. Journalists covering crime stories should understand different types of warrants and what they authorise.
Watermarking: AI watermarking is a technique for embedding imperceptible signals in AI-generated content to identify its origin. The UK and EU are developing standards requiring watermarks on certain synthetic media to aid verification and transparency.
Watershed (9pm): The 9 pm watershed in UK broadcast regulation, before which content that may be unsuitable for children must not be transmitted. Established under the Communications Act 2003 and enforced by Ofcom.
Wayback Machine: The Wayback Machine is the Internet Archive's publicly accessible tool for retrieving historical snapshots of websites. UK journalists use it to access deleted web pages, track how statements or policies have changed over time, and preserve evidence before it is taken down.
Web scraping: The automated extraction of data from websites using scripts or specialist tools. UK data journalists use web scraping to collect information from sites that do not offer data downloads, subject to legal and ethical constraints.
Web Vitals: Web Vitals are a set of metrics defined by Google to measure user experience on web pages, covering loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. UK publishers track Core Web Vitals as part of their SEO and audience retention strategies.
Whistle-blower: A person who discloses information about wrongdoing within an organisation, typically to a journalist, regulator, or law enforcement. UK whistle-blowers in the public sector may be protected by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
WHOIS: WHOIS is a public internet protocol query used to look up the registration details of a domain name, including registrant, registrar, and registration dates. Journalists use WHOIS lookups to trace the ownership and history of websites involved in misinformation campaigns or corporate malfeasance, though GDPR has restricted personal data visibility in EU-adjacent records.
Wire service: A news agency that distributes stories, photographs, and video to subscribing media outlets. The UK's domestic wire service is PA Media (formerly the Press Association), while international wires include Reuters, AP, and AFP.
Witness: A person who gives evidence in court proceedings. Witnesses may be granted anonymity by court order; reporting the identity of an anonymised witness may constitute contempt of court.
Wob: White on black — reversed-out text (white letters on a dark background) used in UK newspaper headlines and pull quotes for visual emphasis.
Word rate: Payment to a freelance journalist calculated per published word. Word rates vary considerably between UK publications; quality national outlets may pay 50–80 pence per word or more, while some smaller outlets pay far less.
Writ: A formal legal document issued by a court, requiring the recipient to appear or take a specific action. Journalists may receive writs (or pre-action letters threatening proceedings); immediate legal advice should be sought on receipt.
Young person: A person aged 10–17 for the purposes of the youth justice system in England and Wales. Youth court proceedings are presumptively closed to the press; Crown Court proceedings involving young defendants may carry reporting restrictions under Section 45 of the YJCEA 1999.
Youth court: A specialist magistrates' court in England and Wales dealing with criminal cases involving defendants aged 10–17. Youth court proceedings are presumptively closed to the public, but accredited journalists may attend; automatic reporting restrictions apply under Section 49 of the CYPA 1933.

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