It's bulletin time!

I'm in the middle of a tough semester. It's news bulletin time! Despite being a marketing student, I'm glad I've got the opportunity to try my hand at broadcast journalism. I've always been in awe of news reporters, and had at times wished to hold a mike, face the camera, and do what I now know is called a PTC or Piece to Camera.

The experience so far has been very challenging-- right from zeroing down on a good story idea, to deciding the name of the news channel, finalising the signature tune, getting an apt montage, etc, have been things that have given me great insight into how a news channel works. I have also discovered how different print journalism is from television journalism. There is a vast difference in how both are scripted; simply because in the latter, the visuals do most of the talking.

 Script writing for a television news story has been the most interesting thing I've learnt so far. Writing to visuals, editing text to suit the needs of stills/graphics/visuals, and all other nitty-gritties are some of the many things I'm glad I've learnt. Holding the camera correctly, taking the right shots, recording sound bites, coaxing people to talk on camera -- are experiences I will always cherish.

Even though I will not get into this profession, I am happy to have learnt all that I did, and am still learning. Making the news bulletin in the second semester at Commits will in a large way teach me what it means to be a professional, and the hardships that one has to face to do anything perfectly, or almost perfectly.
With this, I wish all my classmates all the very best for their respective news stories. I hope we raise the bar this time again and all our relentless efforts bear fruit :)

All that I have learnt

The media...

Lights, camera, action...  are probably the first three words that come to people’s minds when they think about the media industry. Glamour, fashion, and pots of money are characteristics of this profession, assume those who sit at home and watch their favourite celebrities on television, making news. I was also under the same impression until a few years ago. I thought that everything about the media, everything about the industry was resplendent with glitz, fame, and big bucks. What I failed to see or understand, was the hard work and labour that goes into making a media professional.

When I became interested in being a part of this industry, I knew that I wanted to do so without being seen, or rather without being in front of the camera. I decided to be a part of it handling its work behind the scenes. So a career in public relations seemed to appeal to me the most. When I came to Commits, I knew that I wanted to be an MMC (Marketing and Management Communications) student. But after coming here, I realised that I was spoilt for choice. Today, brand management, advertising, retailing, and event management also seem lucrative and alluring options. But knowing what I am good at, I will stick to PR, for as long as I can. I’m of course glad that at the end of my course I will have a good knowledge about all the other fields which will help me in case I need a change.

Training to be a media professional had opened my eyes in more ways than one. Correct grammar, good writing, a whole lot of reading, presence of mind, a plethora of talent and creativity, street-smartness, persistence, and more than enough dedication are what one needs to thrive in this profession. Understanding what the public wants is foremost when you are a part of this industry. You’re constantly ‘selling’ yourself, marketing yourself in such a way that you look appealing to your target audience. The other side of this is that there are people who help groom you in a way that you have mass appeal. This is not just true for people it is also true for products that are advertised every day. It is all about how you ‘package’ yourself. Just as a consumer can be fed up of using the same product because it does not add any value to his or her life anymore, similarly, a star might not be as appealing to his or her fans if he or she is either replaced by a younger star, or does not perform up to his or her potential. Thus, it is all about changing with the times. Since the media survives because of the masses—it is the common man who decides the fate of a person or a product, it is HE who needs to be kept happy all the time. 

The job is not easy. For that matter, nothing really is. But if you keep at it, needless to say, the rewards are many. The success is exhilarating! But that DOES NOT come easy—you have to work your way to the top...

So this is what I have learnt so far, and I hope to learn much more as time goes by...