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Mass Communication Mass CommunicationCourse Review Course Review

CONTENTS1. Introduction 03

2. Eligibility 05

3. Course Structure 07

4. What after Graduation? 09

5. Journalism as a Career 11

6. Job Profiles 13

7. Radio, TV, PR and Advertising 15

8. Earning Potential 21

9. Industry Talk 23

10. Best institutes for BJMC 25

11. Best institutes for PG Diplomas in Masscom 25

12. Specialization at Select Foreign Universities 25

INTRODUCTION

From Mark Antony’s speech, “I come to bury Caesar” in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, to Barack Obama’s book ‘Audac-

ity of Hope’, the right words have always created magic. The field of communication does exactly that. Finding the right way to convey the right idea.

Journalism is the profession of communica-tion wherein anything related to news is collect-ed, transformed according to the medium, and then distributed. The medium can be anything: newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, webcasts, blogs, podcasts, social media and even e-mail. What are disseminated can be news or features and commentaries related to news. Ear-lier, the term ‘journalism’ was used to reportage of news, especially in newspapers. But now it also encompasses a broad spectrum of media related to electronic communication. As the field grows and takes into its fold any type of platform from social media to Internet streaming to news on

FAST FACTSProgramme: Bachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC) Specializations: Journalism; Film, TV & Radio; Advertising; Public Relations Popular Bachelor’s institutes: Delhi University, Amity School of Communication, Manipal University, Institute of Management Studies (Noida), University of Lucknow, Guru Govind Singh Indraprasth University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Bangalore University (affiliated colleges) Eligibility: Class 10+2 any stream Duration: Three years Course Fee: Moderate at state-run institutions/approx. Rs. 50,000 and above per year at private institutions Job Roles: Journalists, reporters, anchors, junior sub editor, chief sub editor, news editor, resident editor, photo journalist/cameraman, producer, anchor, script writer, copywriters, visualizers etc.

THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATION CONTINUOUSLY ENDEAVOURS TO FIND THE RIGHT WAY TO CONVEY THE RIGHT IDEA

Cover Design: Rajesh Chawla

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All Rights ReservedNo part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Pathfinder Publishing Pvt. Ltd.

Editor: B Mahesh Sarma

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ELIGIBILITY

A career in Masscom requires an insatia-ble curiosity, tremendous ability for hard work and thorough knowledge of

the chosen fields. Some people find their calling early in life. But most others think of it as a career option. Raju Narisetti, former Managing Editor, The Washington Post, says he used to write let-ters to newspapers even as a child. “A favourite game for my sister and me was to sit and look at the vast number of books my dad had in book-shelves and try to name a fragment of a book title that the other could spot or complete. And I would dash off lots of letters to local newspapers on various topics,” he says. Narisetti could be an exception, but if you are inclined for this career, a professional qualification can come in handy.

If you have passed 10+2 in any stream, you can apply for a 3-year degree course in journal-ism. Usually the nomenclature for the course

IF YOU HAVE PASSED 10+2 IN ANY STREAM, YOU CAN APPLY FOR A 3-YEAR DEGREE COURSE IN JOURNALISM

mobile phones, it is broadly termed as Mass Communication or in short, Masscom.

Each and all of the various types of media focus on producing and consum-ing knowledge, information or entertainment. Employing over one million people, directly and indirectly, the sector has tremendous job potential. From a reporter or a stringer, to a customer care executive in Public Relations to a creative person in Advertising, the communication field offers a large spec-trum of opportunities.

