How to Become a Journalist: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Ever wondered what it takes to uncover the truth behind breaking news or stand in front of the camera reporting live? Journalism isn’t just a career, it’s a calling for those who wish to inform, inspire, and impact society.”

Journalism has always been a popular profession pursued by millions of students every year. With great career opportunities, competitive starting salaries, and endless other possibilities, journalism turns out to be a perfect career choice for most students who are looking for a secure career option. In this blog, we’ll dive into the world of journalism and find out how to become a journalist in simple and easy steps.

How To Become a Journalist In India

Becoming a journalist in India can be highly rewarding, as the career offers multiple benefits like great salaries, tonnes of networking opportunities, a chance to increase your face value, and many others, like the professionals having a lot of different exposures, reporters especially who have to travel to different places to research and collect data and also to broadcast news details. All these benefits often attract a lot of new students who have just completed their 12th class to choose journalism as a career.

However, many people out there often find themselves questioning, “Who is a journalist?” and

“What do journalists do?”

So, a journalist is a person whose job it is to gather facts, news, and audio-visual data to stitch it all together into a newsworthy form and make it reach the common people in the form of audio, visual, or written format. The audio formats include podcasts and radio programmes, while visuals can be television and internet video streaming, and written formats can include both print and web.

Roadmap To Becoming a Journalist

Below is a complete roadmap of how you can turn your dream of becoming a journalist into a reality.

Complete class 12th from a recognised board in India
Appear for the CUET or university entrance exams
Pursue a journalism course such as Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication, Mass Communication, Journalism, or any relevant journalism course.
Develop your research, presentation, and writing skills.
Work as an intern and build a strong portfolio
Find a job in a related field and work as a journalist

What To Study to Become a Journalist In India

As an aspiring journalist, it can get really difficult to choose from all the courses and specialisations that are being offered. From the all-time popular Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC) to an MA in Journalism, there are multiple courses that can help you meet your career goals effectively.

To ease the process for you, we’ve mentioned the most popular courses pursued by journalism aspirants and the course details so that you can choose the course that perfectly aligns with your career goals and helps you further in professional life.

Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC)

Commonly pursued by almost every other journalism aspirant, BJMC is a 3-year undergraduate programme that serves as a foundation for most journalism aspirants who have just completed their 12th grade.

The course is a popular choice for its curriculum, which is mostly focused on the latest trends and industry requirements to carve out a journalist of the modern era from you.

BA in Journalism

The 3-year undergraduate course focuses solely on aspects of journalism and the arts, media, and news industries. The course focuses on teaching industry-ready skills, including public relations, media ethics, digital media, editing, reporting, research, production, and a lot more, so that one becomes a powerhouse of all the skills a journalist may require in their career.

PG Diploma in Journalism

Unlike the regular journalism diploma courses, a PG Diploma in Journalism is a 1-year diploma course that trains students to specialise in multiple fields of journalism. For this, the course focuses on imparting key skills and knowledge through training and field experience.

5 Essential Skills Required to Become a Journalist

To thrive in journalism, you must build these 5 essential skills to become an outstanding journalist:

Excellent written and verbal communication
Strong research and analytical ability
Creativity and storytelling skills
Understanding of digital tools and media ethics
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

How to Become a Journalist With K.R. Mangalam University

At K.R. Mangalam University, our three-year BJMC undergraduate course offers the perfect blend of sustainable practices and media trends to fuel holistic training in communication, media, and journalism.

We ensure that our students get valuable exposure to global communication and media & journalism concepts through exchange programmes and guest lectures clubbed with world-class facilities, including computer labs, multi-purpose studios, and equipment, to carve the very best out of our students.

Moreover, we ensure that our students end up becoming jacks of all trades, where they’re capable of creating all forms of media, including print, audio-visual, motion, creative, and written content, by using all the industrial practices.

Eligibility Criteria for Journalism at KRMU

To pursue a Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication course from K.R. Mangalam University, the candidates must have completed their 10+2 from any stream from a recognised board in India while securing at least a minimum of 50% aggregate marks.

The admission process for the K.R. Mangalam BJMC course is as follows:

Fill out the K.R. Mangalam University registration form and pay a minimal submission fee.
Take the K.R. Mangalam Entrance Exam (KREE).
Upon clearing the examination, you’ll have to appear for a faculty-led interview.
Once the process is complete, you’ll receive an acceptance letter from the university.

Fresher Journalist Job Roles and Salaries In India

Job Role	Job Description	Average Salary
Photojournalist	Make use of your photography skills to capture moments that tell a news story.	3.6 – 4.8 LPA
Political Journalist	Cover politics-related news on all formats (rural/nationwide/international) and convey the latest political news to the public.	4.2 – 6.6 LPA
New Anchor	Conduct interviews, and work with journalists and reporters to gather data to cover breaking stories and news for the public.	2.4 – 4.2 LPA
Entertainment Journalist	Have a passion for any field of the entertainment industry? Glorify it by working as an entertainment journalist and put your passion to work.	3.6 – 6 LPA
Broadcast Journalist	Engage the audience through compelling audio and videos stitched perfectly together.	3 – 4.8 LPA

(Note: The salary details are sourced from the internet and, hence, can vary.)

List of All Top Journalist Recruiters

The table below shows some of the top recruiters from the media field that hire journalists.

HT Media	Zee Network	ABP Network
Republic Bharat	Network 18	The Pioneer
BBC News	The Hindu	India TV

Conclusion

The landscape of career opportunities in journalism is vast, which has something to offer everyone. From desk jobs to reporting in the fields, compiling stories, and curating and editing written pieces to convey accurate information, the fluidity that journalism offers in its career options is incredible, which makes journalism a highly in-demand course. We hope this blog could guide all aspiring journalists on how to become a journalist and that you’ll choose the best career path for yourselves.

Most Raised Queries

Is there any way to become a journalist in just 3 years?

You can easily become a journalist in 3 years by completing your journalism course. However, also try working as a journalist intern during your course to bag some great opportunities by the end of the course.

Who are the highest paid journalists in India?

Arnab Goswami – 12 Crore per annum
Anjana Om Kashyap – 4 Crore per annum
Rajat Sharma – 5 Crore per annum
Sudhir Chaudhary – 4 Crore per annum

(Note: The salary details are sourced from the internet and, hence, can vary.)

How much does the Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication Programme at KRMU cost?

At KRMU, the total fee for the 3 year BJMC course is Rs 4,50,000 (1.5 Lakhs per Year).

How can I pursue an internship in journalism?

You can constantly look for internships in journalism in the newspaper job openings, job portals, and applications like Internshala,LinkedIn, Naukri.com, and Indeed.

Which is the best college or university to pursue a journalism degree course?

K.R. Mangalam University is the best university to pursue a journalism degree as it has been rated as one of the top private universities in Haryana and North India to pursue a BJMC course.

What is the average salary of a journalist in India?

Freshers can expect to earn between ₹3–6 LPA, depending on their job role, media organisation, and skillset. With experience, salaries can go well beyond ₹10–15 LPA in senior positions or as anchors/reporters.