The Editorial Skills Lab is a new initiative of the National Media Awards Foundation, first launched in Fall 2025. This program prepares participants for professional editorial practice. Through a series of fully virtual, Zoom-based workshops, participants will learn directly from editors and industry leaders working in Canadian magazines and digital media. The Lab is offered in English only this year.
The Editorial Skills Lab provides hands-on virtual training in the core skills expected in editorial workplaces. Participants will gain practical knowledge of professional standards, newsroom workflows, and the realities of working under deadlines.
Our goal is to help emerging editors develop the practical skills and professional standing needed to enter the job market.
Who Should Register
- Recent graduates (2024–2026) from journalism, publishing, writing, or communications programs
- Early-career freelancers in their first 1–3 years
- Final-year students seeking practical training before entering the field
- Emerging professionals seeking mentorship, reskilling, or a clearer understanding of editorial standards
Curriculum
Sessions are focused on editorial fundamentals and real-world expectations, with attention to both print and digital publishing. Core themes include:
- Writing, Reporting, Editing: fundamentals of clear writing, editing, interviewing, pitching
- Professional Practices: deadlines, sourcing beyond personal circles, cold calling, chasing stories
- Editorial Skills: fact-checking, story development, headline writing, understanding newsroom roles
- Career Navigation: freelancing, contracts and invoicing, resumes/cover letters, overlooked roles (e.g. chase producing, data journalism), standards and practices, and building a professional profile
Additional sessions may touch on SEO, social strategy, and multimedia production.
Instructors
Each session will be led by a senior editor or industry leader from Canadian media.
- Jane Lytvynenko – Senior tech reporter at NBC News Digital
- Laurie Few – Executive Producer, Digital at TVO
- Omar Mouallem – Freelance writer & filmmaker, 2026 National Magazine Awards Editor of the Year
- Matthew Pearson – Assistant professor at Carleton University, co-author of the Taking Care Report
- Pacinthe Mattar – Award-winning journalist, 2025/2026 St. Clair Balfour Journalism Fellow at Massey College
Format
- Platform: Zoom
- Session length: 1 hour each
- Instructors: Senior Canadian editors
- Access: All content and recordings will be hosted on the Foundation’s J-Launchpad platform
About the Program
The Editorial Skills Lab is part of the National Media Awards Foundation’s broader commitment to supporting Canadian media. Alongside the National Magazine Awards, Digital Publishing Awards, and National Magazine Awards: B2B, the Editorial Skills Lab is designed to strengthen editorial skills across Canadian publishing.
Session Details
Online Investigation Tools
📅 Thursday, August 6 – 6:00-7:00pm ET
Jane Lytvynenko is a senior technology reporter with NBC News Digital, where she covers the intersection of technology and conflict. An award-winning journalist specializing in disinformation, online investigations, and open-source intelligence, she will introduce participants to practical open-source investigation techniques that can strengthen reporting across any beat. By the end of the session, attendees will have a foundation in using online investigative methods to dig deeper and strengthen their journalism, even with no prior experience.
How To Kickstart Your Investigative Journalism Project with Laurie Few
📅 Thursday, August 13 – 12:00-1:00pm ET
Laurie Few is a veteran investigative journalist with 35 years of experience producing award-winning journalism and leading editorial teams at CTV National News, W5, Global News’ 16×9, CPAC, the National Observer, and TVO, where she serves as Executive Producer, Digital. In this session, Laurie will guide participants through the investigative reporting process—from identifying compelling story ideas and developing strong leads to planning interviews, navigating legal and ethical considerations, and building evidence-based stories that hold those in power accountable. Participants will leave with practical strategies for pursuing impactful investigations while upholding the highest journalistic standards.
Taking Care of Sources & the Self with Matthew Pearson
📅 Thursday, August 20 – 12:00-1:00pm ET
In this workshop, journalist and Carleton University professor Matthew Pearson will introduce eight key principles of trauma-informed reporting, offering practical guidance for interviewing survivors, covering difficult stories, and supporting personal and newsroom well-being. Participants will also be encouraged to develop self-care strategies while reflecting on the challenges of reporting on trauma, loss, and violence. Matthew is an associate professor in Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication and co-author of Taking Care: A Report on Mental Health, Well-Being and Trauma Among Canadian Media Workers.
Writing for Audio with Pacinthe Mattar
📅 Thursday, August 20 – 6:00-7:00pm ET
Pacinthe Mattar is an Egyptian-Canadian journalist, writer and radio & audio producer. She spent 10 years at the CBC, including eight years in radio as a producer at As It Happens and The Current. After her departure from CBC, she went on to launch and executive produce This Being Human, the Aga Khan Museum podcast. She also served as a mentor for HotDocs Podcast Development Lab. Mattar received a National Magazine Award for her 2020 article “Objectivity Is A Privilege Afforded to White Journalists.” This workshop will delve into the basics of scriptwriting for audio, including how to capture listeners’ attention and the different ways sound can tell a story. Through real-life examples, you’ll learn why audio is one of the most accessible, intimate and visual — yes visual! — mediums to work in.
Surviving the Freelance Grind with Omar Mouallem
📅 Thursday, August 27 – 12:00-1:00pm ET
Omar Mouallem is an award-winning Canadian writer and filmmaker whose work has appeared in Wired, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and Rolling Stone. Most recently, he received the 2026 National Magazine Award for Editor of the Year for his work at Edify magazine. Drawing on 20 years as an independent writer and journalist, Omar will share practical strategies for building a sustainable freelance career, including pitching and selling stories, managing finances and workflow, breaking into new markets, and developing ideas for publications with diverse audiences, styles, and pay rates.
