Level up these skills to become the new age journalist

From the older times to today’s age, the journalists are supposed to have these three indispensable qualities- meticulous details, a dynamic character and a go getter in all kinds. The whole concept of new age journalist is pretty wide and demands greater level of attention.

There would always be something to learn and discover in this field. If you are keen on building a journalism career, strive for new skills always and pave your way in this. Let us take a look at the skills-

•General awareness about the world: An aspiring journalist should be aware of the happenings around the world, nation and community. Your everyday conversations would consist of the news about it all and requires you to be abreast with apt information. Hence, ensure that you keep yourself aware in the process and grasp whatever information you can from multiple sources.

•Research skills: Absolutely essential, a new age journalist should have the nose for news and ability to research well on it. Recognizing the credible news to present to the audience is vital. You can’t just keep the people misinformed. Hence, develop on your researching skills and make use of it in the professional world.

•Writing and multimedia skills: A journalist should have an adept approach towards writing and disseminating information to its audience. Language should be polished and simple to comprehend. Creating content is not easy. But if you do, it should be eye grabbing enough. For this, multimedia and digital skills go a long way in the current scenario. The right image, text, video or GIF is the new day’s journalist’s job to identify and send through.

If possible, reinforce your academic knowledge by enrolling to the Top journalism colleges in India and learn the new dynamics of journalism. It is one challenging yet exciting field, so do your best. 

Questions That Boggle Every Journalism Aspirant

Academic courses have almost taken a backseat, and professional courses are too much in demand. Kids these days are more informed and driven over passion. They would rather convert their passion to profession than letting it die a stale death. Of all the courses, journalism is one stream that students have chosen widely. Every year almost 10,000 kids appear for mass communication entrances, and the rising numbers have created a cut-throat competitive scenario out there. However, there are millions of questions that cross minds leaving them confused.

•Whether fees is affordable or not? This is an obvious question since these courses are a tad bit expensive. If your parents aren’t in a situation to pay the fees, try and look for education loans. Or maybe you can borrow money from a close relative and repay them in installments.


•Am I ready for 24x7? – Jobs in media line are dynamic. They are not stringent corporate jobs that go 9 to 5. Being a journalist is a “full time job”, and there might be days when you will go sleepless. But the rewards are endless. After all, pleasure comes with a price.

•Do I good need speaking skills? – Of course! If you are shy to go up on a stage, how will you interview people during talk show, or address the entire nation while covering breaking news. In journalism colleges in India you will get tons of opportunities to participate in debates, speeches, talk shows etc. Do not shy away from them. Develop leadership skills.

•Is brushing up general knowledge necessary? – Yes, it certainly is. Being a journalist you need to have an unbiased prerogative, yet in depth knowledge on various topics. You need to know what is happening, at least in your own country. You should also have the knack to cull out information from legal sources possible to position your story strongly.

And yet the most important question – should I follow my dream? Certainly, for dreams keep us alive. Start applying for mass communication colleges in India and do not look back.

Planning to go for Mass Communication? Here is what you must know

The past years have seen a rapid increase in the desirability for mass communication courses. The reasons are not too far to look. Communication has become immensely potent and with more people on the social media and in school, the level of awareness is more than ever.

This is one of the reasons why the field is expected to grow exponentially. The means of communication and the target audience have changed and mass communication and journalism can offer the best that is to it.

A degree can open gates to journalism, jockeying, public relations and advertising. People who feel can make it in the vastly competitive environment can go for bachelors or masters in the field. Top journalism colleges in India like AAFT School of Mass Communication offer comprehensive curriculums, as if customized to fit the student’s needs.

The field is mainly for the skillful, energetic and creative and a good college can be a great start. The kind of faculty and the alumni can delineate a lot about what the college can offer. Places that allow small batches are usually the ones that pay greater attention to each student. Good faculty is also instrumental in the entire degree planning including landing you internships, assisting you academically, help you with scholarships and at times play a crucial role in finding the first job for you.

There is no dearth of creativity either. From feature writing to advertising and public relation campaigns to television packages, you can have your own share of fun and excitement. The deal is to know where your interests truly lie. With the abundance of such options, you can be assured that you can let the juices flow freely.

But before you take the plunge, note that mass communication is only for the brave. So invest wisely!

The Many Reasons to do Mass Communication Course !!

The area of mass communication has in the recent years, blown up by the massive interest in this field by youngsters. The fact that it is largely a creative field, not really connected to the tougher and common subjects, like English, science and maths, had made the students excited to venture out into these unknown topics. 

Also the tremendous growth in the communication technology and media has really opened up a lot of job opportunities for graduating students. The whole world has become assimilated into one unified global village. And that is one of the main reasons that the study of mass communication as not only a course, but also a career path has become important.

There are many excellent mass communication colleges in India, that boast of professional faculty, new and unique teaching methods and courses that might not be available everywhere else. Now, one of the misconceptions now just parents, but also students have is confusing mass communication with journalism. It is true, that journalism is a part of it, but that is not all there is to it. 

