Print Media is the Oldest form of Media in Inda

Though print media is the oldest form of media, it is still on the rise and has witnessed a year-on-year growth. According to the Registrar for Newspapers, Government of India, in a year (2005-06) over 2,000 new newspapers are registered in India. These promising figures point towards increasing job opportunities in this field. 

"In India, the print media industry will continue to boom because of reading habits cultivated over generations. In print journalism, one can diversify into many fields and explore other avenues. Cartoonist and book designers are highly respected. Publishing, writing, photojournalism and other media specialisations will also continue to do well," explains Om Prakash Verma, professor in journalism, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Reporting and editing

Digging deep, finding the story and presenting it responsibly, a journalist's career is action packed and requires passion and complete dedication to excel. Print media offers opportunities in newspaper, magazines, news agencies and Internet portals.

A reporter's job entails finding and filing stories according to the publication's requirements. This involves a lot of field work, where journalist get the chance to meet people and fish for relevant stories. Whereas an editing job demands involvement in every stage of production, from planning to publishing the news. They work on the layout and add final touches to an article.

Fine writing skills, attention to detail and a good command over the language is important for journalists. Starting salary in this field can range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 per month for graduates and over Rs 10,000 per month for postgraduates.

Formal education provides a basis to break into this highly competitive field. Courses in journalism and mass communication are offered at gradate and post-graduate levels. Graduates in any field can apply for the post-graduate programmes.

Photojournalism

A picture speaks a thousand words and this art of story telling through pictures in known as photojournalism. A vocation that can turn into a profession, the passion for reporting and photography is important to excel in this field. This profession requires a journalist to capture emotions and events and make the readers feel as though they were part of the event. Three important elements to excel in this field are timeliness, narration and objectivity.

Though no formal degree is available in photojournalism in India, photography is part of journalism courses and different photography classes and diplomas are available. Internships and working under photojournalists is a path many newcomers take to build their portfolio. Starting salary is usually Rs 8,000 per month.

Editorial illustrations

Remember reading the cartoon strips in the newspaper or laughing over an illustration, of a politician? Cartoonist and art designers create drawings for the print media to visually represent ideas, concepts or stories. These illustrations frequently created for the editorial section of a magazine or newspaper, provide a visual appeal, represent data and often add a humours approach.

Illustrations can be in the form of cartoons as well as graphs, charts and maps. They are meant to help drive home a point. Art designers mainly specialise in illustrating data work in the print medium. Whereas cartoonists sketch a person or an event.

Cartoon courses are available but are usually combined with animation. This is a specialised area and creates the opportunity for a hobby to develop into a career. To break into this field, excellent drawing skills are imperative. Developing a portfolio and getting your work recognised is important in this niche market. The starting salary in this field is Rs 6,000 per month.

Printing

As the need for news and information has grown, the print industry has also evolved. Aligned with the publishing industry, printing has developed into a well established career option in today's media-driven world. Printing books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals and journals, denotes a huge amount of work and many job opportunities.

A degree in print technology after school, or a diploma, helps make a mark in this industry. Short-term certificate courses are also available is different aspects of printing. These specialised courses offer placement opportunities in the printing industry. Engineering level courses provide an effective training that look into the machinery as well as printing paints that are used for printing.

Students who want to become printing technologists should be familiar with pre-press and post-press techniques. Pre-press techniques include preparation of image carrier, letterpress, lithography, gravure and flexography. Post-press techniques include finishing operations such as cutting, folding, binding, laminating, and embossing and packaging. The starting salary for a printing technologist ranges from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.