Scope of Journalism in India: Future, Top Recruiters and Pay Scale
Journalism has been quite a popular choice for higher studies and as a career option. People from different academic backgrounds are opting for journalism courses due to various career options and job opportunities. Let us learn in detail about the possibilities of this sector.
Scope of Journalism in India
Scope of Journalism in India - Gathering, creating, preparing, and distributing reports of current events based on facts and information is journalism. The term journalism is used for the profession whereas a journalist is a person who is responsible for collecting and presenting the news.
Journalism is mainly classified into two sections - Print Media and Electronic (Audio/ Visual) Media. Print Media involves newspapers, magazines, and journals. Different work profiles in Print Journalism include reporters, editors, correspondents, columnists, and many more. Meanwhile, Electronic Media is the dissemination of news or information through electronic media like radio, television, and the web. Prominent work profiles in electronic media include anchor, reporter, editor, correspondent, etc. Journalism has become one of the most popular professions among youths in the current era. Youths from different academic backgrounds are opting for journalism courses due to various career options and job opportunities. Here in the article, we have discussed in detail journalism scope, courses, types, work areas, and more.
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Journalism Courses & Eligibility Criteria
Students from any stream (Arts/Commerce/Science) can opt to pursue a course in Journalism. Most colleges/universities that offer Journalism as a course specify that candidates will be considered eligible to apply for admissions if they have cleared their 10+2 from a recognized institute with a minimum aggregate of 50%. To pursue a Journalism course at the PG level candidates should have completed their graduation degree with passing marks. Many colleges offer journalism courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Some of the courses are tabulated below:
| Course | Level | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Mass Communication | Undergraduate | 3 years |
| Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC) | Undergraduate | 3 years |
| BJ (Bachelor of Journalism) | Undergraduate | 3 years |
| BSc in Journalism and Mass Communication | Undergraduate | 3 years |
| BBA in Mass Communication and Journalism | Undergraduate | 3 years |
| BA in Mass Media and Mass Communication | Undergraduate | 3 years |
| Master of Journalism | Postgraduate | 2 years |
| Master in Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) | Postgraduate | 2 years |
| Master of Mass Communication | Postgraduate | 2 years |
| MSc in Mass Communication | Postgraduate | 2 years |
Entrance Exams For Journalism
Admission to a majority of colleges/ universities offering journalism courses is done based on candidates’ performance in the written entrance exam followed by a personal interview round. The written exam contains objective type multiple choice questions on topics like English, Logical Reasoning, Current Affairs, General Awareness, Media Awareness, etc. However, some institutions also offer direct admission to candidates based on their performance in the qualifying exam (Class XII or graduation). Some of the popular journalism entrance exams are as follows:
Types of Journalism
In recent years, the communication channels have widened from radio, and television to digital and social media. India has one of the biggest media industries in the world providing an ample number of job opportunities to the suitable candidates. Currently, Journalism has become one of the most prestigious careers in India. Candidates can get jobs as journalists in English, Hindi, and many other vernacular languages. Candidates can also avail jobs in different types in different types of journalism mentioned below:
| Types of Journalism |
|
|---|---|
| Broadcast Journalism |
Communications |
| Fashion Journalism |
Foreign Correspondent |
| Freelance Writing |
Investigative Journalism |
| Newspaper Reporter |
Photojournalism |
| Social Media |
Sports Journalism |
Why Should You Choose Journalism?
There are a ton of reasons that make students gravitate towards a higher education in Journalism. Some of them are listed below.
- Most institutes offer Journalism and Mass Communication courses together. This makes room to develop a diverse skillset that comes in handy for the diverse job roles in this field.
- During these programmes, students get lots of interning opportunities that help build connections in the industry early on.
- Journalism graduates actually get the chance to make a difference when it comes to contributing to society through work.
- As mentioned above, the career options are diverse. Students get ample opportunities to explore their area of expertise and choose a career that is not just rewarding in the professional space but also personally.
Job Profiles in Print Media
Below are some important job profiles and their roles in print media.
- Reporter: The role of a reporter is to gather news and report with accuracy. News sense, objectivity and timeliness are a few important qualities, which a reporter should possess.
- Correspondent: Correspondents are also known as special reporters who are assigned for a particular purpose. Correspondents can be of any beat like politics, sports, crime etc.
- Feature Writer: The responsibility of a feature writer is to write soft stories with deep research and observations on a particular subject.
- Proofreader: The role of a proofreader is to assess the edited copy. A proofreader must have good grammatical and punctuation skills.
- Leader Writer: The role of a leader writer is to write their views on the current topics through editorials.
- Editor: The editor's responsibility is to maintain a journal's reputation. He/She also ensures that the article corresponds with the media's in-house style guides.
- Columnist: The role of a columnist is to write for a specific column in detail in the newspaper or magazine. The column can be related to any topic highlighting his viewpoint on any subject like politics, fashion, or films.
Photo Journalists and cartoonists are some other profiles.
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Job Profiles in Electronic Media
Here are various job profiles included in electronic media.
- Researchers: The role of researchers involves deep research on a particular topic. Significant qualities required for this job profile are creativity and excellent research skills.
- Electronic Media Reporters: An electronic media or broadcast reporter should have good verbal and presentation skills. He should have a news sense.
- Presenters/Anchors: A presenter should be confident. He must have excellent communication skills, and the ability to remain balanced in stressful conditions.
- Freelancers: Apart from the above-mentioned job profiles, freelancers are informal employees who are assigned particular tasks and are paid according to it.
Top Recruiters For Journalists As a Career
Below are a few areas where a journalist can work at different profiles.
| Top Recruiters | |
|---|---|
| News Agencies |
Press Information Bureau |
| Legal Affairs Department |
Television Industry |
| Newspapers |
Circulation and Public Relations |
| All India Radio |
Journals |
| Blogs |
Websites |
Pay Scale in Journalism
Most of the aspirants chose journalism due to their interest and passion. According to a report in Glassdoor, the annual salary of a journalist at The Times of India ranges from INR 2.33-9.58 lakh. Meanwhile, the annual salary of a reporter at The Hindu is INR 7.30 lakh. The pay scale of a journalist in print, television, and radio with similar experiences differs. For example, a senior journalist in electronic media is paid more than a journalist in radio and newspapers with similar experiences. The major difference is because of the higher advertising revenue on television.
Pros and Cons of Journalism
Journalism is a profession for curious people and like every other profession; journalism too has both pros and cons. Some of the pros and cons are given below:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| New opportunities and challenges |
Not very lucrative |
| Opportunity to work with informed people |
Challenging and demanding |
| You learn for a living |
Long workdays |
| Opportunity to meet people |
Work pressure |
| Opportunity to travel |
Stressful |
| A strong sense of achievement |
Risk to life |
| You get paid for writing |
- |
| Benefits of a press card |
- |
Top 5 Journalists in India
The Indian media has produced a bunch of incredible journalists over the years. Some of those have stood out more than others. These journalists include -
- Rajdeep Sardesai - Editor of India Today; Anchors a prime-time news slot on News Today.
- Ravish Kumar - Former Senior Director at NDTV India; Full-time News YouTuber.
- Rajat Sharma - Editor-in-Chief at India TV
- Barkha Dutt - Known for covering the Kargil War in 1999; Authored ‘To Hell and Back: Humans of COVID’ in 2022
- Anjana Om Kashyap - Executive Editor at Aaj Tak
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Aayushi is a BAJMC graduate and an ardent consumer of content with a keen passion for film, TV and books. She specialises in Mass Communication and Humanities related exams, entrances and courses.