Things that every modern Journalist must know

Journalism is one of the most sought-after occupations in modern media and entertainment, for a good reason. Over the last two decades, the growth of television news channels and digital media platforms has provided broadcast professionals with a plethora of options. Digital media has drastically revolutionized the news- as well as the journalistic skills required to generate and convey it. What does the move to digital media entail for aspiring and working journalists? They must be proficient in a number of journalism abilities. While the basics of journalism prevail, the sector requires fresh and distinguished expertise to break in addition to staying relevant. This article contains a few skills that modern journalism is on the lookout for.

Candidates aspiring to pursue a career in journalism can consider applying to MGU, one of the best private universities in Bhopal offering a variety of programs such as BA Hons in Journalism and Mass Communication, Bachelor of Journalism, Diploma in Mass Communication, Master of Journalism, etc.

1. Reporting- The media should be as transparent as possible because the people believe what they see on the news channels. They want to discover and be a part of the process of how new journalists locate and select stories, write stories as well as make corrections. These problems are tied to reporting, which is a critical journalistic skill. The heart of reliable and well-researched journalism is reporting. Here are a few skills that modern journalists must possess:

1. To be able to report with compassion and understanding
2. To be able to understand and interpret data
3. To be able to conduct extensive research and skim through the material which is relevant to their study

2. Research capability- A reporter/journalist who can conduct thorough research creates informative pieces, which is exactly what the reader's desire. When it comes down to formulating/finding news people accept facts whether the writing is about a new brand or the best restaurants to eat Chinese in the neighbourhood, they want to know everything. So, journalists must continue to be inquisitive while still maintaining a healthy scepticism. As the saying goes “a good journalist always asks questions, but a great journalist focuses on obtaining the answers to the same.”

3. Digital Literacy- Pertaining to the public’s rising demand for digital media, digital journalism abilities are now required. Journalists must now make sure of digital storytelling tools intelligently to interact with audiences across many media. Therefore, it is critical for today’s journalists to understand the working of websites, social media, applications, smartphones, tablets, computers or any other broadcast medium. Digital literacy is now essential and will become much more so in the near future, as the big segment of the audience shifts from print to broadcast journalism. Using multimedia for storytelling is the new big thing as using visual material like slideshows, graphs, videos, infographics, etc. Given below are a few examples of digital journalism:

1. Shooting footage and converting it into a series of GIFs to demonstrate news to make it more visually appealing for the viewers
2. Live streaming a video with the help of Twitter from one’s mobile device
3. Create polls/questionnaires and incorporate them in the news websites to retain feedback from its readers

4. Objectivity and Logical reasoning- One of the most important characteristics of a competent journalist is objectivity. Whether it be sports, crime, politics or global events they must remain neutral in how they choose to convey information that draws them apart from all journalists. Elements as such data and statistical skills may also aid in the dissemination of information in an understandable manner. A modern journalism student, therefore, must not blatantly put their views but try to arrange both sides of the matter in an objective manner.

5. The Art of Interviewing- Interviewing is one of the most journalistic abilities. It assists journalists in developing credible, accurate, and powerful narratives. There are several purposes that interviews serve such as obtaining information from different sources and verifying the same, discovering and investigating many points of view. The ability to conduct interviews as a journalist extends beyond just asking questions. They must prepare by defining goals and conducting research. During interviews, journalists must demonstrate active listening skills as well as the capacity to keep flow and attention. It is not easy to conduct high-quality interviews, as a result, great interviewing abilities are in high demand.
6. Video Production- As mentioned earlier, content is driven by graphics and appealing visuals that perform effectively. Understanding and studying filmmaking, photography, editing, shooting, and also embellishing video footage with text, graphics and audio are critical to getting an advantage in the field as an individual or prospective journalist. It is also known that many readers opt for video and audio media of news over plain print.

7. Investigative Reporting- Investigative reporting contributes to the protection of society and individuals from harmful behaviours. It provides accountability, propels change, and protects democracy. Whenever there is a possibility of wrongdoing, there is a chance for investigative reporting. Thus, it will always be one of the essential journalistic abilities. Investigative reporting requires a special skill set. This is an extremely crucial quality that really makes for a modern journalist as Arianna Huffington once said, “given the multiple crises we are living through, investigative journalism is all the more important."

8. Newsgathering- While conventional news collecting methods are not yet outdated, various channels have offered journalists the chance of ‘jacking’ the news. Platforms like social media allow today’s journalists to have instant access to occurrences all around the world. Therefore, it is critical to keep on top of such developments.

9. Indulging in self-promotion- Every modern journalist should know how to successfully promote their work. Sharing writings via social media or word of mouth cannot go ignored. The numbers speak for themselves and thus editors will always take note of the same. Sharing your material will keep articles on the trending list allowing for your published pieces to grab the editor’s attention.

10. Ethics- Journalists must never compromise on their ethical values. It is feasible for news organizations to function normally and rise to the top without sacrificing their code of ethics. Ethical journalism may not only promote an ideal instil a culture of not distorting facts to one’s advantage, but also can foster trust among viewers. Modern journalists must foster the following:

1. Use the concepts of laws of free speech and press;
2. Create news content that is inclusive of gender, ethnicity, colour, sexual orientation and also other types of diversity.

Looking to enhance your journalistic skills? Reading up on the subject on the web, reading books by prominent authors, speaking with accomplished news reporters and broadcast journalists and working on general personality development are all fantastic places to start with.

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