Earning Potential: 12,000 to 20,000 (for freshers) Job areas: Print, Electronic Media, Radio & TV Top recruiters: Newspapers, Magazines, Digital Media, (PTI, UNI, Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times, India Today, Outlook, Times of India), TV (NDTV, Aaaj Tak, Headlines Today, Times Now), TV production houses (Balajai Telefilms Ltd, Endemol India Pvt Ltd, Rajshri Productions), Ad agencies (Ogilvy & Mather, McCann Erickson India, Lowe Lintas, Mudra Communications, Leo Burnett), PR agencies (Communication Management Consulting Group, Ethos PR, Clea PR, Decibel India), Radio (All India Radio, Radio Mirchi, My FM, Big FM, Radio City, Radio One, Fever FM)



is Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC). In certain colleges/institutions it is also called BA (Journalism) or BSc (Journalism). Though the nomenclature may vary, the basic course content remains more or less the same.

COURSE STRUCTURE

The 3-year BJMC course basically makes you skilled for all types of media careers -- print, television, online, advertising,

public relations etc. It will introduce you to vari-ous schools and thoughts about media and its role in history and in today’s times. It will train you in reporting, editing and the latest technologies.

The curriculum begins with an introduction to the principles and history of communication and comparison of local and global media. In the second year, students learn about every aspect of journalism (from print, radio, TV to new media), film studies, advertising, event management and public relations. The third year covers media trends, laws and ethics. Regular media-indus-try interface is a must for any BJMC course. Students need to get a whiff of professional

THE COURSE IS STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT TRAINS YOU IN ALL THE FACETS OF COMMUNICATION AND THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES

ELIGIBILITYl 10+2 with PCB/M l Admission is merit-based.l Some institutes conduct

entrance exams



ambience early, as the underlying principle of the profession is hands-on training.

The main papers comprise print media (reporting and editing), fundamen-tals of advertising, introduction to visual communication and electronic communication. Environment studies, English, digital photography, public relations, web designing, development communications are also major fields of study. Corporate communication, event management, film theory, multimedia, advanced research, behavioural science etc., form part of the curriculum.

WHAT AFTER GRADUATION?

Usually students specialize in one of the fields of mass communication: Journal-ism/TV/ Radio/Advertising /Public

Relations. Some of them either take up a job or pursue PG Diploma from prestigious institutes. “I could have opted for postgraduate studies, but I wanted to enter the field early as industry expe-rience matters more than higher qualification in media,” says Mrinalini Raman, a former student of journalism at University of Mumbai. Though film studies are part of this domain, there are separate courses exclusively devoted to this.

IIMC, ACJ and Jamia Millia are some of the leading institutes offering postgraduate diploma in various areas of mass communication, be it print, TV, advertising, new media, to name a few. Most reputed institutes conduct entrance exam for admission. There is no set pattern for written exam. However, the test-takers will be judged on

MOST OF YOU WILL BE READY TO TAKE UP A JOB WHILE THOSE WHO ARE ACADEMICALLY INCLINED MAY GO FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDIES.



JOURNALISM AS A CAREER

As a career, journalism is far more com-plex and different from the popular, glamorous images. In recent years, tech-

nology has been the driving force, changing the media in big way. “We get breaking news on mobile phone, share it on web, look for visuals on TV and the same gets documented by newspa-pers. The entire spectra of media are in a race to get hold of masses,” says Pratap Somvanshi, Senior Resident Editor with Hindi daily Hindu-stan.

News reporting creates openings for media per-sonnel in various domains like reporting, editing, and production. The areas of interest are varied like sports, politics, crime etc. Before deciding to build a career in journalism, it is crucial to under-stand different platforms like print or electronic media and skill sets required.

IN THIS INFORMATION-DRIVEN FIELD YOU WILL NEED TO ACQUIRE IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF ISSUES AND HONE YOUR WRITING SKILLS.

their specific field knowledge, general awareness, aptitude, brand awareness, analytical and comprehension skills. You must read newspapers, magazines, editorials and articles related to current affairs regularly. This will brighten your chances of getting into a top institution.

Abroad, the courses related to mass communication are quite expensive. The cost of programme varies according the status of the university. Some of the top universities are Columbia University, Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and James Madison University, to name a few.



