Career as a News Reporter

The number of career options and fields are many, but to choose among those, is a decision, which needs a lot of hard work and a well- structured plan. The increasing number of career options, have also lead to the increase in number of colleges in India. The colleges are required to introduce and reframe new courses and new elements of education in their curriculum to make the students aware of the latest developments in the field. Practical sessions and updated knowledge about different subjects, is an important part of the students education. Everyday, we come across a lot of developments and news stories, which are brought to us by the media. News channels and media houses have become an inseparable part of our lives. It is something, which keeps the common man updated about the latest developments in the society.

Management and presentation of the news are the most important aspects, which defines the right flow of information to the target audience. A lot of factors are to be kept in mind, while the dissemination of news to the common man. Their interests and requirements should be considered, while the formation of the news story. The person, who presents the news to the world, is called the anchor or the news reporter. He is the person, who is the face of the information for the public, so if something goes wrong, then the blame comes directly on him. So, he needs to be very careful in whatever he speaks. A proper course is made for the students, who want to pursue his career as a news reporter. Most of journalism and communication colleges in India, provide courses for news reporter and anchor.

There are many short duration, such as three months, six months, or one year diploma courses also available in the colleges of India. In many colleges, news reporting is a part of the journalism and mass communication courses. The students are introduced with the methodologies and the strategies of media in their course of mass communication and journalism. The norms, laws and limitations of media agencies are also taught to the students, so that they prove to be great workers at their job. Many media houses also provide courses to students in news reporting, anchoring, radio jockeying etc. Students going for short term courses, prefer doing courses from these media houses, because they provide an insight of the industry and plus students gets to implement their learning in the production houses.

Few of the top most institutes, which provide courses for career as a news reporter or anchor, are:

v     Indian Institute of mass communication, New Delhi

v     Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata

v     Times of school of journalism, Delhi

v     Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune

v     Asian Academy of Film and Television, Film City, Noida

v     Xavier's Institute of Communications, Mumbai

v     Film & Television Institute of Tamil Nadu, Chennai

v     Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahemdabad

v     Indraprastha College for Women, DU, New Delhi

v     Asian College of Journalism, Bangalore

The job of a news reporter is available in all the media fields, starting from the print to the different electronic mediums to the web based communication. The basic qualities, which the students should have before doing a course in news reporting, are:

v     Nose for news

v     Good writing and oral communication skills

v     Great presentation skills

v     Good command over English and Hindi

v     Ability to express things well and in an influential manner

v     Following all the norms and rules of the media and deciding the communication strategies accordingly

v     Greta interpersonal skills

Keeping in mind, the above points and practising the teachings taught during his course, a student can surely build a great career in news reporting.