Media careers count among the most exciting that you can pursue. Work in media gives a journalist a chance to meet new people, write stories that are important to the public, and to experience a job in which no two days are the same. However, the landscape of the media has changed a lot in recent years because of new technology, which means that if you're seriously thinking about getting a bachelor of communication or a bachelor of journalism, you need to look closely at what each academic program has to offer: A program that doesn't teach you the traditional journalism skills along with new media skills will not help prepare you for this competitive career.
Traditional Skills
The foundation of journalism has always been a few set of skills. First and foremost, you should have the ability to write clearly and concisely, following the AP style guidelines. Most news outlets still expect a journalist to write in the inverted pyramid style, meaning that the most important information is in the first few sentences of the story.
A good journalist also has excellent research skills. Finding out the background to a story before you write about it is essential. This comes from not only reading what has been written about the subject before, but asking careful questions during the interview process. It also means listening actively to what the interview subject says so that you can ask pertinent follow up questions.
A journalist should also know something about media law, ethics, and how government and local institutions function in order to report on them more accurately.
Media and Digital Skills
Reporters who work in broadcast media like radio or television must know something about how a video camera or sound recorder, microphones, editing software and other tools work. In the past, even those who worked in print media were expected to know how to operate a camera, especially if they worked for small newspapers, which often were a one-stop shop for the reporter.
However, today, journalists are also expected to know about how web tools like flash animation, basic web design, HTML, social media, and podcasting work. Additionally, many print journalists are finding that they are expected to know more about how to use video or sound or how to create slide shows because their work will be seen in more than one format.
Putting It Together
Because of budget cuts and the proliferation of fan-based reporting, aspiring journalists should look at college journalism or communication degrees that will not only offer classes in these new subjects, but also offer hands-on experience. Many bigger university programs have student radio, newspapers, TV stations, and online web outlets. These media outlets help the student put their new skills into practice before heading out into the real world to find a job.
Finally, more media companies than ever before are using freelancers for specific stories because the cost of keeping a stable of journalists all the time is too expensive. The savvy future journalist will also look at college programs that teach entrepreneurial skills to help him or her develop a business plan and a brand that will help ensure future employment.
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Jim Cantrell is a lifestyle blogger who blogs on a wide variety of topics including geekery, technology and education. His style of writing is ecclectic and varied. If you want to know more about college education, visit http://www.bond.edu.au/degrees-and-courses/index.htm and read about our fields of study that can help you achieve a successful career.
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