Social Video for Journalists
A six-week live virtual course for journalists and editors who want to build their skills in social video — and use it to reach audiences where they already are.
Amid seismic audience and technological change, social video has emerged as a reliable format for meeting and engaging audiences where they are. ONA's in-depth Social Video for Journalists course is designed for journalists and editors who want to build skills and knowledge in social video to reach receptive audiences and deliver impactful journalism.
Over six practical and interactive modules, you'll:
- Curate your voice for video
- Write scripts for social audiences
- Dive deep into lighting, camera, and mic specs
- Learn how to edit engaging content
- Understand platform habits
- Unlock the audience feedback loop
In addition to six classes with expert trainers with combined decades of experience in social video for news, students will work on a video project throughout the course in interactive sessions and asynchronous homework assignments. After the last session, you'll submit your video project for review from one of our instructors, who will give you constructive feedback and ideas for honing your craft.
I truly loved this course. It was organized so well and I dug that it covered all the entire flywheel of social video. The instructors also brought great varied perspective. I appreciated how they distilled each stage of social video production into a clear presentation with activities and practical tips.
Natalie DaherEditor, Axios
This course is for you if:
- You're brand-new to social video production and want to learn about social video as a way to reach new audiences
- You're looking to up-skill or move into a role involving social video production and need a crash course, expert guidance and a starter portfolio
- You have some video experience but want to learn about developing more engaging video for social platforms
- You are already a video producer or creator and want to hone your social video skills with experts who work in this medium day in and day out
What you'll get
- Access to a robust resource library, including session recordings, examples, worksheets, templates, frameworks, and tools
- Structured time and expert support from instructors who have worked in newsroom, creator and freelance environments to create a social video project or sharpen an ongoing project
- A wrap-around project review from one of our stellar instructors to give you constructive and practical feedback on a new assignment developed during the course, or a selection from your portfolio
- A network of other journalists building their video skills for collaboration, support and community, during participatory course sessions and on a private Slack channel for ongoing communication during and after the course
- A digital certificate of completion after you turn in your video assignment at the end of the course
What past students are saying
More from journalists and editors who've taken the course, in their words.
I came into Social Video for Journalists with excitement and some trepidation. As a Gen Xer who has been working in print news journalism for a quarter century, I am seeking to engage with a younger audience on social media while being authentic, valuable and interesting. I'm gaining the tools and confidence to do so. I want to be part of the solution for advancing quality journalism and content creation into the future.
David PlazasOpinion Editor, AJC
This course has helped me think more intentionally about social video. I appreciate how practical the lessons are and I've been able to apply what I'm learning directly to the content I'm already creating. It's made social video feel more approachable while giving me a clear strategy for improving my work.
Independent civic media publisher and social media strategist
Logistics
- Format
- Virtual, six consecutive Thursdays starting October 15, 2026
- Duration
- 90 minutes per module, with substantial time for class interactivity
- Group size
- Limited, for more interactivity and individual project reviews
- 1:1 Feedback
- Project review with advice and constructive suggestions from an instructor
- Bragging rights
- Digital certificate after all course materials and the final project are complete