Mass communication is essentially what its name suggest, the ability to communicate to the masses through the different platforms available in our reality. Here are a few reasons why one should opt for this course:

1.    Many Choices:

As one completes school, they are immediately bombarded with questions on what they are going to do next, where will they be studying, what they will be studying. And many a time, a student has no idea what exactly they want to do. For them the course of mass communication is excellent, since it will allow them to traverse through the different parts of mass communication. One can choose to pursue journalism, and apply for the top journalism colleges in India, for their higher studies, or they can go into film making and media industry.

2.    Bookish Knowledge Not Required:

It is true, that while one needs to study and give exams in this course only, but for the most part the emphasis is on the practical knowledge. Group projects, presentations, getting to do the field work are more important here. But at the same time, one should not devalue the textual knowledge and give balanced attention to both. This course is more like a professional course and as such, it will teach by making the students actually work in that environment.

3.    Community Bonding:

One learns how to work with large groups and teams in this course. Since the ultimate aim is to communicate to the masses in a way everyone will connect, thus a lot of the courses in the degree of mass communication require big groups and team work. 

Basic skills required to be a great Journalist !

Best Journalism Graduate Schools

Journalism is a passion for many in this country. Thousands aspire to become a renowned journalist and pursue journalism courses to give a direction to their dreams. It is true that a good academic hold gives you a better position in this field; there are certain skills that you need to develop yourself in the course of time either by learning form experiences, or by polishing them with special efforts. If you master all the skills then you are sure to make it big in the big, varied world of journalism. Have a look at the skills:

Command over language

Whichever language you choose to specialize in, be it English, Hindi or any regional language, your grammar should be impeccable. Not only this, you should know how to play with words for which a strong vocabulary is imperative. Journalism is mainly about writing and comprehending and communicating news to various interest groups. The best journalism graduate schools expect their students to have a good grasp on language!  
 

Thorough research skills

A news need to be cultivated before it reaches the public. As a journalist, it is your duty to run an extensive research on your behalf before filing a story. Even if you do not have to file a story, you should always keep yourself updated with all the current news. You never know what even leads to an old news and you would always be ready with your facts and figures rather than referring to them at the last moment.

Ready for odd work hours

Events do not have a special time to take place. They can occur anytime, anywhere. You will need to have the spirit of working at any time needed and must be pro-active. Do not expect holidays like other career fields. Accept this fact that you would not have scheduled office timing or a holiday list like most other jobs. Some people find it challenging, but some succumb to tiredness and reluctance to work. It is up to you what you want for yourself!

You are ready to dive into the exciting world of Journalism if you have these skills in you. Admission in the top journalism colleges in India would too, be a cakewalk for all the aspiring journalists!

Top Three Qualities of a Journalist !!!

Mass Communication Degree

I believe journalism is an exciting career option. One because, it’s not like those typical 9 to 5 office jobs restricted to your cubicle where you stay fixed at your computer screens and two because, it involves covering different news and information from different sections, and hence, it can never bring monotony.

Journalism is a part of mass communication degree and deals in various types of mass media- digital, print etc. Journalism is a platform where you can connect with the people through news and events of the world, help them gain their knowledge and drive them toward critical thinking about the important issues of the nation and the world.

But does journalism suit you? Are you made for such a course which is as dynamic as the world itself? Here’s a quick guide of the qualities that you should possess in order to become a good journalist.

·         Inquisitive: If you’re too curious about everything that goes around and you always have a nose for the origin and cause of an incident, you would excel as a journalist. Journalists are people who are tempted by a piece of information and stay inquisitive all the time!

·         Determined: Determination is one of the key features of a good journalist. You may fail a few times initially while trying to make a mark on the audience, but with experience, gradually you’ll understand how media industry functions. Staying determined for getting right information at the right time and right place will take you ahead.

·         Knowledgeable: The top journalismcolleges in india, apart from testing the communication and presentation abilities of students, also put entrances based on general knowledge. Knowledge is power and if you’re well versed with the global issues- social, political and historical, you already have an edge!

So if you are inquisitive, determined and knowledgeable, and the media industry fascinates you enough to make a career out of it, you’re good to go!

Your Choice - Mass Communication VS. Journalism

People often find mass communications and journalism synonymous. One reason to this is the fact that both involve disseminating information to various sources- ranging from individual to a large group of individuals. But a mass communication degree is quite different, quite broader I must say, as compared to journalism.

Mass communication involves everything that is related with sending a message, in whatever field, to a group of audiences. The message could be commercial- as in advertisements used by a number of brands of toothpaste, detergents, soaps, shampoos, and so on. The message could be fictional as well- for example, the rise of a number of TV shows based on fictional characters and fictional stories, becoming the source of entertainment to the audiences, in mass. Since the concept of mass communication literally works on communicating with mass, it makes use of tools such as advertising, publishing, print media, radio and television.

