Journalism

If you dream of making a qualitative change in people’s life, bringing into light the dark side of the society as well as highlighting the brighter side of the world are having the patience to get along with politicians, bureaucrats, criminals and myriad people desperate to get some free publicity, Journalism is one of the best careers to pursue. And if you are also ready to rush to work at odd hours, do night shifts and are not afraid of standing up to the truth, you can definitely flourish in this noble profession. Media is known as the fourth pillar of democracy and as a mediaperson, you can play an active role in nation-building.

In this field, you can get the opportunity to interact with the mighty and the powerful of the society. Moreover, with the proliferation of television news channels, you will be assured of glamour in this industry. Handsome monetary returns are also assured since a lot of money is being pumped into this industry.

Media was an exclusive profession in both exciting and well paying along with being prestigious and glamour.

Media refers to the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers and magazines that reach and influence people widely. Media as an industry has been capable of being the largest employer as it is the largest consumer as well as the largest supplier of the manpower.

Media, as an industry has Journalists, Editors, Soundmen, Lights-men, Animators, Artistes, Cameraman, Newscasters, Scriptwriters, Online Editors, TV News Reporters, Creative Director, Technical Writers, Anchors/Presenters, Radio Jockeys (RJs) and Video Jockey's (VJs).

The media is keeping pace with the rate of technological changes and the internet, with the result that the companies are now looking for more techno-savvy and quick-minded people. There are ample job opportunities in television, radio, newspapers, especially in areas of production, development and sales.

The industry registered a business of more than Rs. 300 billion in 2004 and grew to Rs. 436 billion in 2006. As per the estimates of FICCI; experts, the industry is expected to touch Rs. 1 trillion by 2011, growing at a rate of 18 percent a year.

Journalism as such is more than a career, it is a mission. A mission that generates one's creativity, helps one socialize, earn name along with livelihood, bring to the forefront problems facing the society and help implement the possible solutions.

These inherent advantages of Journalism attract a lot of young students. Journalism is the occupation of reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news or of conducting any news organization as a business. A journalist is a person who practises the occupation of Journalism.

The job of a journalist includes interviewing of sources, obtaining quotes from politicians, experts, officials or bureaucrats. Therefore, he is supposed to review records to assemble, report and explore the implication of the facts.

Different kinds of jobs, on the desk and in the field, are open in both print and electronic media Journalism. Reporters can work for either print or electronic media. While the print has several sub-categories like newspapers, magazines and news agencies, the latter includes radio, television and the Internet portals like tehelka.com, indiatimes.com, rediff. com, yahoo.com, etc.

In a newspaper house, freshers usually join as trainees at the news desk or the editing desk. One will work as a Sub-Editor or Copy Editor here and will be required to give final shape to stories— complete with headlines and captions.

A sub-editor usually assists in determining the lay out of the publication. His job includes examining articles or a news written by an author or a journalist.

He has to receive copy from reporters and wire services including news agencies and check its suitability. He needs to do the correction of errors, whereever required. The factual accuracy is also undertaken by a sub-editor in order to avoid any misleading facts.

After a couple of years, one may get transferred to reporting. As a Senior Editor, one will be required to write the editorial pieces and columns on various issues. As a field reporter, one has to cover various events or get specialised in a particular area like politics, defence, business and economics, sports or culture.

One is required to have a thorough understanding of one's area of specialisation and also needs to have good contacts in the particular field.

However, exceptions to this rule are common and some people join straightaway as trainee reporters also.

A reporter in print media is said to be its eyes and ears. The hierarchy for reporters in most of the newspaper houses is roughly as follows-—Trainee, Staff Reporter, Correspondent, Senior Reporter/Correspondent, Principal Reporter/Correspondent, Chief Reporter and Special Representative/ Correspondent.

Special correspondents are reporters who deal with report activities of Union Ministries, Parliament and political parties, etc.

Working for a news agency is slightly different because of the tougher deadlines—not at the end of the day but right now. The ABC of news agency reporting seeks accuracy, brevity and clarity. The format of writing is very straightforward and to the point and does not allow any scope for speculation or analysis within the news story.

Agencies like Press Trust of India (PTI) and United News of India (UNI) are open round the clock throughout the year and their offices arc not closed even on Republic Day, Independence Day or Holi, which are rare holidays for the newspapers.

A host of positions are open in the field of television Journalism. The field of television Journalism offers job opportunities like reporters, producers, video editors, programming experts, sound engineers, anchors, cameramen, graphic designers and sound engineers. In print media, as well as in electronic media, trained professionals are required in the departments of advertisement, sales and marketing.

Trained professionals are also required in the technology, finance, accounts, administration and human resource departments of media organisations. Reporting for television involves more leg work than print. It also requires closer cooperation with the cameraman and therefore, it helps to have a some knowledge about camera work and lighting.

Here, the distinction between reporting, camera work and desk work many a time gets blurred and the reporter does all the work. The reporting section of a television news channel is headed by a news coordinator with several senior and staff reporters functioning below.

In a much broader sense, the job of a journalist include collection of news and information by interviewing people and covering events, doing research to provide background information for articles, preparation of media releases and promotional material such as newsletters etc.

A journalist should be able to assess the suitability of reports and articles for publication or broadcasting. Photographers also hold an important place in this industry. They are the ones who operate still cameras, lights and light measuring devices to take photographs of people, places, products and other subjects.

With the growing techno-savvy world, the journalism has also become online. 'Online Journalism refers to the reporting of the news on the Internet. A person interested in this field can go for content writing where technological know-how is important. Many newspapers have made their 'e-newspapers' available which have accentuated news accessibility.

Journalism