Opt for BBA in tourism

Q. I am planning to go into journalism after competing my graduation this year. I am fond of writing and debating but I am very confused about what to expect and how to go about choosing the right course. Any pointers? — Ashna Malhotra

A. Over the years journalism, especially electronic journalism, has become an attractive, meaningful and extremely competitive profession. Not just the glamour, which includes the possibility of meeting celebs face-to-face, but it also gives you a platform to influence people and make a difference.

Along with the boom in the media business there’s, simultaneously, been a boom in journalism and mass communication schools which come in all denominations — the good, the bad and the ugly. You need to carefully check out their offerings and quality before signing up. While some are downright lousy, some are world-class.  

The good ones make sure you master the 'fundamentals'. Just because you have a flair for writing or speaking confidently doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be successful in print or electronic media. While these are useful starting points, you need to augment your natural talent with a sharp understanding of the 'craft' of journalism. In other words, you have to learn the rules of the trade, its grammar and vocabulary. A decade or two ago there were few professional courses for someone interested in journalism. Most of the stalwarts learnt on-the-job, which was the usual route. Some of the best journos India has produced began as trainees or 'copy boys/girls' — which meant you learnt by seeing, absorbing and asking questions. Now, you have the possibility of spending a year or two in a journo school and cutting short the training period. Whether you choose print or TV or electronic journalism, one of the things they won't teach you in journo schools is how to work under pressure (deadlines). While we sleep at night, news never sleeps! You will only learn this when you’re actually on the job.

Do pick your school wisely. And once you’ve done that you’ll merge ewith a sound all-round knowledge to get started. The rest you’ll pick up along the way.