Career in Journalism: Jobs, Career Path, Courses, Relevant Skills

Career in Journalism

Career in Journalism: Overview

Journalism is nothing but a gathering of news, processing of news, dissemination of news, and information related to the news to the public. Journalism is conducted through media and it varies diversely which includes content published through print media, broadcasting, and digital media. The media through which journalism is conducted vary diversely to include content published via newspapers and magazines (print), television and radio (broadcast), and their digital versions published through digital media, news websites, and applications.

Journal Article is sometimes called a Scientific Article, a Peer-Reviewed Article, or a Scholarly Research Article. Together, journal articles in a particular field are often referred to as The Literature. Journal articles are most often Primary Research Articles.

However, they can also be Review Articles. These types of articles have different aims and requirements. Sometimes, an article describes a new tool or method. Because articles in scientific journals are specific, meticulously cited, and peer-reviewed, journal databases are the best place to look for information on previous research on your species. Without a background in the field, journal articles may be hard to understand – however, you do not need to understand an entire article to be able to get valuable information from it.

Modern journalism feeds five areas of mass communication – (1) Newspapers and Periodicals, (2) Radio, (3) Television, (4) Films, (5) Advertising & Public Relations. In modern societies, Journalism has become the media of mass education providing supplementary education to students at all stages and to the general masses – educated and uneducated. In modern times, the horizon of journalism has widened and it has transcended the limits of mere reporting of political and economic news. Journalism has as its main activity the reporting of events stating who, what, where, why, and how, and explaining the significance and effects of events or trends and this is what you need to understand if you are planning to pursue a career in journalism.

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Career in Journalism: Media-based journalism

Depending on the type of medium used, journalism can be divided into:

1. Print journalism
   Print journalism includes writing and publishing for newspapers, news magazines, general interest magazines, trade magazines, hobby magazines, newsletters, private publications, online news pages, and others.
2. Broadcast journalism
   includes broadcasting for both radio and television. Radio journalist must gather facts and present them fairly and accurately, but also must find and record relevant and interesting sounds to add to their reports, both interviews with people involved in the story and the background sounds that help characterize the story. Radio reporters may also write the introduction to the story read by a radio news anchor, and may also answer questions live from the anchor. Television journalists rely on visual information to illustrate and characterize their reporting, including on-camera interviews with people involved in the story, shots of the scene where the story took place, and graphics usually produced at the station to help frame the story. Like radio reporters, television reporters also may write the introductory script that a television news anchor would read to set up their story. Both radio and television journalist usually does not have as much “space” to present information in their reports as print journalists.
3. Online journalism
   The fast and vast growth of the internet and the World Wide Web has spawned the newest medium for journalism, online journalism. The speed at which news can be disseminated on the web, and the profound penetration to anyone with a computer and web browser, have greatly increased the quantity and variety of news reports available to the average web user.

The bulk of on-line journalism has been the extension of existing print and broadcast media into the web via web versions of their primary products. New reports that were set to be released at expected times now can be published as soon as they are written and edited, increased the deadline pressure, and fear of being scooped many journalists must deal with.

Career in Journalism: Content-based journalism

Depending on the type of content that is generated in the media, journalism can be divided into various types. Each or all of these can be found in all the media mentioned above.

1. Feature journalism: Newspapers and periodicals often contain features written by journalists, many of whom specialize in this form of in-depth journalism. Features articles usually are longer than straight news articles, and are combined with photographs, drawings, or other “art”. They may also be highlighted by typographic effects or colors.
2. Sports journalism: Sports journalism covers many aspects of human athletic competition, and is an integral part of most journalism products, including newspapers, magazines, and radio and television news broadcasts. While some critics don’t consider sports journalism to be true journalism, the prominence of sports in western culture has justified the attention of journalists to not just the competitive events of sports, but also to athletes and to the business of sports.
3. Science journalism: Science journalism is a relatively new branch of journalism, in which journalists reporting conveys information on science topics to the public. Science journalists must understand and interpret very detailed, technical, and sometimes jargon-laden information and render it into interesting reports that are comprehensible to consumers of news media.
   Science Journalism is the key to the real treasure of the scientific knowledge, by virtue of which scientific knowledge and concepts could be carried to the common man.
4. Investigative journalism: Investigative journalism, in which journalists investigative and expose unethical, immoral and illegal behavior by an individual, business and government agencies, can be complicated, time-consuming and expensive-requiring teams of journalists, months of research, interviews (sometimes repeated interviews) with numerous people, long-distance travel, computers to analyze public-record databases, or use of the company’s legal staff to secure documents under freedom of information laws.

Career in Journalism: People journalism or celebrity

Celebrity journalism differs from feature writing in that it focuses on people who are either already famous or are especially attractive, and in that it often covers celebrities obsessively, to the point of these journalists behaving unethically in order to provide coverage. Journalists who follow celebrities constantly to obtain potentially embarrassing photographs have come to characterize celebrity journalism.

The job of a reporter is to gather news and write it for his organization. Sub-editor makes it fit to print. Reporters go out in the field while sub –editor’s work at the “News desk” where all the news that comes, is selected, edited, each news story is given a suitable headline and its place in the newspaper is decided.