JOB PROFILES

Editorial department of a typical media organisation has two basic domains - input and output. ‘Input’ comprises

reporters and writers working on different beats (political, economic, art, business, internation-al). ‘Output’ has the responsibility to make inputs presentable. In newspapers, it is called a ‘desk’ where a team of editors select stories from the input, decides on its placing and way of presenta-tion. Experienced people who work in close coordination with the chief editor lead both the domains.

In reporting, you start as a trainee journalist and then graduate to senior reporter, special cor-respondent and bureau chiefs. On desk there are junior sub editor, chief sub editor, news editor, resident editor etc. There are senior positions like Assistant Editor, Managing Editor, and Edi-tor etc. But these are meant for people who have

THE DOMAINS OF A JOURNALIST CUT ACROSS POLITICS, BUSINESS, SPORTS, CRIME ETC., TO NAME A FEW OF THEM.

A BJMC degree or PG Diploma degree helps you to start your career as a journalist. Most of the universities and their affiliated colleges do offer such programmes but only a few media schools like Indian Institute of Mass Com-munication (IIMC), Jamia Milia Islamia, Xavier Institute of Communica-tion and Asian School of Journalism are well recognized.

If you wish to make a career in the information-driven industry like news media, you must invest on enhancing knowledge, in depth understanding of issues and writing skills. “Searching for truth and taking stands for human-ity should be the core ideal of every journalist and for that you have to doubt and cross check each and every one and every fact before you publish,” says J Gopikrishnan, Special correspondent, The Pioneer.

Sanjaya Baru, former Editor, Business Standard, says, “Unless you are well-read you cannot be a good journalist.” Top names in the industry agree that to become a good journalist in India, one must have good understanding of socio-economic profile of the country, developments after Independence, and prevailing political philosophies.

Devinder Sharma, food policy expert and ex-newsman of Indian Express says, “No doubt, journalism is an exciting profession but there are lots of pitfalls. Everyday you have to prove yourself. Missionary journalism has changed. Now market is dictating the media.”

Prominent Domains in Journalisml Politicsl Businessl Sportsl Crimel Auto & tech l Personal Finance l Features & lifestyle l Filmsl Literary l Education & health l Environmentl Development l Agriculture



years of experience. This is applicable to any media, be it print, radio, TV or new media.

In news channels output team members are called producers. Though basic skills are almost the same there are differences in reporting and desk job. As a reporter you will have to be an outgoing person and keep an eye on your beat, meet people and file news stories. For a desk job you should have excellent language skills and subject knowledge. Photo journalist/cameraman, graphic designer and cartoonist are also important profiles.

The domains of a journalist cut across politics, business, sports, crime etc., to name a few of them (See list for details).

Internet has brought in a new era in journalism. With the help of social networking sites Internet provides the power of mass communication to individuals. It has created lots of opportunities for budding journalists who are tech savvy. Panini Anand, an experienced journalist of new media and editor of community news portal www.pratirodh.com feels that they should have abilities of a reporter, editor, and anchor, all combined in one.

RADIO, TV, PR AND ADVERTISING

Television and radio are powerful media as they reach people regardless of age, sex, income, or educational level. “Television

and films offer sight and sound, and make dra-matic and life-like representations of people and products whereas radio creates impact with the help of sound effects,” says Prof. Ashok Ogra, Director, Apeejay Institute of Mass Communi-cation.

At the last count India has over 800 TV chan-nels offering news and entertainment. FM radio is literally booming after the sector was opened to private sector. A recent report says the employ-ment potential of the sector is going to treble.

Across the media spectra like Print, TV and Online, division of functions is largely similar but required skills and ways of working have changed over a period of time. Ajit Anjum, Managing

THE FOUR TRADITIONAL DOMAINS OF MASS MEDIA OFFER EXCELLENT CAREER GROWTH. NEW MEDIA PRESENTS ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES.



