What You Need To Know About a Journalism Career

A career in journalism seems exciting and glamorous. And in a way, it is. Your job will be definitely not boring because you get to experience new things and meet different people. Some will even have the chance to visit foreign lands and try out different food even while doing your job and getting paid for it. Some lucky ones will even have access to the most exclusive parties and hobnob with celebrities. They are treated like royalty and given freebies and gifts for their effort.

But the same way that it is exciting and glamorous, it is also a harrowing and taxing job. Although they are seen to be partying and talking with people, they are actually setting the foundation for their work, which is broadcast news or a write-up on a newspaper. Even while talking to people, they are already subtly asking questions and forming conclusions in their head. It may seem like subterfuge but hey, that’s just how the industry works.

Thus, they may appear like they are enjoying themselves but in truth, their mind and their heart is not really in the partying mood. They are instead working to get a story and get the facts for that story. And that can involve a lot of work. It’s not something as simple as asking questions. Journalists need to verify what they have heard and get a reliable source that they can quote. It would be good if they can get an interview with the person involved in the issue but most of the time, this is not possible so they need to find someone close to that person and get a statement from them. Finding a really reliable source is important if you want to create a credible name in the industry and also to avoid lawsuits and libel cases.

Yes, journalists can be sued for what they have written. This is because what they write shape the public’s thought, opinion and perception of things and people. If what they say is not true, it can harm the image of a person, a business or any entity. Thus, it is important they be careful with what they say and write.

Writing is not at all easy either. You don’t just write what you want and let the readers fill in the blanks. You need to be able to give them a complete set of information without really making it appear that you are. That is the beauty of journalism, giving them what you think without directly telling them or boring them with all the details.

As much as possible, a journalist must be able to say what they mean in the shortest possible way that is interesting and comprehensible. This is especially true with broadcast news that needs to keep it short. The minutes are after all precious in airtime.

A career in journalism may seem easy and ideal but like everything else in this world, it is not. When you really look at it closely, you will realize that it is as much work as being a secretary or being an office assistant. The only difference is you get to experience different things while doing your job. And maybe this is where the difference and the advantage of this industry lie.

Still, to become a journalist, you need to be focused, skillful, passionate and generally good at your job like with every other jobs there are (Magazine “Profession – journalist”. № 5, 2009).

II. Match the words with their definitions:

hobnob (дружеская беседа)	very shocking or frightening and making you feel very upset;
celebrity (знаменитость)	An informal meeting with rich and famous people.
harrowing (мучительный)	people’s feelings or thoughts about smth\smb, rather than a fact;
public opinion	to send out programmes on television or radio\to tell a lot of people about smth;
to broadcast	A secret, usually dishonest way of behaviour.
subterfuge (отговорка)	A famous well-known person.

III. Complete the sentences:

a) A career in journalism is …...

b) A journalist will ………., ……, …...

c) If a journalist tells a lie, he can …...

d) The advantage of career in journalism is …..

e) To become a journalist you need to be …...

Дата добавления: 2015-07-11