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Glossary Category Index

Browse all 15 categories of UK journalism terminology in the UK JournoHub Glossary. Click any category to jump directly to those terms.

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About the Glossary

The UK JournoHub Glossary contains 91 terms across 15 categories. All terms are defined in a UK context — UK media law, UK regulatory frameworks, and UK newsroom conventions. The Glossary is searchable by keyword and filterable by category.

Use this category index to navigate directly to the terms most relevant to your area: legal terms for NCTJ exam preparation, newsroom vocabulary for new reporters, or digital journalism terms for journalists transitioning to online roles.

Search all 91 terms →

All 15 categories

Newsroom Vocabulary

The language of the newsroom: splash, stringer, colour, kicker, peg, standfirst, NIB, follow-up, doorstep, vox pop.

SplashStandfirstNIBKickerStringer

Legal Terms

UK media law vocabulary: absolute privilege, qualified privilege, sub judice, contempt, malice, fair comment, justification.

Absolute privilegeSub judiceContemptMaliceSuper-injunction

Regulatory Terms

UK press and broadcast regulatory language: IPSO, IMPRESS, Ofcom, NUJ, ICO, adjudication, sanction, undertaking.

IPSOIMPRESSOfcomAdjudicationUndertaking

Digital Journalism

Online and digital journalism vocabulary: SEO, metadata, CMS, embed, deepfake, OSINT, verification, crowdsourcing.

SEOMetadataCMSOSINTDeepfake

Court Reporting

Terminology specific to court reporting: reporting restriction, Section 4, Section 11, lifelong anonymity, acquittal.

Reporting restrictionSection 4 orderLifelong anonymityPleaVerdict

Data Journalism

Data and statistics vocabulary: dataset, pivot table, SQL query, visualisation, choropleth, API, scraping.

DatasetPivot tableAPIChoroplethScraping

Broadcast Journalism

Radio and TV journalism vocabulary: cue, package, two-way, piece-to-camera, nat-sot, voicer, actuality.

CuePackageTwo-wayPiece-to-cameraNat-sot

Freedom of Information

FOI and EIR vocabulary: public authority, refusal notice, internal review, qualified exemption, absolute exemption.

Public authorityRefusal noticeInternal reviewEIRSection 12

Freelance Journalism

Freelance and business-of-journalism vocabulary: kill fee, commissioning editor, spec, day rate, invoice, byline.

Kill feeCommissioning editorSpec pieceDay rateByline

Ethics

Ethics and standards vocabulary: public interest, subterfuge, right of reply, editorial independence, conflict of interest.

Public interestSubterfugeRight of replyConflict of interestEditorial independence

Careers

Career and training vocabulary: NCTJ, BJTC, NCTJ Diploma, accreditation, press card, work experience, editorial trainee.

NCTJBJTCPress cardAccreditationWork experience

Investigative Journalism

Investigative vocabulary: OSINT, document analysis, source protection, SLAPP, dead drop, whistleblower, public interest.

OSINTSLAPPWhistleblowerDead dropSource protection

Safety and Security

Journalist safety vocabulary: SecureDrop, encryption, threat modelling, physical security, PTSD, lone working.

SecureDropThreat modelEncryptionLone workingPhysical security

Templates and Tools

Tools and templates vocabulary: FOI request, right of reply letter, pitch email, invoice, rate card, correction notice.

FOI templatePitch emailInvoice templateCorrection noticeRate card

Style and Production

Copy editing and production vocabulary: subediting, headline, caption, pull quote, byline, cutline, dateline.

SubeditingHeadlineCaptionPull quoteDateline

NCTJ-relevant categories

These four categories are most directly relevant to NCTJ Diploma exam preparation:

Legal Terms

Defamation, contempt, privilege, reporting restrictions — core to the NCTJ media law paper.

Regulatory Terms

IPSO, IMPRESS, Ofcom, NUJ — core to the NCTJ ethics and media regulation elements.

Court Reporting

Reporting restrictions, Section 4 orders, anonymity — essential for court reporting questions.

Ethics

Public interest, subterfuge, right of reply — tested in NCTJ media law and ethics papers.

Related guides

GlossaryFull Glossary — all 91 termsRead →TrainingNCTJ Readiness Self-TestRead →TrainingEthics Quiz Detailed AnswersRead →LawMedia Law HubRead →EthicsEthics HubRead →TrainingTraining HubRead →

Primary sources

Frequently asked questions

How many terms are in the UK JournoHub Glossary?
The UK JournoHub Glossary contains 91 terms covering UK journalism vocabulary, legal terminology, regulatory language, and digital journalism concepts. Terms are searchable and organised by category.
Who is the Glossary designed for?
The Glossary is designed for journalism students preparing for NCTJ exams, trainee reporters new to newsroom vocabulary, career changers coming from other professions, and experienced journalists who encounter unfamiliar regulatory or legal terms.
Are the legal and regulatory terms in the Glossary specific to UK law?
Yes. All legal and regulatory terms in the UK JournoHub Glossary refer to UK law and regulation. UK media law differs significantly from US, Australian, and European law — terms like absolute privilege, super-injunction, and qualified privilege are defined in the UK context throughout.
How do I search the Glossary?
Use the search box on the Glossary page to filter by term name or definition text. You can also browse by category using the category filter, or use this index page to navigate directly to the category you want.
Is the Glossary relevant to NCTJ exam preparation?
Yes. The media law and ethics sections of the NCTJ Diploma exams require candidates to understand specific UK legal and regulatory terms. The Glossary categories for legal terms, regulatory terms, and court reporting vocabulary are directly relevant to NCTJ media law exam preparation.