Journalism, on the other hand is a narrower concept. It is merely a part of the huge mass communication realm. It focuses only on the media section of the entire mass communication realm. Media may be of different kinds- print, electronic or digital, all of them focusing on the events and news of the world. The top journalism colleges in india make students participate in news coverage, current affairs, debates and discussions. Journalists have a wide scope in news and print media where they can become everything from editors and proofreaders to cartoonists and feature writers.

If you wish to widen career opportunities, a mass communication degree would do well. If however you plan to become part of media specifically, by taking the roles of researching, interviewing, writing, reporting, editing and publishing a news or event, a course in journalism should be taken up.

Functions of mass communication !!

In this faced paced world, it would be no exaggeration to say that communication to the masses happens on a minutely basis. Be it through the old-school mediums of mass communication like television, radio, or newspaper or through the latest and most happening medium of social networking websites, we are almost always communicating.

One of my friends who pursued her education from one of the best mass communication colleges in India explained to me the benefits of communicating in this era of technology:

top journalism colleges in India

1. Exchange of information
Oblivious of what’s happening in the world around me, I always get to know about the latest piece of news through social networking websites. The online blogs, comments coming directly from the people, real time images, etc. are some of the ways that make me appear more knowledgeable.

2. Exchange of opinions
Owing to the popularity of various social media platforms, even those people who hesitate to speak out in public, manage to freely share their opinions on online forums. My friend having studied in one of the top journalism colleges in India, regularly participates in such online discussions.

3. Cultural education
The popular blogging websites, global online social networks, and other online forums allow us to learn more about the cultures of different nations.  By vicariously experiencing the cultures and traditions of different states and countries, we naturally come to respect the right and raise our voices against the wrong.

4. Entertainment
Mass communication does not need to be boring. Some of the blogging sites that I follow post such ingenious, brilliant, and yet informative blogs that the entertainment bit is always taken care of. Sharing videos is also an extremely popular and creative way of communicating with the masses. And unless it’s based on a serious topic, they are almost always entertaining.

Benefits of Career Planning in Advance !

I met a cousin of mine a few days back. It’s been a while we last met because she was all busy gearing up for her board exams and then occupied with the usual hassle of getting admission in a college. I thought it’s time I be the good elder cousin and ask her about what she is up to in her career and give her all those ‘valuable tips’ which usually elder sibling give to the younger ones who had just started to plan their career or about to! Deep down I wanted to intimidate her a bit, the way my elder siblings did, by using jargons and words alien to me in all their professional advices.

Right Job and Career Palnning

Much to my surprise, my cousin was nothing close to intimidated! It seemed she is well ahead of her peers in planning and executing things for herself! She was crystal clear she wanted to do a Journalism course and wanted to pursue TV Journalism in the future. She had listed down the top Journalism colleges in India way before her boards and was bang-on sure about the requirements, cut-offs and admission procedures of each of them. She had prepared herself in a way so that she could land up in one of those colleges. And she did! She was bubbling with happiness and with her achievement, and couldn’t stop talking about the happening things in her college. I never knew my little cousin would grow up to be such a pro-active girl!

She has already figured out the internship programs the best journalism graduate schools provide, and has made up her mind to intern during her vacations. Guys, she is barely 19 and she is planning her career and enjoying her life just the way she wants! I know there are many who are laid back and enjoying these initial days of college, but trust me, I think you can enjoy yourselves better if you think forward and plan out things well in advance. I didn’t give any tips to her, because I know she’s smart enough to do without them! May be you could too, just look around!

Importance of Being Inspiring and Selfless Journalist

With the rise of alternative careers in today’s world, we see a lot of youngsters exploring new horizons and trying their hands at new things. Nowadays we see a lot of new comers opting for careers like designing or dancing, which until about a decade back was considered a hobby and not a full time career. One of the most promising career for today’s youth seems to be mass communication careers, with its risks, its demands and dynamic nature, we have a lot of young people opting for it and the thrills and danger it brings with it. Now, how exactly did his occupation become so popular, the answer lies in the number of inspiring and selfless journalist and reporters out there, who work their hearts out to bring to us pure unadulterated sensible news, one of them is our dear fiery Barkha Dutt, let us study a little about her.

Born to an Air India Official father and a journalist mother, Barkha Dutt had quite the perfect environment to grow. Right from her childhood she had a sense of what danger meant or what risk meant privy to her parent’s professions. After graduating from St. Stephens College in Delhi with an English literature degree, she went on to pursue a Master’s degree in mass communications from Jamia Milia Islamia. Thereafter she joined NDTV and started her journalism career here and then rose to head its English wing. Dutt gained prominence for her reportage of the Kargil War. Dutt has won many national and international awards, including the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour for her coverage of the tsunami that lashed India in 2004. She has twice been named on the list of 100 "Global Leaders of Tomorrow" compiled by the World Economic Forum In 2005.

If you too aspire to be someone like her and be an inspiration for many of your fellow citizens, give oil to your passion by joining any of the Top journalism colleges in India and keep the fire burning!