Reporters can become senior reporters, correspondents, senior correspondents, chief reporters, special correspondents and foreign corresponds, sub-editors, chief sub-editor, deputy news editor and news editor. But the basic job of a reporter remains news gathering and filling the reporter or “copy” to the news desk.

Career in Journalism – Skill-Set

• News sense: It is the basic quality of newsman. Every reporter has to have news sense or nose for news to distinguish news from non-news. He should be able to compare various news values and decide where to bring his story and should not miss important details.
• Clarity: A reporter should have clarity of mind and expression. A person who is confused himself cannot tell a story to others. Only clarity of mind is not enough unless it is accompanied by clarity of expression without clarity of mind that has no meaning.
• Objectivity: Reporter and sub-editor should aim at objectivity while dealing with a story. They should not allow their personal bias or ideas to creep into a story. They should not take a side but try covering all the different viewpoints to achieve balance in the story.
• Accuracy: A reporter should strive for accuracy. He should check and recheck his fact until he is satisfied that he has them accurate. In this respect, he should not take any chance as accuracy is directly proportional to the credibility of a reporter and his newspaper.
• Alertness: A reporter should always be a last which dealing with his subjects. Many major news breaks in the past were possible because of the alertness of reporters. Scoops don’t walk into newspaper offices- alert reporters catch them in air and pursue.
• Speed: In today’s world speed matters everywhere. A person who cannot work fast cannot be a good reporter. While maintaining all other desirable qualities a reporter should strive to work faster. He should think fast, write fast, and write or type fast for he has to meet deadlines or may have to go to another assignment. Calmness: Reporter and sub-editors often work in trying circumstances. They have to remain calm and composed in most exciting and tragic circumstances. In many situations, they have to be calm devoid of hysterical actions or utterances and apply appropriate mental and physical effort to write or edit the story.
• Curiosity: This is an important skill to pursue a career in journalism. Reporters should have an unsuitable curiosity for reporters it is useful in developing last for facts that may lead to better stories.
• Skepticism: It is another necessary quality which a reporter and sub-editor should cultivate. They should not take anything for granted. They should have an unwavering posture of the doubt until faced with undesirable proof. Reporters should be more vigilant for many forces constantly try to use them and though them their paper. Many people try to plant on reporters fall into such traps in good faith. They should have enough skepticism to avoid such plots.
• Punctuality: It is a good habit for reporters it is a must for if they are not punctual they may miss something for which they made has to depend on secondary sources. It is always better to be punctual and then wait than reach late and ask others – a rival may misinformation you or hide some important information.
• Patience: It is quality which helps a reporter in big away for many a time almost daily. He has to test his patience, the voluntary self-control, or resistance that helps one to endure waiting, provocation, injustice, suffering, or any of the unpleasant vicissitudes of time and life. Most of the time a reporter waits for someone or something and patience gives him the willingness to wait without becoming dissented or anxious.
• Imagination: This basic mental faculty helps reporters in writing better stories that retain readers’ interest in creative faculty is very useful. Is he can add sparkle to somebody else copy and make it lively. Besides, imagination headlines attract the reader and improve the quality of a newspaper.
• Farsightedness: An intelligent envisioning of the future helps newsmen in general. The quality helps them identify processes and people who will be important in the future. Reporters can watch such processes and cultivate people who may become important news sources in the future.
• A reporter with foresight can think ahead and prepare for eventualities with a little for thought sub-editors can plan their work so as to avoid tension and it results in better functioning of the desk.
• Self Discipline: One can achieve a degree of proficiency in sub-editing or reporting by systematic effort and self-control. In this sense, self-discipline suggests dedication and firm commitment.
• Integrity: It is a virtue in itself and implies undeviating honesty and strict adherence to a strong code of ethics. It is more important for a reporter for they are more exposed to temptations.
• Fearlessness and Frankness: These qualities help reporters in asking unpleasant questions and taking risks to find out truths. Nobody gives a story on a platter. The reporter will help to probe, question, and exercise his power of dedication to get a good story.
• Tactfulness: A reporter should be fact full. He should have the ability to handle sensitive people and situations gracefully without causing heart or angry feelings. He should considerably of others and should be careful not to embrace upset or offend them.
• Initiative: A reporter who works in the field should have an outgoing nature with initiative and drive. These qualities will help him get acquainted with news sources and get stories from them. A meet retiring or shy person is not fit for reporting. He may be good at the desk. Reporters need a fair amount of assertiveness and aggressiveness to be successful in their careers.
• Mobility: A reporter should be mobile. He should enjoy moving around and should not hesitate to travel distances to get stories when required. He should go to his news sources as often as possible for such constant contacts to help him get news.
• Diligence: Reporter and sub-editors should be diligent. Their jobs require painstaking exertion of intense care and effort, alertness and dedication to the task, and very watchfulness. They have to make extremely fine distinctions while writing or editing

Career in Journalism – Education

For a bachelor’s degree in journalism, generally, the minimum eligibility is set at 10+2 certificate.

For Postgraduate degree courses, a graduate degree in journalism is required.

Best colleges offering Master’s program in journalism are:

• Jamia Millia Islamia
• Indian Institute of Mass Communication
• AJK Mass Communication Research Centre
• National Institute of Media Studies
• National Institute of Advertising

We hope this is going to be helpful if you are planning to pursue a career in journalism. For more guidance, feel free to connect with us and provide your feedback as well, so that we can also improve in the future.