Bleak, dark and hopeless –these are what you will generally hear when the topic of the future of journalism comes up in this digital age but the actual story is really not that hopeless. Without a doubt, the world wide web has had the most profound impact in the field of journalism and has changed the dimension of the entire sector. The big newspapers are seeing a decline in their printed version purchasers but their online subscribers are going on increasing. This is creating a fresh demand for new journalists with a sound technical knowledge and the digital age is actually bringing more positives into the field.
As budding journalists, it is natural to ponder upon the possibilities that await you after passing out from one of the best colleges for journalism. With fewer readers for the printed versions, the scope of landing a job there definitely seems bleak. As for the digital form, the scenario is entirely different. The online side of journalism is where opportunities are endless and the field is far away from dying. There are two edges to this sword after all and it’s not necessary that you will have to end up on the wrong side.
There’s more competition, but there are that many opportunities
You may not be a part of the Telegraph or the Hindustan Times, but you may work as a journalist for Scoophoop or Buzzfeed. Your profile will remain the same and your salary will be comparable as well. The ease of publication and the reach of the audience through the digital medium has brought in more players into the market which literally translates into more opportunities. If one door closes due to revenue-generation reasons, there are always others waiting for you just around the corner. Unlike the previous generation and before the internet appeared, your journalism career was over after trying a few big firms.The digital age brings along openings.
News travels faster in the digital medium, which creates more job profiles
The reality does not have to wait overnight now to find its way to the papers. While things are happening in real time, people begin to search for them online and the newspapers must provide to hold on to their readers. Due to this, the brands need more people to man their different departments and post an update almost immediately upon their arrival. There has to be a field agent, a writer, an editor and a publisher working in tandem behind one single news. All these combined create that many job profiles and firms have no alternative but to hire that many people to stay ahead of the competition. Naturally, the demand for qualified journalists are higher now and a degree from the best university for journalism in Delhi like the Lingaya’s Lalita Devi Institute of Management & Sciences will help you to make an easy cut. It is a premier IP university college based in South Delhi, and offers a reputed course in Journalism.
There are independent platforms for posting news, and you can harness that
In this digital age, you really do not have to join a newspaper brand to become a journalist. The internet has grown to be more user-friendly in the past decade and you don’t have to be tech savvy to post your story online. You can research, generate a news and post it on social media. Or you can choose publishing platforms like the Medium or Tumblr to reach out to the available audience. You may also choose to have your own personal blog where you can have live feeds and gain your own set of subscribers and ultimately stay away from all these talks of an uncertain future. And in the end, if you do want to be a part of a big company, use the profile that you have built online as your portfolio to have an easy ticket. Journalism, in the digital age, is that simple.
And finally, you can choose your topic for journalism
Politics, sports or technology. Automobile, travel or finance. The internet has made information so easily available and readers are now privy to a variety of fields. They subscribe to the newspapers that have all the options and trust the ones that churn out daily news in all. So, even while studying at the top IP university colleges for journalism and after passing out, you have the option to choose your preferred field to be a journalist in and build your expertise accordingly. All sectors have a comparable number of readers and there is demand for reporters in all fields. Before the internet, only a few sectors made it to the papers. Now, every topic must be covered on the website.
So, rise beyond the talks of uncertainty and follow your passion to be a journalist. The digital age presents more opportunities than curbing them. Develop your skills, select the right institute and begin a flying career without hesitation.
