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Who is a Journalist?
Journalists educate and inform the public about events and issues and how they affect their lives ~ Rebecca Briscoe
In a career as a journalist, individuals inform the common people about the happenings around the world. A journalist's job involves questioning the government's decisions and for this reason, the media is given that kind of authority. Being a journalist is a job that involves a lot of news gathering, and fact-checking which can ideally bring about a qualitative change in society.
Students can pursue Journalism, Mass Communication to opt for a journalism career path. Here, in this article, we will discuss career opportunities for communicators and journalists, journalism career paths, how to become a journalist in India, the highest-paying jobs in journalism, and alternative careers for journalists.
Quick Facts for Journalist
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Industry
Media
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Average Salary in India
₹27333.33
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Suitable for
Male, Female
In order to opt for a career as a journalist an individual from any section or gender can do so. It does not matter which gender he or she belongs to when it comes to taking up a journalism career. There are several advantages of a journalist job in India due to the vast career opportunities available in this field where an individual’s gender is insignificant.
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Any special needs
Yes
Ideally, physically fit people join this field but from the past few years several news agencies have reserved a certain percentage of jobs for the specially-abled individuals as well. For example. The Hindu has reserved four per cent job opportunities for specially-abled individuals. Therefore, it does not matter if one is physically fit or not in order to opt for a career as journalist.
Table of Contents for Journalist
What is the role of Journalist?
The journalist provides details so that people can formulate opinions and make informed decisions. Individuals in the journalism career path may work for various news-sharing platforms with varying responsibilities such as broadcasting news, reporting there, photography and content production, including videos, social media platforms or even in the print media.
A journalist needs to find a lead or a story which he or she wants to cover.
A journalist conducts interviews with people like eyewitnesses, the general public, influential people, and others.
A journalist should precisely check the reliability of the news being covered.
A journalist must stick to an ethical way of working.
He or she should stay updated on various news and problems of the nation and the world.
Types of a Journalist
While a generic job of a journalist is to pass on information to the public, they can be classified into different types based on the field they specialise in, and the type of work they perform. In this section, we will be discussing the different types of journalism jobs in India.
Columnist: A columnist is an individual who writes for publications in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary or personal opinions of the author. These columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the form of a short essay by a specific writer who offers a personal point of view.
Reporter: A reporter is accountable for the credibility of news stories. There are several qualities of a reporter that makes him or her crucial for a news organisation. Depending on the beat, there could be several types of reporters such as political reporters, entertainment reporters, and crime reporters.
Article Writer: An article writer is someone who writes a short piece, for example, a food article, a product review article or a travel essay. He or she can write for various magazines, using precise and ‘to the point’ language to make the article informative and enjoyable to read.
What is the workplace/work environment of Journalist like?
A desk journalist spends most of his or her time in the office environment itself. On the other hand a field journalist needs to go out in the field, collect information and then file the story. A journalist job is both physically and mentally demanding.
It is a job for people who do not like monotony. The functioning of newsrooms for various platforms such as broadcast media, print media and digital media varies. Excellent writing skills are crucial in this field. There are numerous career opportunities for aspiring journalists in India.
Does Journalist require travelling?
Likely
As a journalist one is required to travel locally a lot in case there is a story that is breaking. Individuals who opt for a career as a journalist need to travel every now and then depending on the requirement of a story or in case of any event that is to be covered. Desk journalists or news editors do not require travelling regularly.
Time Pressure
Likely
A journalist's job is time-bound. He or she constantly works under time pressure. A newspaper needs to be published on a daily basis, TV channels have a schedule as well. Therefore, deadlines are a staple in the field of journalism.
How to become a Journalist?
Steps to become a Journalist
If you are someone who loves to write, report and bring awareness among people about something then a career as a Journalist is the best option for you. If you are someone who wants to change the situation of society and looking for how to become a Journalist in India then we have mentioned below how to become a Journalist in India or how to become a Journalist after 12th.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Journalist?
In order to opt for a journalism career path, you are required to possess several skillsets including skills like attention to detail, integrity, communication skills, and honesty. We have mentioned below the required skills for a journalism career path in India.
Communication Skills: Even if it is English or any other language, one needs to be skilled at communicating clear ideas and thoughts. A good way to develop this skill is to maintain a good routine of reading and writing.
Technical Skills: While many journalism courses focus on training the students in the complexities of print, publishing, audio and video journalism, and digital journalism, one should also familiarise himself or herself with the technical knowledge of how to officially get words for example, on a digital website.
Investigation Skills: In order to know current news, to know where to look, how to find the story, to research the story and finally, to tell the story in an unbiased, non-corrupted and precise way. This requires a level of perseverance and commitment that goes hand in hand with journalism.
