So many interesting and valuable news reports, so little time in a busy newsroom. Journalism.co.uk summarises the major takeaways of new and ground-breaking research into the standards of news reporting and what truly resonates with audiences.

Court reporting has gained particular prominence in recent weeks with the high-profile case of child killer Axel Rudakubana. A first-of-its-kind study by Richard Jones, director of journalism, politics and contemporary history at the University of Salford, makes for excellent timing as it focuses on the value of sustaining court reporting today (and not to be confused with crime reporting).

What's the context?

Covering the criminal courts is a classic task of journalism. But cutbacks in both the local press and the justice system have led to widespread concern the courts are no longer covered and important stories are being missed.

What's the top line?

Larger regional newspapers have generally kept a commitment to daily court reporting, especially from crown courts, despite the financial pressures which have affected the sector. For example, the Manchester Evening News published 52 stories and the Liverpool Echo 47, so that's roughly seven a day on average. Both those titles plus The Star in Sheffield, averaged more than 600 words for their court stories, demonstrating how in-depth their court reporting is.

The quality and quantity of this work is a bit of a challenge to narratives of clickbait and decline which are regularly aimed at the 'big three' publishers, Reach, National World and Newsquest.

What does this mean for my newsroom?

Budget cuts mean there is less agency and freelance coverage of courts. Broadcasters and national outlets generally attend only the most important days of major trials. This means many local courts now offer a steady supply of stories effectively exclusive to any journalist able to go. Legacy news companies which have moved away from the courts beat to save money should reconsider having a court specialist to take advantage of those opportunities.

Climate is another topic making headlines since recently inaugurated US President Donald Trump quickly reversed the country's climate policies among his first acts. For the past three years, The Reuters Institute (RISJ) has been tracking how people access and perceive climate change news in eight key markets (Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, Pakistan, the UK, and the USA), and it has just published its latest findings. Dr Waqas Ejaz, research fellow, Oxford Climate Journalism Network, explained more.

What's the context?

These eight countries are a diverse mix of nations who qualify either/or as historically/currently key contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, play a key role in climate diplomacy, are vulnerable to climate change, and can represent different geographies. In addition to news and information, each year RISJ asks additional questions such as people's understanding of the health impacts of climate change, their perceptions towards COP, the frequency of extreme weather events, and their support for disruptive protests.

What's the top line?

A central theme in this year’s report is "climate perception inertia" — the stagnation of public attitudes towards climate change despite its worsening impacts in intensity and scope. The study highlights that news........

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