Scope of Journalism

Career Options with the Print Media

Reporter: 

As a reporter of a newspaper, magazine, news agency, radio or television channel, your job will be to report with speed, clarity and accuracy. The intellect to distinguish a story and objectivity will be very important in this role.

Correspondent/Special Reporter: 

To be a reporter for a particular purpose, you must have thorough knowledge in a particular field like politics and sports etc. You must also have the ability to read between the lines and explain the news on the basis of your understanding.

Feature Writer: 

A feature writer’s job revolves around writing in-depth stories and observations on specific topics.

Leader Writer: They are concerned with putting across their views on news topics through editorial columns only.

Proof Reader: 

Proof Reader’s job is to evaluate and compare proofs with the edited copy. For this job one must possess skills in grammar, spelling and punctuation.

Editor: 

Editor is the key head whose chief responsibility is to ensure uniformity and continuity of the print media. He/she presents the newspaper in an eye-catching fashion.

Columnist: 

As a columnist, one writes for a particular segment in the newspaper or magazine. Your column would highlight your viewpoint concerning any topic under the sun like fashion, politics or films and the like.

Critic: 

In order to be a critic, you will have to be well-read and experienced. Irrespective of the field one must have comprehensive knowledge in the subject concerned.

Photo Journalist: 

To become a successful Photojournalists or in simple words, visual reporter one must be swift in taking pictures which represent a news-story and be willing to work in difficult conditions. Furthermore, He/ she should have the skills of writing appropriate captions and knowledge of the technical aspects of photography.

Cartoonist: 

You have to artistic and humorous to get recognition as a cartoonist. A cartoonist comments on public personalities and other happenings in a satirical manner.

Journalism Career Options with the Electronic Media

Researchers: 

Researchers' jobs revolve around doing the research work for the channel or the site. To be a researcher, you must be creative and inquisitive.

Broadcast Reporters: 

A broadcast reporter must have good communication and presentation skills coupled with a nose for news.

Presenters: 

Good communication skills, command over speech, diction and language, general knowledge, intelligence and the ability to be composed in stressful conditions are essence for this job. Additionally, presenter must also have a control over words and a good quality of face expression to convey the right tone of the news.

The emergence of new media: Web Media

The Internet as a global electronic community, interconnecting millions of people is fast emerging as an influential medium to change viewpoints. It has many USPs over other media forms of journalism.

It provides updated news content at no cost. The web journalist has to make the news sharp and interesting. Here, editing and presentation of the news is the most important activity since many web surfers tend to scan the pages and not read them entirely.

Further, eye-catching captions and key facts are necessary. Hence in order to become a web journalist one must be capable of writing precisely and concisely.

A journalist salary has good growth potential. You can expect to start off with a salary of Rs.6000-Rs. 10000 as a trainee. As a reporter, you can expect to make Rs.12000 - Rs.18000. Editors draw a salary of Rs.20,000-Rs.35,000 besides Perks like housing and traveling concessions are also provided.