It should not come as news to you now that the digital revolution has definitely transformed the way that journalists used to go about their jobs. The demands of reporting have become quick and efficient now, and you, as a journalist, will get instant feedback from your readers that will partly dictate the way you report. Digital journalism presents a whole new set of challenges for modern aspirants and no matter who says what, it does not require a rocket scientist to crack the code of becoming the top journalist of this digital age. If you are someone who will take it up as a profession in a few years, follow these tips to digitise your career and take active steps towards becoming the top journalist.
- Pick up a few digital skills
Most aspiring journalists think that the profession is all about researching and writing, but that is where the market is saturated. Media houses will definitely prefer a candidate who can not only report but also upload and that is where your digital skills will become vital in opening job doors for you. The best colleges for journalism will teach you digital skills as part of their modern curriculum and you must also go beyond that to learn a few things on your own. Photo and video editing, website creation, basic app development, and so on – the more, the merrier.
- Create a digital presence
Engage in social media platforms, write your own stories, and present your opinions. You cannot ignore the influence of social media on journalism. Try to follow the top media houses and learn the skills of the trade by scrutinising how they are going about their businesses. Participate in intellectual discussions. Share your own research. Create a digital presence across the famed platforms which can help you later to land a job. Now, you do not have to wait for a job to practice journalism. Create your own page or blog and start reporting on the topics you prefer.
- Focus heavily on training
There is a reason why every second person who can write is not a journalist. To become the top journalist in this digital age, you will need proper training surrounding modern demands. Make sure to attend all the workshops that the top IP university colleges for journalism conduct on their campuses and take the lectures seriously to build your skill. Even part-time internships are good ways to learn in the field where you can modify your knowledge as per the current industry. Journalism demands proper training and your college is the right time to build a solid foundation.
- Build your strength in a niche
Even though the online world has space for journalists reporting all possible topics under the sun, you must take your time to build your expertise on a specific niche, especially keeping in mind the trend that is setting in journalism. Only a few years ago, media houses used to write on a varied range of topics to expand their market and earn from advertisement. As revenue from that stream is drying up, their models are shifting to subscription-based earnings. This means they will now want journalists who can thoroughly research a field, provide in-depth content to its readers so that the customers feel the need to buy subscriptions.
- Work on your video presence
A part of quick and efficient journalism involves the readers watching a quick news video on the go rather than sitting through an entire article. And if you are aspiring to become a top journalist in the future where videos will rule, you need to work on your presence on camera. In the digital world, being on video is very different from news anchoring. You need to be engaging, descriptive and talk with your expressions. The top courses of the best university for journalism in Delhiinvolve video training as part of their curriculum and you must make full use of the time to pick up the required skills.
All these will make you digital-ready and you, at least, do not have to fear the transforming dynamics of your profession. Colleges like the Lingaya’s Lalita Devi Institute of Management & Sciences, affiliated to IP university and based in South Delhi, identify the modern demands and design their courses to include the current job requirements.LLDIMS is where you learn your profession to the right depths and become eligible to walk in that path to reach the helm of modern-day journalism. Absorb the expertise offered by your college. Learn the skills that will take you online. Adapt as per the demands and you shall definitely ace journalism.
