Good idea? Bad idea? In any case, an idea whose time, I think, has come.
PS: There are even "zero-minute" reads. Check them out here.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
An idea whose time has come? India Today's new opinion website tells you how long it will take you to read an article
Time-starved readers (and who isn't time-starved these days?) will rejoice. Each article on the recently launched Daily O, the India Today group's "open to opinion" website, comes with a label: "2-minute read", "4-minute read", and so on. Presumably, this nifty little time-saver will help you decide which piece you want to read, which item you should skip.
Good idea? Bad idea? In any case, an idea whose time, I think, has come.
PS: There are even "zero-minute" reads. Check them out here.
Good idea? Bad idea? In any case, an idea whose time, I think, has come.
PS: There are even "zero-minute" reads. Check them out here.
An excellent profile of the journalist who turned around the fortunes of Star TV
In the latest issue of Open magazine, Lhendup G. Bhutia profiles Uday Shankar. Read it here: "A political reporter from Patna today runs India’s top TV network".
- PHOTOGRAPH: RITESH UTTAMCHANDANI/COURTESY OPEN
- Uday Shankar played a major role in bringing Satyameva Jayate to our screens. Read up on Aamir Khan and a very special television series here: "The most insightful interview with Aamir Khan by the best interviewer in the country".
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Media Matters-6: Why we became journalists (Final part of a three-part series)
This was published on the Education Page of Dubai's Khaleej Times today:
WHY WE BECAME JOURNALISTS-3
By Ramesh Prabhu
This is the final part of a three-part series which explored the motivations of a few young women and men who have chosen to become journalists.
Being a journalist has been my passion since my schooldays. I feel that every individual has certain commitments to society and this is the best way to fulfill mine. When I took up journalism as a career, I knew I would not be able to transform things overnight but my thinking was that if I were able to change one person’s life for the better, I would be able to achieve my goal. And I am glad to report I have been successful in helping bring about change in a few people’s lives.
Why television? From the beginning, I have been fascinated with the thought of being on TV. I believe a story can be best told with visuals. I started my career as a print journalist, however, which is when I realised that both mediums have their own advantages and disadvantages. In print, we can write in-depth stories, but that is not the case with television (except for current affairs programmes). And in this era of breaking news, I feel that sometimes TV journalists tend to indulge in sensationalism, so I consider myself lucky to be working with CNN-IBN, which gives more weightage to credibility.
The best thing about being a journalist is that there is no monotony in my job. Every day I meet new people; each day is different. The risks and the uncertainty attached to this profession are what make my life so interesting today.
When I was in college, television journalism became very popular in India, especially during the coverage of the Kargil war. I was also heavily influenced by global journalists like Anderson Cooper and Richard Quest. In addition, honestly, the decision to take up journalism as a major was to battle the impression that medical science and engineering or an MBA were the only options worth considering as a student.
When I completed my post-grad course, I wanted to work with radio. But Indian radio stations are not allowed to do news, and the content tended to be very Bollywood-focused at the time (it still is). So television it was, but I didn’t choose television as much at it chose me. I was extremely fortunate to have received a job opportunity with CNBC TV18 and I have been working with business news channels ever since.
My first assignment with CNBC TV18 was on a show called “Insurance Intelligence”. I was to report on the insurance sector, something other colleagues in my team found dull. But I fell in love with the sector immediately. My work with insurance led me to discover my larger aim, which was personal finance. I have come to realise, over the last 10 years, that helping people navigate and understand money is my true calling.
There are two things I love most about my job. First, I love understanding something complicated and passing the information on to my viewers. In TV parlance we call this “cracking it”. When there is a complicated financial product, or a product that is designed badly so it causes more harm to investors than good, I love being able to explain to my viewers the problem and the corresponding solution.
Second, I love receiving e-mails from viewers telling me that I helped them make a change. It gives me the purpose I need to go on doing what I do.
I sort of wandered into journalism. I actually wanted to do English Literature after school, but there were no Honours courses in Bangalore, which is where I wanted to come after I left Kuwait. So I did the Journalism-Psychology-Optional English B.A. course at Christ University. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after I was done with undergrad, so I did the M.A. at Commits to figure out what I wanted to do, and that’s when I decided to pursue print journalism professionally.
It was Commits that helped me figure out how to be industry-ready. I knew all the theory from the course I had done at Christ College, but since I hadn’t done any internships ― I always preferred to fly back home during my vacations since the internships were not mandatory ― I knew I wasn’t ready for the real world of journalism. At Commits, I gained the confidence, more than anything else, to go out there and apply the skills I had acquired based on the mandatory internships and the sessions we had with people working in the industry.
At Bangalore Times, I worked as a desk editor. Like at most features publications, we desk editors are required to write stories, edit them, and supervise page layout. This means that you don’t think about a story only in terms of the questions that need to be answered or the information that the reader should get, but how they should get it in terms of design. You think about how the story should look, which is very important these days because, as we are always being reminded, it's about packaging. And, of course, a desk editor is always a better writer.
I’m more of a desk person than a reporter, so I really like the production aspect of journalism. I like taking a story ― whether it’s mine or someone else’s ― and working on it so that it is as complete as it can possibly be. Of course, when I did get out there, I got to meet interesting people and hear all sorts of stories that took me out of myself. But I still preferred retreating to the relative safety of the desk.
Journalism was not a childhood dream. I don’t think I ever said, “I want to grow up to be a journalist.” That came much later in life, when I did my master's degree. At some point, while reading the news, it occurred to me, reality is quite bizarre without the fiction. Keeping track of everyday happenings, identifying the people doing exceptional work in society and telling their story, keeping track of our leaders and exposing their true intent in the job they are doing... when I learnt of all of this, I knew that I would like to make a career in journalism. The creative process of laying out the paper, selecting news based on its importance and value, striving to tell two, three, sometimes four sides of a story... the reasons are many.
At this time in our country I find that being a journalist and being exposed first-hand to how a media organisation works, not only in the newsroom, but especially the influence of upper management on the working of the newsroom, is giving me great insight. The background research that goes into adding value to a story is also something I find very interesting. And because the news that comes through my newsroom is solely based on Mumbai and some surrounding districts, it has increased my knowledge of the present city as well as the city it once was.
