Every day, several events occur around the globe – political, educational, social, religious, natural, etc. And, we get to know about these events sitting in our homes. This is the power of mass communication. It includes presenting information to a large number of recipients at the same time. Journalists collect the information and the course to become a journalist is called journalism. Journalism is an art of gathering, analysing and reporting events. In other words, the term “journalism” refers to news and information.
In this information-driven age, journalists have a very significant role to play. As the number of media houses is cropping up, Journalism is emerging as one of the most preferred career choices among the young generation. Students are looking forward to enrolling in professional courses in this particular field. If you are hard-working, talented, confident and willing to work 24/7, this is the profession designed for you.
Types of Journalism
Journalism is divided into three categories:
- Print Media
- Electronic Media
- Web Media
Newspapers, magazines, journals, digests and news agencies come under Print Media. Print media is the oldest form of mass communication. It has the power of reaching to the remotest audience in their regional languages. It involves more in-depth analysis and reporting. Even with the advent of electronic media, the existence of print media is equally relevant.
News received through television and radio comes under Electronic Media. It is a remarkable step for delivering the news and information even to the illiterates. Unlike the print media, the information here is shared through an audio and visual medium, which strikes the attention immediately.
Web Media is the newly emerging form of journalism. The challenge in web/internet media is to make the news attractive as the web users tend to scan the pages instead of reading them. Eye-catching titles and clean presentation of important points are essential. Web journalists are required to write concisely.
Journalism Courses:
Diploma Programs
A diploma program in journalism is generally of one year of duration. The qualification requirement for a diploma course is 10+2 (any stream). Some colleges also offer diploma programs for post-graduate courses. The eligibility for such courses is a graduation degree.
Graduate Degree
After 10+2, students can also take admission into 3 years bachelor’s degree in Journalism. The three-year degree course is designed to imbibe in students the sense of responsibility towards providing true information to masses and skills to design news. Top institutes conduct entrance exam for admission into bachelor’s programs. Scroll down to find about the entrance exams for journalism.
Post-Graduate Degree
At the post-graduate level, a student can opt for either a diploma course or a degree course. A diploma course is of one year, while a degree course is of two years duration. A master’s program helps in gaining in-depth knowledge of the field and getting an edge in employment opportunities.