Ever dream of being one of those journalists who work for New York Times or The Huffingtonpost? Probably, it’s as good as dreaming of being the next Bollywood star. A few in a crowd of millions reach that level where the public gets to see their face. Others are left behind back office. However, we would be giving a few tips which would help you become the face of some or the other media organization and may even help you get to the top should luck assist. Careers in Journalism is not an easy Career. In this session let us share some tips about “How to become a good Journalist?”.
Learn to love Controversy
I wouldn’t have suggested this if I wasn’t working for an online news company myself. Here we can check the very exact number of hits on each and every post we write. And trust me, the difference in the number of hits is huge. Good or bad, the fact is that people don’t read news for news. They read it to get that kick. Give that expression that see, this is what happens in the world, etc. eg. I wrote an article “Obama’s visit to India and it conclusion”. It got 31 hits from a net American + Indian crowd. The other one was where a girl video recorded an eve teaser and that one got about 16,000 plus hits. So, in order to become a successful journalist, start loving controversy more than news.
Make a personal blog
Although one’s preference may differ on whether to join an offline news company or an online news site, but making a personal site adds huge to your portfolio. Suppose in my case, I used vedamalhar.com to apply for media organizations and my CV was shortlisted separately. As very obvious, no one can judge your personality in one short interview. Your personal blog is where the recruiter can check your personality. Even once you are on the go, your readers would love to read your personal blog to understand your opinion and the reason behind your opinion. This would be one main reason to gain fame.
Try online news sites as a starter
Well, one reason to suggest online media along with offline media is the claim you get on your work there. I mean, you must have read headline news in the newspaper yesterday. Who wrote it? I am sure you won’t know the name of the journalist behind it. The reason is that print media does not show the names of the journalists who brought the news. Even if they do so at times, it’s just a micro-script at the top. Online media is different. They show your name, photograph, short bio, etc. Thus, if you need a name, online media is a must join. Even if print media is your final goal.
Attend media parties and make friends with the influential
Trust me, it’s not that hard as it seems with the words “attend media parties”. Whenever someone launches a brand and organizes a meet, believe me, they fall short of attendees. Means who has time to attend that. Now, this is where you can get the invite quite easily. Having a personal blog as suggested above helps a lot while getting invitations for bloggers meets. Building a reputation among the famous with be your ladder to success in the long run.
Act mature and smart on the screen and in public
As a reader or viewer, I am to be impressed by your opinion if and only if I find you mature enough to give your own honest view. Otherwise, it would be like imitating what is being said on other channels anyways. Why would someone prefer to be your fan?
Be bold and fearless
With the only condition that you write the truth, you should not have anything else to fear about. Even if it means writing against the government. Even if it means writing about a religion or a community. As far as it’s true, it’s legal. And this is the best way to appear controversial. This is what people want to read. Don’t fear using harsh words keeping a tab on cuss words. This gives a particular feel to your articles. It helps you connect with your audience.
Be selfish
Unlike other industries, journalism has limited seats on the top level. It’s either you or your friend. Not both of you. So every ladder you climb needs to be a step on someone else’s head. This might sound unethical but sorry, you will have to be selfish and opportunistic to grow in this industry.