I was 17 when I decided that I would not pursue a traditional career. I was interested in story-telling, but never really thought that writing could be a serious career option. It was a chance meeting with a family friend that changed my perspective about journalism. She was working as a copy editor with a newspaper in Bangalore. I was she who explained how interesting her line of work was and how it could be a rewarding career for a youngster. I had three options in front of me then: journalism, academics, and public relations. I chose a career with words because it was more creative compared with the other two.
Today, even though a lot of the work I do is routine, like visits to the press club and coverage of the same issues (budgets, government policies, school and college admissions), I definitely get my high from learning new things and meeting new people. Creating shareable, emotional, and well-researched stories often forces me to think out of the box. I have also picked up skills like the ability to look for interesting details about a person or an event, rather than merely focusing on the brief given by the editor.
THINK ABOUT IT: “I believe that good journalism, good television, can make our world a better place.” ― Christiane Amanpour, chief international correspondent of CNN and host of CNN International’s nightly interview programme “Amanpour”
· Ramesh Prabhu is professor of journalism at Commits Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication, Bangalore. Commits offers a full-time two-year MA degree course.
· “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to education@khaleejtimes.com.
WHY WE BECAME JOURNALISTS-3
By Ramesh Prabhu
This is the final part of a three-part series which explored the motivations of a few young women and men who have chosen to become journalists.
- NEETHU REGHUKUMAR (Class of 2008)
Being a journalist has been my passion since my schooldays. I feel that every individual has certain commitments to society and this is the best way to fulfill mine. When I took up journalism as a career, I knew I would not be able to transform things overnight but my thinking was that if I were able to change one person’s life for the better, I would be able to achieve my goal. And I am glad to report I have been successful in helping bring about change in a few people’s lives.
Why television? From the beginning, I have been fascinated with the thought of being on TV. I believe a story can be best told with visuals. I started my career as a print journalist, however, which is when I realised that both mediums have their own advantages and disadvantages. In print, we can write in-depth stories, but that is not the case with television (except for current affairs programmes). And in this era of breaking news, I feel that sometimes TV journalists tend to indulge in sensationalism, so I consider myself lucky to be working with CNN-IBN, which gives more weightage to credibility.
The best thing about being a journalist is that there is no monotony in my job. Every day I meet new people; each day is different. The risks and the uncertainty attached to this profession are what make my life so interesting today.
- FAYE D’SOUZA (Class of 2004)
When I was in college, television journalism became very popular in India, especially during the coverage of the Kargil war. I was also heavily influenced by global journalists like Anderson Cooper and Richard Quest. In addition, honestly, the decision to take up journalism as a major was to battle the impression that medical science and engineering or an MBA were the only options worth considering as a student.
When I completed my post-grad course, I wanted to work with radio. But Indian radio stations are not allowed to do news, and the content tended to be very Bollywood-focused at the time (it still is). So television it was, but I didn’t choose television as much at it chose me. I was extremely fortunate to have received a job opportunity with CNBC TV18 and I have been working with business news channels ever since.
My first assignment with CNBC TV18 was on a show called “Insurance Intelligence”. I was to report on the insurance sector, something other colleagues in my team found dull. But I fell in love with the sector immediately. My work with insurance led me to discover my larger aim, which was personal finance. I have come to realise, over the last 10 years, that helping people navigate and understand money is my true calling.
There are two things I love most about my job. First, I love understanding something complicated and passing the information on to my viewers. In TV parlance we call this “cracking it”. When there is a complicated financial product, or a product that is designed badly so it causes more harm to investors than good, I love being able to explain to my viewers the problem and the corresponding solution.
Second, I love receiving e-mails from viewers telling me that I helped them make a change. It gives me the purpose I need to go on doing what I do.
- ANJALI MUTHANNA (Class of 2006)
 |
| PHOTO: ALLAN JULIUS FERNANDES |
I sort of wandered into journalism. I actually wanted to do English Literature after school, but there were no Honours courses in Bangalore, which is where I wanted to come after I left Kuwait. So I did the Journalism-Psychology-Optional English B.A. course at Christ University. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after I was done with undergrad, so I did the M.A. at Commits to figure out what I wanted to do, and that’s when I decided to pursue print journalism professionally.
It was Commits that helped me figure out how to be industry-ready. I knew all the theory from the course I had done at Christ College, but since I hadn’t done any internships ― I always preferred to fly back home during my vacations since the internships were not mandatory ― I knew I wasn’t ready for the real world of journalism. At Commits, I gained the confidence, more than anything else, to go out there and apply the skills I had acquired based on the mandatory internships and the sessions we had with people working in the industry.
At Bangalore Times, I worked as a desk editor. Like at most features publications, we desk editors are required to write stories, edit them, and supervise page layout. This means that you don’t think about a story only in terms of the questions that need to be answered or the information that the reader should get, but how they should get it in terms of design. You think about how the story should look, which is very important these days because, as we are always being reminded, it's about packaging. And, of course, a desk editor is always a better writer.
I’m more of a desk person than a reporter, so I really like the production aspect of journalism. I like taking a story ― whether it’s mine or someone else’s ― and working on it so that it is as complete as it can possibly be. Of course, when I did get out there, I got to meet interesting people and hear all sorts of stories that took me out of myself. But I still preferred retreating to the relative safety of the desk.
- NATASHA REGO (Class of 2014)
 |
| PHOTO: SUSHIL KADAM |
Journalism was not a childhood dream. I don’t think I ever said, “I want to grow up to be a journalist.” That came much later in life, when I did my master's degree. At some point, while reading the news, it occurred to me, reality is quite bizarre without the fiction. Keeping track of everyday happenings, identifying the people doing exceptional work in society and telling their story, keeping track of our leaders and exposing their true intent in the job they are doing... when I learnt of all of this, I knew that I would like to make a career in journalism. The creative process of laying out the paper, selecting news based on its importance and value, striving to tell two, three, sometimes four sides of a story... the reasons are many.
At this time in our country I find that being a journalist and being exposed first-hand to how a media organisation works, not only in the newsroom, but especially the influence of upper management on the working of the newsroom, is giving me great insight. The background research that goes into adding value to a story is also something I find very interesting. And because the news that comes through my newsroom is solely based on Mumbai and some surrounding districts, it has increased my knowledge of the present city as well as the city it once was.
