Journalism

In today’s era of communication and technology, people round the clock want to keep themselves abreast of the latest change and developments happening around them.

And it is the role of the Journalism to spread information about every relevant happening in the world. Newspapers, radio, television and more recently the new media-internet has completely revolutionized the way news used to broadcast. Journalists have a very significant role to play in this practice.

Today a career in journalism stands not only for a prestigious profession but also for a challenging career option. Journalists play a key role in the growth of any nation. The core purpose of journalism is to inform, educate and enlighten the masses on various issues revolving them.

As the new world has time and again, verified the saying that the pen and the camera is mightier than the sword, numerous opportunities for journalists have been generated all around the globe.

Today straightforward reporting of events is no more adequate, more specialization and professionalism in journalistic practices is being required. Therefore today, a wannabe journalist does specialize in diverse areas, such as politics, finance and economics and the like.

Journalism Eligibility Criteria & Skill

Educational Qualification: for bachelor degree in journalism, generally the minimum eligibility is set at 10+2 certificate and for Post graduate degree courses a graduate degree in journalism is required. Some institutes and private educational player also offer one year certificate courses in journalism for which eligibility is 10+2.

There are also courses in specialized areas of journalism like sports, television, photo, press law etc. one must keep the fact that no course or training can claim to make somebody a qualified journalist.

The courses can only educate persons in the technical aspects only. For this profession one must have a nose for news in addition to an ability to write and produce news stories in correct, concise and appealing style.

Personal Attributes: one should have an curious mind, will power, an aptitude for presenting information in a precise, concise and effective manner. He/she should also be able to arrange thoughts and express them clearly in both forms of communications- written as well as oral.

Moreover, a journalist has to be diplomatic, confident and structured while interviewing public and celebrities. Journalists must have the skill of filtering relevant facts from the irrelevant ones. The capability of accepting criticism and keenness to do considerable rewriting are also crucial in this profession.

Journalism is largely divided into two categories - Print and Electronic. Journalism in the print media consists of newspapers, journals, magazines, digests and news agencies. On the other hand, journalism through the electronic medium consists of television, radio and the new media-internet.

Career Options with the Print Media

• Reporter: As a reporter of a newspaper, magazine, news agency, radio or television channel, your job will be to report with speed, clarity and accuracy. The intellect to distinguish a story and objectivity will be very important in this role.

• Correspondent/Special Reporter: To be a reporter for a particular purpose, you must have thorough knowledge in a particular field like politics and sports etc. You must also have the ability to read between the lines and explain the news on the basis of your understanding.

• Feature Writer: A feature writer’s job revolves around writing in-depth stories and observations on specific topics.

• Leader Writer: They are concerned with putting across their views on news topics through editorial columns only.

• Proof Reader: Proof Reader’s job is to evaluate and compare proofs with the edited copy. For this job one must possess skills in grammar, spelling and punctuation.

• Editor: Editor is the key head whose chief responsibility is to ensure uniformity and continuity of the print media. He/she presents the newspaper in an eye-catching fashion.

• Columnist: As a columnist, one writes for a particular segment in the newspaper or magazine. Your column would highlight your viewpoint concerning any topic under the sun like fashion, politics or films and the like.

• Critic: In order to be a critic, you will have to be well-read and experienced. Irrespective of the field one must have comprehensive knowledge in the subject concerned.

• Photo Journalist: To become a successful Photojournalists or in simple words, visual reporters one must be swift in taking pictures which represent a news-story and willing to work in difficult conditions. Furthermore, He/ she should have the skills of writing appropriate captions and knowledge of the technical aspects of photography.

• Cartoonist: you have to artistic and humorous to get recognition as a cartoonist. A cartoonist comments on public personalities and other happenings in a satirical manner.

Career Options with the Electronic Media

• Researchers: Researchers job revolve around doing the research work for the channel or the site. To be a researcher, you must be creative and inquisitive.

• Broadcast Reporters: a broadcast reporter must have good communication and presentation skills coupled with a nose for news.

• Presenters: Good communication skills, command over speech, diction and language, general knowledge, intelligence and the ability to be composed in stressful conditions are essence for this job. Additionally, presenter must also have a control over words and a good quality of face expression to convey the right tone of the news.

The emergence of new media: Web Media

The Internet as a global electronic community, interconnecting millions of peoples is fast emerging as an influential medium to change viewpoints. It has many USPs over other media forms of journalism.

It provides updated news content at no cost. The web journalist has to make the news sharp and interesting. Here, editing and presentation of the news is the most important activity since many web surfers tend to scan the pages and not read them entirely.

Further, eye-catching captions and key facts are necessary. Hence in order to become a web journalist one must be capable of writing precisely and concisely.

You can expect to start off with a salary of Rs.6000-Rs. 10000 as a trainee. As a reporter, you can expect to make Rs.12000 - Rs.18000. Editors draw a salary of Rs.20,000-Rs.35,000 besides Perks like housing and traveling concessions are also provided.

