"By documenting ideas, methods and approaches for media trainers, we can start a debate about how we make sure that we make better use of the training opportunities available. The authors draw on their own extensive experience and, at the very least, provide a wealth of ideas for trainers to bring life, energy and greater effectiveness to their work in the classroom. Journalism training requires a precarious balance between the practical and the thoughtful. We need people to write clearly and simply, and we need them to know how to conduct interviews, or lay out pages, or research material. These skills are in short supply. But all of that will remain only unused capacity unless it is driven by critical, independent thinking. Therefore, an important aspect of journalism training is about inculcating what I would call journalistic values. We will get journalism training right when we can impart both the skills of the profession and the critical, independent thinking that lies at the core of good and valuable journalism. Without the latter, we are just stenographers. To be journalists, we need to also know how - with balance and fairness - to apply critical judgement to our choice of story, information, source and presentation. I can’t pretend that it is easy. As educators, we grapple all the time with the difficult task of achieving this. I expect this book will contribute to the debate and discussion around these issues - and provide a useful basic tool for those concerned about journalism training but dissatisfied with the inconsistency with which it is offered. If the book does that, it will make an important contribution." (Preface)