- ARUNIMA RAJAN (Class of 2009)
I was 17 when I decided that I would not pursue a traditional career. I was interested in story-telling, but never really thought that writing could be a serious career option. It was a chance meeting with a family friend that changed my perspective about journalism. She was working as a copy editor with a newspaper in Bangalore. I was she who explained how interesting her line of work was and how it could be a rewarding career for a youngster. I had three options in front of me then: journalism, academics, and public relations. I chose a career with words because it was more creative compared with the other two.
Today, even though a lot of the work I do is routine, like visits to the press club and coverage of the same issues (budgets, government policies, school and college admissions), I definitely get my high from learning new things and meeting new people. Creating shareable, emotional, and well-researched stories often forces me to think out of the box. I have also picked up skills like the ability to look for interesting details about a person or an event, rather than merely focusing on the brief given by the editor.
THINK ABOUT IT: “I believe that good journalism, good television, can make our world a better place.” ― Christiane Amanpour, chief international correspondent of CNN and host of CNN International’s nightly interview programme “Amanpour”
· Ramesh Prabhu is professor of journalism at Commits Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication, Bangalore. Commits offers a full-time two-year MA degree course.
· “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to education@khaleejtimes.com.
- ALSO READ: "There is no job like journalism" (Media Matters-1); "Can anyone become a journalist?" (Media Matters-2); "What you must do to become a journalist" (Media Matters-3); Why we became journalists: First part of a three-part series (Media Matters-4); and Why we became journalists: Second part of a three-part series (Media Matters-5)
Monday, January 12, 2015
Media Matters-5: Why we became journalists (Second part of a three-part series)
This was published on the Education Page of Dubai's Khaleej Times on December 30, 2014:
WHY WE BECAME JOURNALISTS-2
By Ramesh Prabhu
In the previous installment of “Media Matters” (December 16), three young journalists explained why they joined the profession. Today let us listen in as a few more youngsters discuss their reasons for choosing journalism.
I loved to tell stories when I was a kid. When I grew up I realised that when I blend my imagination with a pinch of reality, in the form of words, it gave me a certain kind of bliss. I guess that was the beginning.
Later, when I had to choose a vocation for myself, I started interning at multiple newspapers. I loved what I did, especially when I saw my articles in print. The processing of news in a newsroom fascinated me. So here I am!
Becoming a television journalist happened by chance. I was awe-struck by the CNN-IBN newsroom when I had gone there for my internship, which was arranged by my college. At the news channel, my work as an intern was appreciated and I was inspired and encouraged by many journalists there. I understood that I could learn a lot from working there full-time. So when I got the opportunity to go back there after completing my master’s course, I grabbed it with both hands!
Today I am thrilled to be a journalist. Which other profession gives you so much variation and excitement – and an adrenaline rush – almost every day? No day is the same. A story can change someone's life, and we journalists have that power.
I decided to become a journalist right after Class 12. Though I was in the science stream, my parents, fortunately for me, did not force me to take up engineering just for the sake of a degree. Instead, since I had an inclination towards writing and public speaking, my father decided to enroll me in a graduate programme in media. After that, as I gradually got exposed to the subject, I realised journalism was the best fit for me as it would let me do what I am really interested in.
Business journalism happened more by chance than by design. I got my first journalism break in The Financial Express, a leading business daily in India, and that’s how it all began. But now I believe this is what I am best suited for, as it is like a white-collar journalism job. You avoid some of the “unnecessary” hassles you may face, say, on the crime beat, yet you are a full-fledged journalist, free to break any news including a corporate scam. It’s a big world of business and the implications of what you write can be bigger.
The most interesting thing about being a journalist is that no two days are the same. Every day is a new day and you are only as good as your last story. You begin afresh every day.
Journalists are watchdogs. We help to keep people informed. This responsibility combined with the fact that we can present even seemingly mundane things in a way that readers would find interesting is another merit of this profession. Also, I have a healthy curiosity about everything under the sun, so digging for stories, researching, and presenting them to readers is a challenge I enjoy.
I think the opportunity to look at things from different angles is the most interesting thing about being a journalist. After all, something perfectly ordinary, if looked at from a different angle, can become an interesting news story, which means even if several reporters are working on the same topic, many different news stories can be produced for the benefit of readers.
Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez has written that journalism is the world’s best profession. I agree 100%!
I chose journalism not only as a career, but as an opportunity for personal growth. Most people crave for an interesting conversation, and journalism gives a chance for interesting conversations every week. I learnt to ask any question without being judged.
This job exposed me to a variety of people, broadened my mind, and fed me with energy. While my friends complained about feeling restricted by a cubicle, I was learning something new almost daily. Of course, there are mundane tasks in journalism too, but the door to try something interesting is always open.
I entered the field with barely any knowledge about technology. As I started talking to people, I realised enterprises are at war for recognition, clients, and revenue. It seemed just as alive as politics and I got hooked. Besides, my job included interviewing industry leaders and achievers. Just talking to them is so inspiring that it pushes me to do more.
I drifted towards journalism during my undergraduate course in microbiology. A chance to be part of the College Editorial Board of The Times of India’s “Education Times”, in a way, made me realise that this is what I wanted to do.
It was at Commits that working on TV stories and producing news bulletins gave me hands-on experience. The print journalism classes helped me develop an eye for detail. I also got some of the best internship opportunities that ultimately converted to a job.
TV journalism happened by chance. I started liking TV after working on news bulletins at Commits. With TV, a story can be told in a way that creates an immediate connect with the viewer. When I did my TV internship, I hoped that one day I, too, would be part of such a newsroom where the energy is infectious. However pressured you are, the adrenaline rush seconds before going “live” is compelling. It always reminds me of the countdown to a rocket launch. Like the gurus in our industry say, no two days are the same in journalism.
THINK ABOUT IT: “The most powerful teacher on the planet is media... In fact I believe journalism and storytelling are education.” ― Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of The National Geographic Society, writing in this month’s edition of National Geographic magazine
· COMING UP IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF “MEDIA MATTERS”: Third and final part of the series, “Why we became journalists”
· Ramesh Prabhu is professor of journalism at Commits Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication, Bangalore. Commits offers a full-time two-year M.A. degree course.
· “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to education@khaleejtimes.com.
WHY WE BECAME JOURNALISTS-2
By Ramesh Prabhu
In the previous installment of “Media Matters” (December 16), three young journalists explained why they joined the profession. Today let us listen in as a few more youngsters discuss their reasons for choosing journalism.
