A Journalist is such a professional whose demand graph has risen in the recent past at the same pace as the graph of the world stock markets has fallen. If one is looking for excitement, prestige, glamour and money and much more in a single profession then journalism is one such profession.
With his sincere efforts, a journalist can make a qualitative change in the society, bringing to light the shady side of the society which is not much known to the general public. He has the patience to get along with politicians, bureaucrats, and criminals to get their view and bring them to the public. If a person has all those virtues that enable to do him all these works at odd hours then Journalism is one of the best careers to pursue.
With a lot of freedom given to the media all over the world, it is only those professional that can work with full authority and can bring to the forefront any kind of misdeeds happening anywhere in the world. Meanwhile, this is the medium which can help the administration a lot by bringing the genuine problem of the society in front of the government agencies and on the other side it can put brakes to the misuse of the power by government officials by bringing that into people’s knowledge.
Journalist Eligibility
Although anyone who has the instinct of journalism can become a journalist. But to have full hold on the area of work and to get some kind of acknowledgement of one’s work one should have a minimum amount of formal education of the field he is working in. So we can say that a desirable qualification for becoming a successful journalist is as follows
Educational Qualification
Aspiring candidate should have passed Senior Secondary Examination (10+2) or equivalent recognized examination in any stream. Graduation in any stream is the most preferred qualification for joining courses to be a journalist
Journalist Required Skills
- Journalists should have an enquiring mind; excellent written English and a concise writing style; the ability to win the confidence of all kinds of people.
- They also possess high standards of accuracy; the ability to produce good work under pressure; a thick skin, to handle rejection.
- They should have persistence and stamina; quick understanding - journalists often have to write with authority on unfamiliar subjects; a knowledge of the law as it affects journalism.
- They also have a passion for current affairs; an appreciation of the way news is presented by different outlets; wide interests which might lead to work in a specialist field.
How to become a Journalist?
To become a journalist one has to follow the below given steps:-
Step 1
After doing 10+2 class one has to join a diploma course offered by many universities. Aspirants can take admission on the bases of marks in the qualifying exams or by clearing the entrance tests taken by some universities/institutions.
Graduates of any stream can opt for a post-graduate degree or diploma in Journalism or Mass Communication. Admission to these courses is given by way of common entrances test taken by the various university and independent institutions.
Step 2
In these courses, candidates are given thorough knowledge in different writing styles in reporting - news, features, reviews etc. General knowledge is also imparted on paragraphing, writing an introduction for a lead story or an anchor, script writing for radio or television. Students are also prepared for the rough road of actual news hunting in these courses
After successful completion of the course, students are required to undergo internship with a newspaper or television house to have firsthand knowledge of real reporting scenes. This training is compulsory and now forms an important part of the practical training. This gives you a fair idea of the real reporting scene.
Step 3
After completing the required course and imparting himself with the necessary practical training students can join the filed in any of the following ways
- Join a newspaper house.
- Joining a news agency
- Joining Government Sector in Indian Information Service or the different State Government information services,
In a newspaper house, fresh pass-outs usually join as trainees at the news desk or the editing desk. After a couple of years, they get transferred to reporting. Some people join straightaway as trainee reporter also.
Journalist Job Description
- Journalist job involves looking for news and unearthing the truth behind that news and bring that to the notice of the public.
- Besides their job also include writing articles, features, editorials, and analysis of various events that interest the general public.
Journalist Career Prospects
Ladder of hierarchy for journalist/reporter is:
- Trainee
- Staff Reporter
- Principal Reporter
- Senior Reporter
- Correspondent
- Chief Reporter
- Special Representative
Journalist Salary
On an average one can earn anything between Rs.20,000 to Rs.25,000 per month along with other benefits after joining a newspaper house however it depends upon various newspaper house and capabilities of the journalists.
- Working for a News Agency is slightly different because of the tougher deadlines. The ABC of news agency reporting seeks accuracy, brevity, and clarity. The format of writing is very straightforward and to the point and does not allow any scope for speculation or analysis within the news story.
Agencies like Press Trust of India (PTI) and United News of India (UNI) are 24 hours open without any holidays throughout the year. - Salary of Journalists Joining News Agency
On an average one can earn anything between Rs.20,000 - Rs.25,000 per month along with other benefits after joining a news agency, however, there is no upper limit of the income in news agency one can earn as much as he could it depends upon one’s capabilities. - Joining Government Sector
One can join at different levels in the Indian Information Service or the different State Government information services. - Salary of Journalist working in Government Sector
In the Government sector, an account gets anywhere near Rs.15,000 to Rs.20,000 per month but to compensate for lower monetary gains government provides with various other emoluments like free housing, medical expenses and above all job security. And the advantage that attracts most towards is that one gets the Authority of being in the government position.