Journalism Institutes/Universities

The following institutes in India are offering courses in Journalism and Mass Communication

• Saraswati Music College (est. 1924),

A-1/226, safdarjung enclave, New Delhi-110029
Ph: 26105611, 26167922
Fax: 26194545
Email: katharsys_saraswati@yahoo.com
Website: www.saraswatimusiccollege.org

• Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC)

JNU new campus,Aruna Asif Ali Marg,
New Delhi - 110067, India
Phone: 91-011-26741268, 26742920/60
Fax: 91-011-26741268
E-mail: pbapaiah@yahoo.com
Website:www.iimc.nic.in

• AJK Mass Communication Research Centre

Jamia Millia Islamia University
Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar Marg
New Delhi -110 025
Phone: +91 11 2698 7285, +91 11 2698 6812, +91 11 2698 6813
Fax: +91 11 2698 6811
Email: contact@ajkmcrc.org
Website: www.ajkmcrc.org

• National Institute for Media Studies (NIMS)

Courses: MA / BA in Mass Communication, PG & Bsc in Visual Communication & Fine Arts
Upper Level, Panchdhara Complex,
Nr. GNFC Towers, S.G. Highway,
Ahmedabad 380 054
Phone: 079 - 26855701 / 26855702
Email: info@nifms.edu.in
Website: www.nifms.edu.in

• National Institutes of advertising, New Delhi

Offers Two Year Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Communications Management (PGDMCM)
Full Time and Two Year Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising and Communications.
Contact information:
NiA Campus
9, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road
New Delhi-110003
Phone: 91- 11- 656 564 90/91/92, 9871565565
Email: admissions@niaindia.org
Website: www.niaindia.org

• Amity School of Journalism & Communication,

New Delhi
Contact information:
Amity Campus, Sector 44
Noida- 201303.
Phone: 26569050, 2653047
Website: www.amity.edu

• Asian Academy of Film & Television

Contact Information:
Marwah Studios Complex
FC-14/15, Film City, Sector-16A
NOIDA-201301
Uttar PradeshPhone: 95120-2515254, 2515255, 2515256.
Fax: 95120-2515246.
E-mail: help@aaft.com
Website: www.aaft.com

• Wigan & Leigh College,New Delhi

1001-1005,
Ansal Tower,
38, Nehru Place ,
New Delhi 110019
Phone No: 011-41617053/4/5/6, 9818479333
Email: delhi@wiganindia.org
Website: www.wiganindia.org

• Sardar Patel College of Communication & Management,New Delhi

Kasturba Gandhi Marg,
New Delhi-110001
Phone: 23389942
Website: : www.bvbdelhi.org

• Times School of Journalism

Times Centre for Media Studies,
10 Darya Ganj, New Delhi 110002

• University of Delhi

University Road, Delhi 110 00
Phone South Campus: 011-24119832
Phone North Campus: 011-2766709, 27667011, 27667190
Fax: 011-27667049
Website: www.du.ac.in

• Academy 18 networks Ltd

Studio 18, India Pvt. Ltd,8,
Balaji Estate,
Guru Ravi Das Marg, Kalkaji, New Delhi 110019
Ph 26225901-06

• EMPI Institute of Advertising & Communication

CSKM Educational,
complex, Satbari, Mehrauli
New Delhi -110030,Phone: 26805090, 26804210
www.empiindia.com

• Indira Gandhi National Open University

Maidan Garhi, New Delhi
Phone: 2685924- 25-27
Website:www.ignou.ac.in

• Kamla Nehru College, DU

(W),Khel Gaon Marg,
New Delhi-110017
Phone: 26494881, 26490061

• YMCA Centre for Mass Media

Jai Singh Road, New Delhi-110001
Telephone: 0091-11-23361915, 3746668
Fax: 0091-11-23746035
E-mail: ymcand@del3.vsnl.net.in
Website: www.newdelhiymca.org

• South Delhi Polytechnic for Women

Lajpat Nagar- IV, New Delhi - 110024
Phones (Office): 26294833, 26294836, 26482298
Fax No. : 011-26474425
E-mail:polytech@nda.vsnl.net.in
www.polytechnic-sdpw.com

• Sir Aurobindo Institute Of Mass Communication

Sir Aurobindo Marg, Near IIT,New Delhi 110016,
Phone: 26524798, 26567863

• The Advertising Academy

Contact Information:
BE-303, Ist Floor,Hari Nagar,
New Delhi 110064,
Phone: 25136068

• International Institute Of Mass Media,

International Institute of Mass Media B-50,
South Extension – I,New Delhi - 110049
Phone: 011-2465 4512, 2465 4514, 2462 6660
Fax: 011-2462 6670
E-mail: coordinator@iimmdelhi.com
Website: www.iimmdelhi.com

• Institute of Mass Communication, Manipal

Press Corner,Manipal – 576 104(Karnataka)
Phone: 91 820 2571901/03
Fax: +91 820 2571902
E-mail:office.mic@manipal.edu
Website:www.manipal.edu/mic

Mass Communication Institutes in Major Cities

• Ahmedabad 
• Bangalore
• Chennai
• Delhi
• Hyderabad
• Kolkata
• Mumbai
• Pune

Mass Communication Institutes in Various States

• Andhra Pradesh
• Arunachal Pradesh
• Assam
• Bihar
• Chandigarh
• Chhattisgarh
• Gujarat
• Haryana
• Himachal Pradesh
• Jammu & Kashmir
• Jharkhand
• Karnataka
• Kerala
• Madhya Pradesh
• Maharashtra
• Meghalaya
• Orissa
• Pondicherry
• Punjab
• Rajasthan
• Tamil Nadu
• Tripura
• Uttar Pradesh
• Uttaranchal
• West Bengal