- SOHINI GUHAROY (Class of 2013)
I loved to tell stories when I was a kid. When I grew up I realised that when I blend my imagination with a pinch of reality, in the form of words, it gave me a certain kind of bliss. I guess that was the beginning.
Later, when I had to choose a vocation for myself, I started interning at multiple newspapers. I loved what I did, especially when I saw my articles in print. The processing of news in a newsroom fascinated me. So here I am!
Becoming a television journalist happened by chance. I was awe-struck by the CNN-IBN newsroom when I had gone there for my internship, which was arranged by my college. At the news channel, my work as an intern was appreciated and I was inspired and encouraged by many journalists there. I understood that I could learn a lot from working there full-time. So when I got the opportunity to go back there after completing my master’s course, I grabbed it with both hands!
Today I am thrilled to be a journalist. Which other profession gives you so much variation and excitement – and an adrenaline rush – almost every day? No day is the same. A story can change someone's life, and we journalists have that power.
- AYUSHMAN BARUAH (Class of 2008)
I decided to become a journalist right after Class 12. Though I was in the science stream, my parents, fortunately for me, did not force me to take up engineering just for the sake of a degree. Instead, since I had an inclination towards writing and public speaking, my father decided to enroll me in a graduate programme in media. After that, as I gradually got exposed to the subject, I realised journalism was the best fit for me as it would let me do what I am really interested in.
Business journalism happened more by chance than by design. I got my first journalism break in The Financial Express, a leading business daily in India, and that’s how it all began. But now I believe this is what I am best suited for, as it is like a white-collar journalism job. You avoid some of the “unnecessary” hassles you may face, say, on the crime beat, yet you are a full-fledged journalist, free to break any news including a corporate scam. It’s a big world of business and the implications of what you write can be bigger.
The most interesting thing about being a journalist is that no two days are the same. Every day is a new day and you are only as good as your last story. You begin afresh every day.
- ANKITA SENGUPTA (Class of 2013)
Journalists are watchdogs. We help to keep people informed. This responsibility combined with the fact that we can present even seemingly mundane things in a way that readers would find interesting is another merit of this profession. Also, I have a healthy curiosity about everything under the sun, so digging for stories, researching, and presenting them to readers is a challenge I enjoy.
I think the opportunity to look at things from different angles is the most interesting thing about being a journalist. After all, something perfectly ordinary, if looked at from a different angle, can become an interesting news story, which means even if several reporters are working on the same topic, many different news stories can be produced for the benefit of readers.
Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez has written that journalism is the world’s best profession. I agree 100%!
- JALAJA RAMANUNNI (Class of 2009)
I chose journalism not only as a career, but as an opportunity for personal growth. Most people crave for an interesting conversation, and journalism gives a chance for interesting conversations every week. I learnt to ask any question without being judged.
This job exposed me to a variety of people, broadened my mind, and fed me with energy. While my friends complained about feeling restricted by a cubicle, I was learning something new almost daily. Of course, there are mundane tasks in journalism too, but the door to try something interesting is always open.
I entered the field with barely any knowledge about technology. As I started talking to people, I realised enterprises are at war for recognition, clients, and revenue. It seemed just as alive as politics and I got hooked. Besides, my job included interviewing industry leaders and achievers. Just talking to them is so inspiring that it pushes me to do more.
- SHYLAJA VARMA (Class of 2012)
I drifted towards journalism during my undergraduate course in microbiology. A chance to be part of the College Editorial Board of The Times of India’s “Education Times”, in a way, made me realise that this is what I wanted to do.
It was at Commits that working on TV stories and producing news bulletins gave me hands-on experience. The print journalism classes helped me develop an eye for detail. I also got some of the best internship opportunities that ultimately converted to a job.
TV journalism happened by chance. I started liking TV after working on news bulletins at Commits. With TV, a story can be told in a way that creates an immediate connect with the viewer. When I did my TV internship, I hoped that one day I, too, would be part of such a newsroom where the energy is infectious. However pressured you are, the adrenaline rush seconds before going “live” is compelling. It always reminds me of the countdown to a rocket launch. Like the gurus in our industry say, no two days are the same in journalism.
THINK ABOUT IT: “The most powerful teacher on the planet is media... In fact I believe journalism and storytelling are education.” ― Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of The National Geographic Society, writing in this month’s edition of National Geographic magazine
· COMING UP IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF “MEDIA MATTERS”: Third and final part of the series, “Why we became journalists”
· Ramesh Prabhu is professor of journalism at Commits Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication, Bangalore. Commits offers a full-time two-year M.A. degree course.
· “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to education@khaleejtimes.com.
- ALSO READ: "There is no job like journalism" (Media Matters-1); "Can anyone become a journalist?" (Media Matters-2); "What you must do to become a journalist" (Media Matters-3); and Why we became journalists: First part of a three-part series (Media Matters-4)
"100 books that can change your life": A magnificent issue from Outlook
I have read 35 out of the 100 featured here. What about you? How many have you read?
Check out the full list, and other fascinating feature articles, here: "100 books that can change your life".
And, afterwards, learn about the book that should have been on the Outlook list but isn't: "Reading this book will change your approach to life".
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Media Matters-4: Why we became journalists (First part of a three-part series)
This was published today on the Education Page of Dubai's Khaleej Times:
WHY WE BECAME JOURNALISTS-1
By Ramesh Prabhu
Rajdeep Sardesai became a journalist because, as he noted at a media seminar, no two days are the same in journalism.
Sardesai, one of India’s leading television anchors and a role model for many aspiring journalists, was the chief guest (see photograph), at that seminar in Bangalore a few years ago. His talk was so stimulating that many times during his speech and again at the conclusion he received applause befitting a national celebrity. Those of us in the audience that day were privileged to be able to listen to Sardesai and gain many valuable insights into what it means to be a journalist.
Every year now I play a video recording of Sardesai’s talk in my class (Commits had organised the seminar), and I write this after having just wrapped up a screening for my students. Watching Sardesai in action again led me to ruminate on why young people take up journalism today. Is it the glamour factor? Is it the opportunity to be able to take up an unconventional career in which, as Sardesai put it, no two days are the same? Do young people still consider journalism a noble and honourable profession? A profession that gives them the power to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable”, in the immortal words of Finley Peter Dunne? Is that why they become journalists?
