Career in Journalism in India: Journalism is the practice of writing for a magazine, print media, news website, blog, or newspaper or creating/preparing news for the telecast. We say that it is a production or distribution of current events. It’s a method of gathering information or getting informed people. The mediums used in journalism include print, radio, the Internet, television, blogs, and other news resources.
We say journalism plays a vital role in the production and societal changes. This article will discuss every aspect of a Career in Journalism in India. Read in-depth info on Courses, Scope, Salary and different institutions in India to pursue the course.
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What is Journalism?
Journalism is the activity of collecting, verifying, and presenting news stories. Journalists work for news organizations such as newspapers, magazines, radio stations, or television networks. The practice of journalism has ethical implications, as journalists are expected to present information in a fair and unbiased manner. This can be challenging, as journalists may have to present controversial or unpopular information.
Journalism is an essential part of democracy, as it lets citizens be informed about what is happening in their country and the world. It is also a vital source of information for businesses and other organizations.
Various Courses in Journalism
Journalists representing reporters and columnists must have a bachelor’s degree in communications or journalism. In journalism, you have progression in editing, reporting, feature writing, photojournalism and communications. Supplementary coursework is committed by whether a student is focused on print or broadcast journalism. Some concentrate on online media, like web design skills and combining text with graphics, photo and video media.
While completing your degree, you have decided which field you want to pursue: print or broadcast journalism. Here are some of the Journalism courses one may opt for for a career in Journalism in India.
| Courses | Duration |
| BA in Journalism | 3 years |
| BA in Journalism and Mass Communication | 3 years |
| Bachelor of Journalism | 3 years |
| Bachelor of Mass Media and Journalism | 3 years |
| Bachelor of Communication and Journalism | 3 years |
| B.Sc. in Journalism and Mass Communication | 3 years |
| BA in Media and Communication | 3 years |
| BA in Media Studies | 3 years |
| BA in Mass Communication | 3 years |
| Bachelor of Mass Media | 3 years |
| BBA in Mass Communication and Journalism | 3 years |
| Diploma in Journalism | 1 year |
Eligibility Criteria
The following are the eligibility criteria for journalism:
| Particulars | Description |
|---|---|
| Qualification | Candidates must have passed their 10+2 from any stream |
| Qualifying Marks | Candidates must score a minimum of 50% marks |
| Qualifying Entrance Exam | Entrance and Merit-based admission |
Top Colleges for Journalism in India
In India, there are so many institutes. Students always want to gain admission into the top universities in India. Following are the top ten universities in India are;
| College Name | Location |
|---|---|
| IIMC (Indian Institute of Mass Communication) | Delhi |
| Asian College of Journalism | Chennai |
| Xavier’s Institute of Communication (XIC) | Mumbai |
| IIJNM (Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media) | Bangalore |
| Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication | New Delhi |
Different Types of Journalism
Journalism has several forms and styles developed and explains the events that impact our lives. The different types of Journalism are:-
- Investigative: Investigative Journalism is based on investigating the truth about a particular subject, person, or event. This journalism is based on verification and accurate presentation of facts.
- News: News journalism is elementary. News stories lack the depth of the questioning raised by an investigative story.
- Reviews: Reviews are partially demand and partially reality-based. It needs to achieve two things.
- The subject being reviewed should be precisely described or recognized.
- Based on research and experience, provide an intelligent and informed opinion of the subject.
- Feature Writing: Feature Writing provides scope, depth, and evaluation of style, vogue, events, topics or people. Feature writing commonly wins distinguished awards when it manages to achieve this.
Job Opportunities for Journalism
In journalism, you need a bachelor’s degree in journalism or communication. If you want to go into journalism, you must need a degree in print journalism, or if you choose a field of communication, you need a degree in broadcast journalism. In journalism, you require work experience; for the experience, you intern from a media outlet, which is essential to securing a job in this field. In the present time, it has become more competitive. To make a career in journalism, we need work experience.
