What is not clear to many is, what is journalism as a career? The answer is, journalism is the act of conveying information to the public through various media channels including newspapers, magazines, television, radio and online platforms. Journalists are responsible for researching and writing news stories, conducting interviews, investigating issues, and presenting information in an objective and accurate manner.
Journalism as a career can be challenging and fast-paced. It also has a wide range of opportunities. Many journalists work for large media organizations such as newspapers, news portals or TV stations. And many others work for small news outlets or as freelancers. Journalists may specialize in specific topics, such as politics, sports, or entertainment, or they may cover a wide range of subjects.
Now the question is, outside of education, what qualities are required to be successful in the journalism profession. To be successful in a journalism career, individuals must have excellent writing and communication skills, as well as strong research and analytical abilities. They should have the ability to work under intense pressure. They also need to have the ability to adapt themselves to new technologies.
As mentioned above, there is a wide range of career opportunities in journalism. How is that?
We know that there are opportunities to work at various levels of journalism. For example, some one may work as a reporter, while another may work as a correspondent. Some one can be an entertainment reporter or sports reporter. Thus, one can think of making career on the desk of a media house as sub editors. If some one has a talent for photography, he can consider starting career in photojournalism. That means, there is an opportunity to find work according to one’s skills in journalism. The main thing is to make yourself competent as a journalist and work with integrity and dedication. For these reasons, it is said that there are wide opportunities to build a successful career in journalism.
If we look at media organizations like New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Fox News, we will see that there are people with different skills working there. Some of them are Reporters, some are Sub-editors, some are Correspondents, some are Regional editors, some are Photojournalists, some are Graphic designers, etc. The basic thing is that, with their own skills, they have been able to build a successful career in their respective workplaces.
Different kind of work in journalism:
Investigative journalism: This involves digging deep into a story to uncover hidden truths or corruption. One well-known example of investigative journalism is the work of Woodward and Bernstein, who uncovered the Watergate scandal in the 1970s.
Feature writing: This involves writing in-depth stories on people, places, or events that go beyond the news of the day. A feature writer might write about a unique community organization or an inspiring individual.
Breaking news coverage: This involves covering breaking news stories as they happen, often in real time. Journalists might report on natural disasters, political events, or crime scenes.
Sports reporting: This involves covering sports teams and events, often with a focus on local or regional teams. Sports reporters might write game recaps, conduct interviews with players and coaches, and report on the latest developments in the world of sports.
Conclusion
Journalism is a great field to pursue a career. There is freedom of expression here as well as opportunity to serve people by providing right information at right time. It offers the opportunity to make a difference in the world, share important stories, and serve as a watchdog for democracy.