“I have always liked telling stories... stories about people,” says Priyali Sur, a producer and anchor with CNN-IBN who is in the U.S. at the moment completing a course on gender violence after having won a Fulbright Humphrey scholarship. “What was more important to me,” she says, “was to talk about people who had been marginalised. Making their voices heard was essential and journalism seemed to be the perfect profession for me.”
Priyali, who holds a master’s degree in mass communication, has worked with Times Now, another leading news channel in India, as well as with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the filmmaker and screenwriter best known for writing and directing Rang De Basanti and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. At CNN-IBN, staying true to her aims, Priyali has produced a documentary on dubious cervical vaccine trials in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in 2011 as well as a prize-winning investigative programme on minor girls who are trafficked from rural regions of the country and then sold in the cities.
Why did Priyali choose television over print? She believes that pictures can convey a message more powerfully. “For me, going to places, capturing real images of real people, and telling their stories in their voices was crucial,” she says.
While television is a big draw for many young journalists, there are some who prefer print. “I have always loved writing,” says Pinjala Kundu, who works with The Times of India in Mumbai. Pinjala says she had wanted to become a journalist since she was in Class VII, but it was while studying at Commits that she got an opportunity to work as an intern with The Times of India in Kolkata. “I loved working as a reporter,” she says, “and the feeling I got when I received my first byline made me realise that this is what I was meant to do.”
For Pinjala, the most interesting thing about the profession is that journalists are the first to know when an incident occurs. “And it is a privilege to be able to inform the world about it,” she says. “Also, being in the newsroom is so exciting: the hustle-bustle, the hectic discussions. I get to learn something new every day and that is what keeps me going.”
Sherry Jacob-Phillips echoes Pinjala’s comments. She says she became a journalist because she wanted to experience the joy of putting her thoughts into words and seeing her byline in the newspaper the next day. Sherry spent many years with The Times of India in Bangalore before joining Reuters, also in Bangalore. “The adrenaline rush of news and the satisfaction that comes from knowing we’re making a difference: these are the reasons I go to work every day,” she says.
At The Times, Sherry worked on the general news desk; at Reuters she is a business journalist. She says she may not be making a direct impact on the lives of her investment-focused audience now but she believes she is helping them take life-changing decisions about their investments.
“This profession,” says Sherry, “has taught me one thing for sure: Be true to yourself and your dreams.”
THINK ABOUT IT: “I got addicted. News, particularly daily news, is more addictive than crack cocaine, more addictive than heroin, more addictive than cigarettes. ” ― Dan Rather, American journalist and the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News
· “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to education@khaleejtimes.com.
* IN THE PHOTOGRAPH: (Clockwise from main picture) Television news icon Rajdeep Sardesai; and Commits alumni Priyali Sur (Class of 2005), Pinjala Kundu (Class of 2011), Sherry Jacob-Phillips (Class of 2007)
WHY WE BECAME JOURNALISTS-1
By Ramesh Prabhu
Rajdeep Sardesai became a journalist because, as he noted at a media seminar, no two days are the same in journalism.
Sardesai, one of India’s leading television anchors and a role model for many aspiring journalists, was the chief guest (see photograph), at that seminar in Bangalore a few years ago. His talk was so stimulating that many times during his speech and again at the conclusion he received applause befitting a national celebrity. Those of us in the audience that day were privileged to be able to listen to Sardesai and gain many valuable insights into what it means to be a journalist.
Every year now I play a video recording of Sardesai’s talk in my class (Commits had organised the seminar), and I write this after having just wrapped up a screening for my students. Watching Sardesai in action again led me to ruminate on why young people take up journalism today. Is it the glamour factor? Is it the opportunity to be able to take up an unconventional career in which, as Sardesai put it, no two days are the same? Do young people still consider journalism a noble and honourable profession? A profession that gives them the power to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable”, in the immortal words of Finley Peter Dunne? Is that why they become journalists?
“I have always liked telling stories... stories about people,” says Priyali Sur, a producer and anchor with CNN-IBN who is in the U.S. at the moment completing a course on gender violence after having won a Fulbright Humphrey scholarship. “What was more important to me,” she says, “was to talk about people who had been marginalised. Making their voices heard was essential and journalism seemed to be the perfect profession for me.”
Priyali, who holds a master’s degree in mass communication, has worked with Times Now, another leading news channel in India, as well as with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the filmmaker and screenwriter best known for writing and directing Rang De Basanti and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. At CNN-IBN, staying true to her aims, Priyali has produced a documentary on dubious cervical vaccine trials in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in 2011 as well as a prize-winning investigative programme on minor girls who are trafficked from rural regions of the country and then sold in the cities.
Why did Priyali choose television over print? She believes that pictures can convey a message more powerfully. “For me, going to places, capturing real images of real people, and telling their stories in their voices was crucial,” she says.
While television is a big draw for many young journalists, there are some who prefer print. “I have always loved writing,” says Pinjala Kundu, who works with The Times of India in Mumbai. Pinjala says she had wanted to become a journalist since she was in Class VII, but it was while studying at Commits that she got an opportunity to work as an intern with The Times of India in Kolkata. “I loved working as a reporter,” she says, “and the feeling I got when I received my first byline made me realise that this is what I was meant to do.”
For Pinjala, the most interesting thing about the profession is that journalists are the first to know when an incident occurs. “And it is a privilege to be able to inform the world about it,” she says. “Also, being in the newsroom is so exciting: the hustle-bustle, the hectic discussions. I get to learn something new every day and that is what keeps me going.”
Sherry Jacob-Phillips echoes Pinjala’s comments. She says she became a journalist because she wanted to experience the joy of putting her thoughts into words and seeing her byline in the newspaper the next day. Sherry spent many years with The Times of India in Bangalore before joining Reuters, also in Bangalore. “The adrenaline rush of news and the satisfaction that comes from knowing we’re making a difference: these are the reasons I go to work every day,” she says.
At The Times, Sherry worked on the general news desk; at Reuters she is a business journalist. She says she may not be making a direct impact on the lives of her investment-focused audience now but she believes she is helping them take life-changing decisions about their investments.
“This profession,” says Sherry, “has taught me one thing for sure: Be true to yourself and your dreams.”
THINK ABOUT IT: “I got addicted. News, particularly daily news, is more addictive than crack cocaine, more addictive than heroin, more addictive than cigarettes. ” ― Dan Rather, American journalist and the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News
- COMING UP IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF “MEDIA MATTERS”: Why we became journalists-2
· “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to education@khaleejtimes.com.