Work Ethics: A piece of journalism not only needs to be real, it must also be factually correct. Therefore, it is important to understand the ethical requirements in order to be a conscientious journalist. One who is free from the pressure to pander to sensationalism for commercial purposes.
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Journalist?
To become a Content Writer you can also opt for a specialised certification course. Pursuing one will make you more marketable, you will gain more knowledge and skills and will be given more preference among others during the interviews.We have mentioned below certifications that individuals may opt who want to establish a career as a Journalist.
Internship Availability
Journalism internships are considered the best possible way for gaining entry-level experience in the media industry. Internships provide a journalism student the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge he or she gained during their time in journalism college, to bring them to practical use.
Journalist Jobs and Salaries
Photojournalist
Contractual/Permanent
- Average Salary 25000
Job Description
A photojournalist is someone who is responsible to capture the pictures related to a specific story. A picture is important in a story as it adds a lot of value as well as a visual representation of the incident.
Salary Description
The salary of a photojournalist majorly depends on which beat he or she is working for. An individual is paid comparatively more in a beat like sports than in civic or educational beat.
Feature Author
Contractual/Permanent
- Average Salary 32000
Job Description
A feature writer in any media house is generally a person who at least has a few years of experience if not many. As a feature writer one’s job is to find the possible links or background in a story.
Salary Description
The salary of a feature writer is decent. It increases as and when the writer establishes himself or herself. Once a feature writer has written a few write-ups and gained experience of a couple of years his or her salary keeps on increasing.
Sub-editor
Contractual/Permanent
- Average Salary 25000
Job Description
The job of a sub-editor is to go through the stories filled by journalists. He or she is responsible for removing grammatical errors or check if there are any factual errors. After that, he or she forwards the story to the editor.
Salary Description
At the job position of a sub-editor, the primary factor that affects the amount of salary is the years of experience. More the work experience, more is the salary as a long term of work experience would sharpen the individual’s skill sets as well.
What is the job outlook for Journalist?
A journalism career offers significant growth, with opportunities expanding as individuals gain experience and knowledge. The field, once restricted for new graduates, has opened up due to the rise of digital media. Now, journalism and mass communication students have ample job prospects. The industry's future looks promising, with openings in print journalism (newspapers, magazines), electronic media (TV, radio, internet), and rapidly growing web journalism.
Frequently Asked Questions for Journalist
Que. Is journalism a respected career?
Ans.Presently in India, journalism has become a prestigious career choice for many students. Journalism is a challenging field and it is playing a key role in the development of the nation hence, it is a respected career. The role of a journalist in India is considered reputed as a journalist's career aims at seeking justice for those whose voices are made silent. A journalist is considered the voice of the common people.
Que. What are the main types of journalism?
Ans.The main types of journalism are print journalism, TV and radio journalism and digital journalism.
Que. Can you get a journalist job with no experience?
Ans.It is not necessary to have job experience before becoming a journalist. But, one must have completed a bachelor’s degree in the related field. With more and more job openings one could get a job with no experience quite easily in digital media.
Que. Is it dangerous to be a journalist?
Ans.Journalists are exposed to dangerous conditions at times. One may have to go and cover a story in, for example, a flooded area or a bomb blast tragedy. But, it depends on which beat a journalist is working. On a general basis, it is not really a dangerous job.
Que. What is a journalist salary?
Ans.The salary of journalists varies depending on their skills, specialisations and experience. There are numerous other factors that affect the salary of journalists. Such as the size of the news organisation and the area where it is located. The average salary of a journalist is Rs. 30,000 per month.
Que. What is the difference between a columnist and journalist?
Ans.A journalist works either on a contractual or permanent basis with a news organisation. He or she provides, edits or represents news stories to readers, viewers and listeners. A columnist occasionally writes for newspapers and magazines. He or she presents his or her personal opinions on a news story or recent happenings.
Que. What degree do most of journalists have?
Ans.A bachelor's degree in any specialisation is mandatory to opt for a role of a journalist. A career as a journalist requires excellent writing skills to convey information to common people without any confusion. A bachelor's in journalism and mass communication is a major degree opted for by most aspiring journalists.
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Did you know?
Fact 1
Udant Martand was the first hindi newspaper published in India.
Fact 2
In 1778, James Augustus Hickey launched the first printing newspaper in India named as Hicky's Bengal Gazette
Fact 3
Mahatma Gandhi started publication of his first newspaper, Indian Opinion on June 4, 1903
Fact 4
India has the second largest newspaper market in the world with a combined circulation of more than 240 million copies
Fact 5
India has more than 400 satellite news channels