Editor of NEWS24 says, “Unlike Print, in TV a reporter is engaged not only in news gathering but also in later stages of packaging and presentation. That’s why TV reporter must also have visual sense and ability to express in a few words.” The 24x7 nature of the television news makes it imperative for media persons to work at odd hours. Reporters are expected to be only mas-ters of their beat, anchors are supposed to know something about anything and everything.

In India radio news is still monopolised by the New Services Division of All India Radio (AIR). This is because the government has so far not allowed news broadcast for private FM players.

The newsroom in All India Radio functions almost similarly like that of a television channel, though the technology and product delivery differ. The job profiles are also similar. AIR also offers ‘News-on-phone’ and a news portal. Most of the recruitments are done through the Staff Selection Commission and UPS. But beyond news, the private FM channels and community radio offer openings for trained journalists.

In India the Print media is expanding through the vernacular press. Though India has only less than 10% of Internet penetration, still it translates to 120 million people. And the situation is changing fast. TV continues to grow with the number of channels reaching 800, almost half of it being news and cur-rent affairs channels.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

The role of a PR professional is clear-cut. It is to make the product or brand or ser-vice that one represents gets adequate

exposure in public through media. It can be print, television (news media) and digital media. PR is not only responsible for the image of a brand or a company but also plays a role in strategic com-munication at boardroom levels.

The requirements of PR skills are different across levels, but the basics include good writing skills and general knowledge. “As for corporate communicators, it is important to have a thor-ough understanding of your client’s business and the environment in which it operates and to stay in touch with current news and views,” says Nandita Lakshmanan, CEO, The PRactice. “Strong communications is ultimately the core skill. Knowledge of English and the ability to write well and express clearly is the key,” says

PR SKILLS ARE DIFFERENT ACROSS LEVELS, BUT THE BASICS INCLUDE GOOD WRITING SKILLS AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.



Dilip Cherian, Founder, Perfect Relations. In Public Relations (PR), you can choose job functions like Corporate Communications, Brand Management, Lobbying, Image Management or Event Management.

ADVERTISING

Advertising is the art of addressing a mes-sage to the masses. It plays a critical role in marketing various types of products.

Media plays a supporting role in advertising products through TV, radio, websites, newspa-pers, magazines, billboards, hoardings, etc.

Career in advertising is best suited for those who are creative, passionate and don’t mind multitasking. To have people skill is crucial, as you often have to understand what client needs and also help in effective decision-making. Hav-ing excellent communication, good presentation skill, and team and leadership skills is an asset for the advertising world.

Mumbai-based Janak Bhatt, working with Ogilvy as a senior art director says that ad busi-ness is all about ideas. “You need to put an idea that’s relevant to the brand and benefits it,” he

IF YOU ARE CREATIVE, PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR WORK AND LOVE MULTITASKING, THIS DOMAIN WILL SUIT YOU BEST.



underlines. Copywriters employ a host of tactics to grab consumers’ atten-tion.

There are countless career options in advertising. You can join right from advertising agencies, PR houses, market research organizations, TV, film, magazines, newspapers to radio. There are many professionals who get into freelancing services as well. There are two sides of advertising profession – Executive department, which deals with client servicing, market research and media research. And the other is creative department that employs copywriters, scriptwriters, visualisers, creative directors and photographers.

In an advertising agency, all creations emanate from hard work, under tight deadlines. “You are expected to learn very quickly, there is no concept of a slow induction,” states Malavika Harita, CEO Saatchi and Saatchi. Good communication skills, the ability to think visually and communicate clearly is a must. One has to be resilient and tough. “Advertising has now become more accountable and needs to deliver results,” says Harita.

EARNING POTENTIAL

Your earnings will depend on the media you join, and your role. In print media the entry-level salary is around Rs.

12000-Rs.15000. As one gains experience of 3-5 years salary can grow somewhere between Rs. 25000-50000.

Depending on your qualification, you could be paid well in PR. A trainee’s starting salary would be around Rs. 10000, and with eventually he/ she can expect a salary of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000. An established professional can expect Rs. 20,000 or more. Certainly, the package var-ies drastically if you join MNCs. In Advertising, even though the initial salary may be comparable to print or PR, after enough years of experience, the salary levels reach up to Rs. 50,000 per month and beyond.