* IN THE PHOTOGRAPH: (Clockwise from main picture) Television news icon Rajdeep Sardesai; and Commits alumni Priyali Sur (Class of 2005), Pinjala Kundu (Class of 2011), Sherry Jacob-Phillips (Class of 2007)
- ALSO READ: "There is no job like journalism" (Media Matters-1); "Can anyone become a journalist?" (Media Matters-2); and "What you must do to become a journalist" (Media Matters-3)
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Is digital journalism profitable?
Absolutely, says Ariana Huffington, who has just launched the Indian edition of The Huffington Post.
Here, in an interview published in Mint today, are Huffington's responses to two questions that will be at the top of the minds of journalists as well as media aspirants:
Also, advertisers or brands which are slow (to adopt digital media) are realising that more and more people are not just consuming news but also participating themselves through their own stories online. So, digital spending cannot be an afterthought. It has to be at the forefront of their agenda.
All the areas we cover relentlessly across the world, we are going to cover here as well, including violence against women, gay rights...
It is interesting to see that a lot of the old beliefs of journalism are being stood on their heads. Like the term: “If it bleeds, it leads.” Put bad news, mayhem on the front page and traffic will follow. Now we are seeing that in fact, people like to share good news as a lot of traffic comes from sharing and social. I want to share examples of human ingenuity, compassion, and creativity. And that is what has been at the heart of what Huff has been doing from the beginning.
READ THE INTERVIEW IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE: "Our business model in India will be advertising supported: Arianna Huffington"
Here, in an interview published in Mint today, are Huffington's responses to two questions that will be at the top of the minds of journalists as well as media aspirants:
- Is digital journalism profitable?
Also, advertisers or brands which are slow (to adopt digital media) are realising that more and more people are not just consuming news but also participating themselves through their own stories online. So, digital spending cannot be an afterthought. It has to be at the forefront of their agenda.
 |
| ARIANNA HUFFINGTON PHOTOGRAPHED IN NEW DELHI |
- What kind of journalism will Huff Post do in India?
All the areas we cover relentlessly across the world, we are going to cover here as well, including violence against women, gay rights...
It is interesting to see that a lot of the old beliefs of journalism are being stood on their heads. Like the term: “If it bleeds, it leads.” Put bad news, mayhem on the front page and traffic will follow. Now we are seeing that in fact, people like to share good news as a lot of traffic comes from sharing and social. I want to share examples of human ingenuity, compassion, and creativity. And that is what has been at the heart of what Huff has been doing from the beginning.
READ THE INTERVIEW IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE: "Our business model in India will be advertising supported: Arianna Huffington"
- Photo courtesy: Mint/Pradeep Gaur
- ALSO READ: Arianna Huffington on why career women need to learn when to lean back
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Media Matters-3: "What you must do to become a journalist"
This was published yesterday on the Education Page of Dubai's Khaleej Times:
WHAT YOU MUST DO
TO BECOME A JOURNALIST
By Ramesh Prabhu
When Shagorika Easwar wanted to work as a journalist in Dubai, she sent her CV to Khaleej Times. This was sometime in 1989. Shagorika’s CV landed on my desk because everyone knew that, as features editor of the newspaper, I was looking for a good hand.
Along with her CV, Shagorika had enclosed a copy of an article she had written. I don’t remember now what the piece was about but I can’t ever forget that one glance at it was enough to convince me that we had found our Ms Right. When you write like an angel, the world sits up and takes notice.
Shagorika joined Khaleej Times shortly afterwards and, until she immigrated to Canada with her family some years later, did the Features Department proud. She edited copy, sized pictures, laid out pages, came up with story ideas, wrote a few stories herself, developed good relationships with everyone from her fellow journalists to columnists to copy-setters and office drivers — all skills that she is putting to good use in Toronto as the editor of two highly successful magazines which she launched along with her husband.
It was easy for Shagorika to become a journalist because she has a recognisable and provable talent for writing. I don’t remember if I even asked her about her academic qualifications. Similarly, it was easy for me to become a journalist back in 1981 (see “Media Matters-2”) even though I did not have a degree in journalism or mass communication. (It is a different matter that two years ago, at the age of 54, I studied for and earned a master’s degree in journalism.)
In those days, the ’80s, there were very few educational institutions offering post-graduate programmes for media aspirants. Also, print was still king, with 24-hour television news channels nowhere on the horizon and the internet only a futuristic concept. So journalism, even though it was a highly respected profession, was not really considered to be a glamorous one and, consequently, the competition for jobs was not as intense as it is today.
What is the scene like now for those who want to become journalists? Media organisations are looking to hire only those who will be a good fit, so a post-graduate degree, or at least a post-graduate diploma, from a reputed institute is paramount. This is because, as I wrote in a magazine article last year, hundreds of television news channels and a few thousand newspapers and magazines are engaged in a race for both audiences and advertisers. The competition is so fierce that new recruits at the entry level no longer have any breathing space, unlike in the past.
No one at work has the time now to hold the newbie’s hand as he or she attempts to navigate the swiftly moving and often treacherous currents of the media ocean. There is no honeymoon period. There is no time for a honeymoon. Period. That is why the industry today prefers to hire only those who have a master’s degree, or at least a post-graduate diploma, from an institute that has a reputation for providing quality journalism education.
So this much is clear: If you want to become a journalist, a good education comes first.
Now, how do you choose a good media college? Do extensive research. Study the course structure to assess the importance given to practical training. Find out as much as you can about the faculty: What are their qualifications to teach the course? How many years have they worked in the industry? Do they blog? Ask about industry tie-ups. Does the college arrange internships? Request contact details of alumni — if the college is a reputed one, the staff will be glad to answer all your questions and help you get a better grip on the course it offers.
For your part, if you are keen on becoming a journalist, make sure your decision is not based on a whim. Spend time talking with journalists. Try to understand what it means to be a journalist. And once you are sure journalism is what you want and after you have taken a decision on the college, give some thought to the advice I give all media aspirants:
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF KHALEEJ TIMES:
If
I did some of what is ascribed to me by Ramesh, it was largely because I
had a very good teacher in him. We are roughly the same age, and yet, I
have always thought of him as my guru in this field. In this, the
latest column, he writes about how no one has the time to hold a
newbie’s hand. I was blessed that Ramesh took the time to show me how.
