What do you do in the morning each day? Rush for the newspaper or open the net to read the main news of the previous day, I am sure. Somebody has rightly said, “If a dog bites a man, it is not news; but if a man bites a dog, it becomes a story.” In order to present a story to readers as news, the writer has to work hard to make mundane everyday facts read interesting. The job of a journalist is not just to collect and disseminate the news, but also to write the same in style. Journalism includes investigating the news, then analysing the same and finally reporting to the masses through newspapers and mass media.
Journalism works at various levels depending upon the mode of communication used, i.e. print, television, audio, other electronic modes, etc. Similarly, a piece of news could be political, educational, social, religious, cultural, etc. Whether it is a sports event or natural disaster, a reporter has to move to the sight to cover the news. The work of a journalist is very hard. Putting their life at risk at times, they travel to far-flung areas, sometimes riot-affected, under the rage of natural calamities, and also during wars. While on work, they have to keep their eyes and ears open to everything that happens around them; there is no time for them to relax. Their job includes working day and night at odd hours to cover the news.
Everyone is fond of watching TV in their leisure time, whether news or any other shows. For the news that is telecast, the term ‘mass media’ is used because of it being closely entwined with the masses. A career in journalism is prestigious, and if you make the right moves, pays a lot too. The job of a journalist is multifarious. It not only includes collecting the news, but preparing a draft, editing it, and sending it forward. It is then scrutinised by a team of editors and then finally produced through newspaper or mass media.
Eligibility Criteria :
10+2 or equivalent (minimum 45 % marks; could vary with universities and institutes)
Selection criteria:
Group discussion and interview
Courses (three years) :
*Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication (BAJM)
*B. Sc. – Film & TV Production
*B.A. – Journalism
*Diploma Course (usually one year)
Opportunities in Journalism and Mass Media :
- News Reporter
- News Editor
- News Reader
- Cameraman
- Photo Journalist
- Programme Anchor
- Producer
- Director
- Interviewer
- Feature Writer
- Radio Jockey
Professional Institutes :
1. Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC)
(There are branches in New Delhi, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha and Kerala.)
Web: www.iimc.nic.in
2. University of Technology and Management (UTM)
(BBA in Journalism and Mass Communication; MBA in Media Management.
Web: www.utm.ac.in
3. Amity University
Web: www.amity.edu
4. Lovely Professional University
(Journalism & Film Production)
Web: www.lpu.in
Other colleges for courses in Journalism and Mass Communication :
- A.J. Kidwai MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi. Know More …
- Asian College of Journalism, Chennai . https://www.asianmedia.org.in/
- Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore. https://www.iijnm.org/
- International School of Business and Media, Pune https://www.isbm.ac.in/
- Manorama School of Communication, Kottayam https://www.manoramajschool.com/
- Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad https://www.mica.ac.in/
- Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune , https://www.simc.edu/
- Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai , https://www.xaviercomm.org/
Placements :
Newspapers, magazines, news channels, production houses, publishing houses, news agencies, freelance jobs, among others.