YOUR EARNING POTENTIAL WILL DEPEND ON THE MEDIA YOU CHOOSE, YOUR SPECIALIZATION AND EXPERIENCE..



Television has emerged as one of the better paying options. But it all depends on where you want to make a mark. “Even today, deep down inside I still believe that I would be more comfortable doing print. The joy you get from a byline, for me at least, is a bigger high than on TV on a daily basis. Given a choice, I will still go for print. But print doesn’t pay as much as TV,” says Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-chief of CNN-IBN.

INDUSTRY TALK

Raju NarisettiFormer Managing Editor, The Washington Post

Working with Tower Watson India, a global firm in risk and financial management.

Q. Tell us a little about your growing up years in India? A. I grew up with newspapers, books and conversations about language and journalism as my father was a journalist and my mother was a professor of English. A favourite game for my sister and me was to sit and look at the vast number of books my dad had in bookshelves and try to name a fragment of a book title that the other could spot or complete. And I would dash off lots of letters to local newspapers on various topics.

Q. So, a journalist is what you always wanted to be…A. I didn’t necessarily think of journalism as a career. In fact, I went to Institute of Rural Management, Anand, (IRMA), to get my two-year MBA equivalent in Rural Management, after which I worked as regional sales man-ager for AP Dairy, the producers of Vijaya brand of dairy products. But some two years into that, it dawned on me that selling butter and cheese wasn’t how I want to spend the rest of my life and that I wanted to really become a journalist.

Q. Were you a good student in the conventional sense? A. I barely passed my 10th grade Hindi exam because I hated the subject and never put effort into it but that event was such a shock to me that it forever changed my thinking on education. Not only did I score very well in Hindi later but never ever got myself into a situation where I didn’t sail through my exams.



Q. Why Indiana University and not an Indian university for journal-ism? A. I got a Post Graduate diploma from The Times School of Journalism (TSJ), back in the late 1980s, the best journalism education you could get.

Q. How was education in the US different from India? A. I realized that good teachers are ones that make your mind open to multi-ple possibilities and challenge you to find answers. David Pritchard, Indiana University professor, taught me the value of rigour and ethics in journalism. I owe Indiana University a great debt of gratitude: for making me think.

Q. You seem to suggest that there are fundamental flaws with Indian education…A. The focus on year-end exams, the static nature of testing based on rarely updated textbooks, the unwillingness to formally recognize and reward intra-year two-way conversation in a course between students and teach-ers, the fixed set of subject pairs you can take rather than being able to build your course-work, teachers who aren’t measured by their ability to attract students to willingly attend classes, teacher education that is ancient in its focus on curriculum development and teaching methods – the list is endless and yet something that can be fixed because it isn’t rocket science.

Best institutes for BJMC Amity School of Communication

Lovely Professional University

Punjab Technical University

Guru Govind Singh Indraprasth University

University of Lucknow

IIS University

Manipal University

Institute of Management Studies (Noida)

D.A.V. Centenary College

Mewar University

Punjabi University

Best institutes for PG Diplomas in Masscom IIMC, New Delhi

Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai

Asian College of Journalism, Chennai

A.J Kidwai MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia Delhi

Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune

Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore

Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad

Dept. of Communication and Journalism, Pune University

Manorama School of Communication, Kottayyam

Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Delhi

Specialization at Select Foreign UniversitiesPublic Relations Advertising Journalism

Georgetown University University of Florida Columbia University

James Madison University University of Texas Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute

New York University Michigan State University Medill School of Journalism

University of Alabama University of Illinois Standford University

University of Southern California Boston University Syracuse University

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COMMUNICATION - Careers360 · Mass Communication Course Review Course Review Mass Communication ambience early, as the underlying principle of the profession is hands-on training