That he never once rolled his eyes when I walked into his cabin on my
second day on the job and — very diffidently — asked him how one chooses
a font. That he encouraged independent thinking while explaining the
rules. That he allowed people in his department to flourish. He cheered
us on when my husband and I launched first Desi News in Toronto 19 years
ago and then CanadaBound Immigrant. Because that’s what the best
teacher does — he shows you the way and then lets you choose your own
path. In both, I incorporated what I had learnt from him.
WHAT YOU MUST DO
TO BECOME A JOURNALIST
By Ramesh Prabhu
When Shagorika Easwar wanted to work as a journalist in Dubai, she sent her CV to Khaleej Times. This was sometime in 1989. Shagorika’s CV landed on my desk because everyone knew that, as features editor of the newspaper, I was looking for a good hand.
Along with her CV, Shagorika had enclosed a copy of an article she had written. I don’t remember now what the piece was about but I can’t ever forget that one glance at it was enough to convince me that we had found our Ms Right. When you write like an angel, the world sits up and takes notice.
Shagorika joined Khaleej Times shortly afterwards and, until she immigrated to Canada with her family some years later, did the Features Department proud. She edited copy, sized pictures, laid out pages, came up with story ideas, wrote a few stories herself, developed good relationships with everyone from her fellow journalists to columnists to copy-setters and office drivers — all skills that she is putting to good use in Toronto as the editor of two highly successful magazines which she launched along with her husband.
It was easy for Shagorika to become a journalist because she has a recognisable and provable talent for writing. I don’t remember if I even asked her about her academic qualifications. Similarly, it was easy for me to become a journalist back in 1981 (see “Media Matters-2”) even though I did not have a degree in journalism or mass communication. (It is a different matter that two years ago, at the age of 54, I studied for and earned a master’s degree in journalism.)
In those days, the ’80s, there were very few educational institutions offering post-graduate programmes for media aspirants. Also, print was still king, with 24-hour television news channels nowhere on the horizon and the internet only a futuristic concept. So journalism, even though it was a highly respected profession, was not really considered to be a glamorous one and, consequently, the competition for jobs was not as intense as it is today.
What is the scene like now for those who want to become journalists? Media organisations are looking to hire only those who will be a good fit, so a post-graduate degree, or at least a post-graduate diploma, from a reputed institute is paramount. This is because, as I wrote in a magazine article last year, hundreds of television news channels and a few thousand newspapers and magazines are engaged in a race for both audiences and advertisers. The competition is so fierce that new recruits at the entry level no longer have any breathing space, unlike in the past.
No one at work has the time now to hold the newbie’s hand as he or she attempts to navigate the swiftly moving and often treacherous currents of the media ocean. There is no honeymoon period. There is no time for a honeymoon. Period. That is why the industry today prefers to hire only those who have a master’s degree, or at least a post-graduate diploma, from an institute that has a reputation for providing quality journalism education.
So this much is clear: If you want to become a journalist, a good education comes first.
 |
| DEGREES OF CONFIDENCE: A first-class education is a must if you want to become a journalist today*. (PHOTO: DIPANKAR PAUL) |
Now, how do you choose a good media college? Do extensive research. Study the course structure to assess the importance given to practical training. Find out as much as you can about the faculty: What are their qualifications to teach the course? How many years have they worked in the industry? Do they blog? Ask about industry tie-ups. Does the college arrange internships? Request contact details of alumni — if the college is a reputed one, the staff will be glad to answer all your questions and help you get a better grip on the course it offers.
For your part, if you are keen on becoming a journalist, make sure your decision is not based on a whim. Spend time talking with journalists. Try to understand what it means to be a journalist. And once you are sure journalism is what you want and after you have taken a decision on the college, give some thought to the advice I give all media aspirants:
- If you do not like reading you will be at a disadvantage, so make a huge effort to develop a reading habit. Read newspapers, magazines, books — fiction as well as non-fiction. Books on journalism. Books by journalists. Remember: In order to be a good writer, you first have to be a good reader.
- Watch movies. Listen to music. Immerse yourself in popular culture. Be aware of what’s going on around you.
- Talk to people. Understand their concerns. Develop empathy for your audience.
- At all times, behave professionally.
- Guard zealously your reputation for honesty, credibility, and integrity. Once it's lost, all is lost.
- Ramesh Prabhu is professor of journalism at Commits Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication, Bangalore. Commits offers a full-time two-year M.A. degree course.
- “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to education@khaleejtimes.com.
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF KHALEEJ TIMES:
Dear Editor,
I have read Ramesh Prabhu’s
column Media Matters (December 2) with interest ever since it was
launched a few weeks ago. What a great idea, I thought, a respected
journalist and teacher writing about the profession, providing insight
into what makes for good journalism. Imagine my astonishment at finding
my name in the latest column! To say it brought back lovely memories
would not be entirely correct — I have never forgotten the years I spent
in Khaleej Times as a sub-editor, learning, working, and yes, forging
friendships that remain strong to this day.
Students
from every batch he has taught at Commits in Bangalore have gone on to
earn accolades in print and television media. It is fitting, I think,
that Ramesh has chosen Khaleej Times to write about a field he is so
passionate about. It was here, after all, that Ramesh Prabhu the teacher
was born.
Shagorika Easwar
Editor, Desi News and CanadaBound Immigrant
Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
- ALSO READ: "There is no job like journalism" (Media Matters-1) and "Can anyone become a journalist?" (Media Matters-2)
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Media Matters-2: "Can anyone become a journalist?"
This column was published in Khaleej Times yesterday:
CAN ANYONE BECOME A JOURNALIST?
By Ramesh Prabhu
More than 30 years ago I got my start as a journalist at a small fortnightly newspaper in Mumbai. I was fresh out of college, with a B.Sc. degree in chemistry and botany (I had obtained a first class in the final exam; Mumbai University had even thought it fit to award me a gold medal in botany).
The fortnightly was called Marine Times. Here, over a short period in early 1981, I learnt something about reporting and interviewing while doing my rounds of the city’s shipping companies. I also picked up a few production techniques at the private press where the paper was put together.
Two months on, I felt my stint at Marine Times had done its job as an appetiser. Now it was time to sink my teeth into something more substantial: Mid Day.