For making a career in journalism with smaller productivity and telecast networks, usually as general task reporters assigned to the news relevant to that outlet’s audience. After getting experience in reporting, many journalists become editors, producers, supervising reporters, station managers, and publishers. Here are some of the career options for a journalist.
- Editor.
- Cartoonist.
- Photo Journalist.
- Proof Reader.
- Feature Writer.
- Leader Writer.
- Correspondent/Special Reporter.
- Critic.
- Presenters.
- Researchers.
- Reporter.
- Broadcast Reporters.
- Columnist.
Skills Required
A student may take a career in Journalism if writing or communicating with people enthrals. One has to learn about radio and television production techniques. If you want to make a journalism career, these skills below may help you achieve your goal.
- Good writing, editing and research skills
- Computer skills
- Interviewing skills
- Honesty and integrity
- Time management skills
- Excellent communication skills
- I will travel a lot
- Interest in politics and social justice
- Leadership and team working skills
- Will to take risks
- Expressing ideas and opinions.
Roles of a Journalist
- Assessing leads and pitching captivating story ideas to editors.
- Ensuring that you meet all regular and recurring deadlines.
- Reviewing and editing work for editorial approval.
- Using all your findings to prepare clean, concise, and factual articles.
- Adhering to the ethical code of the profession.
- Keeping records of all notes, interviews, and audio files.
- Creating trustworthy relationships with contacts and sources for use in future research.
- Keeping up-to-date on the latest news developments by attending events, and studying different papers, opinion pieces, and social media.
- Collecting, verifying, and deciphering data.
Average Salary in Journalism
In journalism, a journalist’s minimum salary is Rs 200000 to Rs 500000 annually. In this job, people have no experience of more than 20 years. In India, a starter may get Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000, increasing with years like 30k, 40k, 50k, etc. After 10-12 years, senior reporters may get a 1-2 lakh salary, or the chief editor may get 5 lakhs or more. But in journalism, the thing is, even if you study at the best university, your score may be in the 90s, and your experience is 0, you can earn maybe 6,000 to 10,000 per month. We say that experience is more important than percentage. Marks don’t matter in journalism if your experience is null. Journalism is good for more interactive or experienced people.
| Job Profile | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Reporter | INR 3 LPA |
| Editor | INR 4 LPA |
| News Anchor | INR 4 LPA |
| Feature Writer | INR 4.7 LPA |
| Columnist | INR 6 LPA |
What Types of Job Journalism Students Doing
The following are the types of journalism students are doing:
| Work Nature | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Marketing, PR and sales | 29.4 |
| Arts, design and media | 27.5 |
| Retail, catering and customer service | 18.4 |
| Clerical, secretarial and administrative | 7.7 |
| Other | 17 |
Conclusion
In India, for making a democratic society, Journalism is an essential component. Journalism is gathering and presenting news and information. It’s not only about collecting and telecasting news; it has to be honest and trustworthy. Journalism plays a vital role in making people aware of society from a new culture and gives information technology a good or lousy face of society.
It makes people aware of the blackface of society. It provides information to the student about the subject and different platforms, which is helpful for the promising future of humanity. Journalism presents them in many ways, including articles, reports, podcasts, and even tweets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is journalism a promising career?
Journalism remains an essential occupation in the digital age, and whether you’re covering local stories or global events, you need certain qualities to do a great job. Conditions ranging from solid analytical skills to specialist knowledge can help you become a successful journalist.
Is journalism a stressful job?
From the lowest-beat reporter to the news media executive, this is one of the most stressful careers. Journalists must deal with deadlines, busy work environments, crazy schedules, travel, demanding editors, a more demanding public, and the fear of being laid off.
Do journalists travel?
Journalists at smaller newspapers and news sites are likelier to be based in one place (a city, a county, etc.) and unlikely to travel much. Freelancers can move quite a bit, but in many cases, the places they go for work aren’t the types of sites most people would want to go to on vacation.
What is a news Reporter’s salary?
The national average salary for a News Reporter is 35,000 in India.
Which stream is best for journalists?
You must have completed 10+2 in any stream, commerce, arts or science from a recognised board. In India, many universities have their entrance exams for journalism courses.
