Updated: October 6, 2013 19:22 IST
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The
Hindu Journalists’ roles have evolved in the past half century, from
writing stories on a typewriter to editing on a computer; and from jotting down
everything on paper to having recording devices at their disposal. Photo:
Mohammed Yousuf
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Beyond recognising a good story, possessing all round knowledge and looking for facts, today’s journalists need to communicate their stories effectively using various mass media tools.
In the olden days, a newsroom conjured
up an image of a fading, old building, with a fan crankily spinning overhead in
a hall with stacks of paper scattered on the desk as the editorial staff
struggled to meet the deadline. The look of the newsroom may have changed, but
the enthusiasm that comes with doing an interesting story has not. This is what
keeps journalists on the go.
“You have to be prepared for long
hours and always being on the job. That isn’t a bad thing, at all — it’s very
exciting when you’re reporting a big, breaking news story. I never minded
having to go into the newsroom suddenly on a day off when some major event
occurred. It was a pleasure, and it was always me that phoned the editor, not
the other way round,” says Mark Austin, visiting professor at the Indian
Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore.
Defining a scribe
More often than not, a reporter is
driven to cover issues which excite him, apart from the usual stories he is
assigned to do on a day-to-day basis. “Curiosity is one of the defining traits
of a good journalist, who is expected to take the initiative to find out more
about the subject he/she is writing about,” says YP Rajesh, Associate Editor, The
Indian Express, New Delhi.
VK Raghunathan, Associate Professor at Asian College
of Journalism, Chennai, adds that a journalist must be able to gauge whether
the information provided by the source is factual or not.
What are the other elements a
journalist must have in mind when he sets out to do a story? David Baines,
Senior Lecturer at New Castle
University, U.K.
says, “The ability to recognise a good story and narrate it in different forums
is what characterises a good journalist.”
A different approach renders a
distinct viewpoint to a story. Ashok Malik, Delhi-based journalist and
commentator, says, “A reporter is not a stenographer. He has to make an
assessment, but this is different from giving an opinion. There is a thin line
between the two — you have to be mindful of that — which is something that
comes with the job.”
Integrity of a journalist plays a
crucial role in how a story is communicated to the masses. “Journalists have a
strong role in influencing the culture of an organisation, especially addressing
some of its approaches to doing stories, some of which may be ruining
journalism. It won’t happen unless individual journalists take a stand,” says
Professor Baines.
Journalism programmes are offered in a
number of universities around the world. Yet many journalists do not have a
degree in this field. Earlier this year, Press Council of India chairman
Markendey Katju commented that journalists should have professional degrees.
So, what is the role of journalism schools and to what extent do they groom
students? “Preparing someone to be able to be a broker of information does
require a particular skill. Journalism programmes are useful in this regard. An
institution should not limit itself to providing vocational skills, but also
include within its ambit critical and analytical approaches to doing
journalism, with an understanding of how journalism and the media fit into
society and their roles in society. Colleges should be able to give journalists
an understanding of the industry that keeps pace with the changes in
journalism,” says Professor Baines.
Journalism today
Journalists’ roles have evolved in the
past half century, from writing stories on a typewriter to editing on a
computer; and from jotting down everything on paper to having recording devices
at their disposal. Recent years have seen the burgeoning of journals and newer
platforms of mass communication.
In fact, with the onslaught of
technology and other inventions associated with the Internet, getting
acquainted with application development and other new media tools is
necessitated.
This makes it all the more important
for journalists to not only have all round knowledge, but to also update their
skills in the face of changes in technology that have made sweeping changes to
business models of newspapers. This is evidenced by the shutdown of print
editions of some of the leading international journals, as well as the recent
sale of The Washington Post to Amazon founder Jeffrey Bezos. Newsroom
integration is another of the major consequences of these changes. In mid-2013,
Network 18 said that they would set up an integrated newsroom, consisting of
its leading broadcast and digital news outlets in the business media space.
Professor Austin says, “Data mining is
one area that will expand hugely. It will be indispensable for all journalists
to have digital skills. The Indian print media is taking baby steps in this
direction. All the newspapers have websites, and most are optimised for
handheld devices. The shift away from paper to online will accelerate, and
journalists who have multimedia skills will have an advantage over those who
gambled that print will be around for another decade or two.”
Many different genres in journalism
have been explored in recent decades. Malik says, “Today’s journalists come
from diverse backgrounds both in terms of intellectual disciplines as well as
socio-economic backgrounds. Earlier, reportage was limited to government,
politics and Parliament. There was hardly any coverage of development,
environment and business, which are widely written about today.”
Business news is given significant
weightage in the leading dailies, which in addition to having a business
segment in the main edition bring out a separate business newspaper.
Gaurav Choudhary, deputy chief of
bureau, business, Hindustan Times, says, “In the coming years,
journalists who have the ability to understand business and at the same time
straddle the world of politics, government and Parliament will do better than
those who only know politics.”
Sifting news
Journalism is not confined to the
print medium or political news reporting. It is open-ended — evident with the
availability of a wide array of journals, journalism reviews, news websites,
coverage of specialised beats such as science, health and environment; and
opportunities for freelancers, photo journalists and columnists who write on
topics of their expertise.
What does a lay person choose to
read/watch in this era of information explosion? Rajesh says, “Most news that
appears in newspapers is already known to the reader because of easy access to
television and the Internet. So, how do you add value and make the report or
subject look different? Investigative journalism is what distinguishes a
newspaper or television channel — when news has become a commodity. For
instance, you could look at farmer deaths in Maharashtra.
You can probe the issue to find out the cause by going to the village, see how
other people are coping, what’s being done to address the larger problem.”
Nagpur-based journalist with The
Telegraph, Jaideep Hardikar says that journalists should start slowly and
work towards building a foundation. “It may take several years to understand
your field. You should take out time to explore the country, interact with
people — this will help you understand the social structure of society,” he
says.
bincy.m@thehindu.co.in
© The Hindu
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