Mid Day was the most popular evening paper in the city at the time and was home to some of the best journalists in the city. At Mid Day, which took me on as a trainee sub-editor in June 1981, I got thrown into the deep end. And was I ecstatic! I felt energised by the snap-crackle-fizz of the newsroom. I did everything I was told, and more. I worked days. I worked nights. I was hooked.
Why am I telling you all this now? Because more than 30 years ago anyone could become a journalist, even someone who did not have any academic qualifications for the job. Even someone with just a science degree.
In my case, though, it helped that my father was a journalist who worked with a news agency, PTI, for most of his career. (Marine Times, where I got my start, was owned by a colleague of his.) From the time I can remember, newspapers were an important part of the morning routine at home. When he returned from work, my father would also bring with him the evening tabloids as well as some magazines. One of my favourite memories is of lying in bed and poring over the latest issue of India Today or Time. There would always be a few books lying around too. Reading became second nature to me; it felt as natural as breathing. And it still does.
So why am I telling you this now? Because even today anyone, with a little bit of effort, can become a journalist. But to become a good journalist, in addition to having the right educational qualifications (more on that in a future column), you will need to keep in mind Prabhu’s Two Laws of Intention.
 |
| HABIT-FORMING: It is called a "daily" for a reason. PHOTO: MATHANGI IYER |
The First Law of Intention states that you should be obsessed with news. Don’t just read one newspaper. Read as many as you can lay your hands on. And don’t just read. Read closely. Magazines, news websites. On your phone. On your laptop. On Facebook even. Sign up for news alerts. Get a Twitter account. Follow the best journalists in the world. Watch the news on TV. Be aware of what’s happening around you. For one thing, that’s how you get story ideas. Second, you get to learn from the experts how to structure your stories. And you get a bonus in the form of an enhanced ability to make intelligent conversation even with people you have just met and get them to warm up to you. That’s a wonderful talent to have in your armoury when you’re trying to prise important information out of your sources.
Prabhu’s Second Law of Intention states that you should be in love with words. Whether you are a reporter or a sub-editor (and especially if you are a sub-editor), your language skills should be first-rate. You should be a wizard with words. Only then will readers stay glued to what you have conjured up; only then will they read from beginning to end what you have worked so hard to write or edit. As I noted in an article I wrote last year for the 35th anniversary issue of Khaleej Times, “Indifferent writing breeds indifferent readers. Quality writing attracts readers of all kinds.”
An obsession with news; a devotion to words. If you aspire to be a journalist, there’s no better way to rise... and shine.
THINK ABOUT IT: “In the English language, it all comes down to this: Twenty-six letters, when combined correctly, can create magic. Twenty-six letters form the foundation of a free, informed society.” ― American journalist and non-fiction writer John Grogan, author of Marley & Me
· Ramesh Prabhu is professor of journalism at Commits Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication, Bangalore. Commits offers a full-time two-year MA degree course.
· “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to education@khaleejtimes.com.
- ALSO READ: Media Matters-1: "There is no job like journalism".
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
"There is no job like journalism" — Media Matters, my new fortnightly column in Dubai's Khaleej Times
The inaugural "Media Matters" column:
THERE IS NO JOB LIKE JOURNALISM
By Ramesh Prabhu
JOURNALISM is the world's best profession.
I believed that when I first became a trainee sub-editor in 1981.
I believed that when, after more than 20 years as a journalist in Mumbai, Dubai, and Bangalore, I was given a golden opportunity to give back to the profession as a journalism teacher at a media college in India’s Silicon Valley.
And I believe that even today as I revel in the joys of journalism when sharing my experiences with my students, year after glorious year.
Of course, I am not the first person to assert that journalism is the best job in the world. The credit for that goes to the late Gabriel Garcia Marquez, whose essay on the subject has been shared and re-shared multiple times on the Internet.
Nobel laureate Garcia Marquez, the author of the much-loved classics One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, knew what he was talking about. After all, he had got his start as a journalist in his native Colombia many years before anyone outside his home town had even heard of him. By 1997, when he wrote that illuminating essay, he had become a global phenomenon, but he did not forget his debt to journalism. Here is a telling excerpt from his final paragraph:
No one who does not have this in his blood can comprehend its magnetic hold…. No one who has not had this experience can begin to grasp the extraordinary excitement stirred by the news, the sheer elation created by the first fruits of an endeavour….
No one has put it better.
Today, I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to spend quality time with young media aspirants, many of whom have since forged successful careers in newspapers, television channels, and magazines, both in India and abroad.
I absolutely love what I do. Every year I now get to interact with — and learn from — a fresh batch of students. And I think I am a much better journalist today because my students keep me on my toes with their questions; in order to do a good job of the answers, I am constantly updating my knowledge base.
I also love books, music, films — in fact, almost every form of popular culture — and it’s fascinating for me to be able to discuss what I read, listen to, and watch with Gen Next.
I must add a few words here about how technology helps the faculty-student interaction. I use e-mail to send my course material in advance so that the students can prepare for debate and discussion in my class. I also alert them via e-mail to interesting articles and links. And I publish two blogs. One is The Commits Chronicle, which takes a close look at happenings in the college and on student activities. The second blog, The Reading Room, focuses on reading, writing, and journalism.
Facebook is a big help — I use it as a distance education tool and my status messages are mostly about something important in the books I have read and on news articles that I want future journalists to read. And I upload pictures that my students may find interesting; of course, I write an appropriate caption for every photograph because caption-writing is a skill which I aim to teach in class as part of the journalism course.
Facebook has other productive uses, too: when I took part in a charity run in Bangalore (four times so far) to raise funds for an NGO that works with underprivileged children, I used my status messages as regular event alerts in the hope that at the right time in their lives my students will give serious thought to helping disadvantaged communities.
All this is by way of introducing myself and this new fortnightly column on the joys of journalism. In the coming weeks and months, with the help of “Media Matters,” I hope to enthuse my readers into taking up journalism as a career. Why? Because it is the best job in the world.
THINK ABOUT IT: "Four hostile newspapers are to be feared more than a thousand bayonets" – Napoleon Bonaparte
· Ramesh Prabhu is professor of journalism at Commits Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication, Bangalore. Commits offers a full-time two-year MA degree course.
· “Media Matters” welcomes questions from readers who would like to know more about careers in journalism. Please send in your queries to rd.prabhu@gmail.com.
- ALSO READ: "The future of newspaper journalism", my piece in the 35th anniversary issue of Khaleej Times.
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