A new qualification is being launched by the National Council for the Training of Journalists to help reporters operate in a multi-media environment.

The preliminary exam, which is sat before taking the NCTJ's National Certificate, is being piloted by a number of employers and some candidates are to sit a trial paper in the next few weeks.

It is the latest in a number of additions to the body's training options, following on from the News Writing, Portfolio and Sub-Editing modules brought in last year.

The online journalism training will include writing and editing, including the creation of video and audio reports – all tailored to online work.

The course work, which is already being added to some NCTJ-accredited courses, includes the creation of a video package which will be judged alongside the exam to decide if the qualification is to be awarded.

Johnston Press group editorial development executive David Rowell said: "The central point for me is that we want all our journalists to have these skills as an integral part of their NCTJ training."

Brien Beharrell, of the Newbury Weekly News, said: "Multi-skills as the norm is where we, as an industry, are heading."

Training includes original reporting for online publications, adapting print for the web, writing for platforms to include SMS, news tickers and e-mail bulletins, publishing video and audio reports, using content management systems and learning about techniques such as reader polls, message board, reader comment and blogging.