TV Media: Segments, Careers, Pros And Cons
In the age of breaking news, news channels have become the preferred choice for people entering in the media profession. Most of the prominent news anchors these days were once print journalists working with some newspaper. Owing to their experience in print, they have in-depth knowledge about most issues, making it easy for them to hold discussions on more or less anything.
How Does TV Media Work?
Earlier, news on TV used to run twice or thrice in a day on a national channel. However, with the coming of private news channels, a cycle of 24-hour news began and attracted the audience. Over a period of time, many news channels started broadcasting and multiple job opportunities came up. TV news channels hire across various segments. Let us take a look at each of these job roles and help you understand which of these might be a good fit for you, if you’re looking at working in TV media.
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Reporting
No matter what form of media you work for, reporting jobs will be available in every media organisation as reporters are the most integral part of the newsroom. If you like to be the centre of action and are not camera-shy, the job of a TV news reporter might be meant for you. Initially, reporters are asked to collect news bytes from prominent personalities, and with experience, reporters begin working on a particular beat and cultivate sources.
Working In Shifts | While in print media, reporters have the freedom to work as per their time schedules, reporters in TV news channels work in shifts. One must be careful to not get distracted by the glamour that comes with the job and focus on reporting facts. Since most news now breaks on TV, the reporter has to be careful and check the authenticity of the news they are broadcasting.
Sensitivity | Apart from talking about facts, a reporter needs to be sensitive as well. For example, during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, a lot of news channels aired live coverage, giving information about the action taken by Indian forces. This gave advantage to the terrorists, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had to come up with guidelines for live news.
Multitasking | Like a newspaper, TV channels also have reporters covering health, education, crime, infrastructure, sports, business, politics and entertainment, and many-a-times, reporters have to multitask. For example, if a health reporter is on shift and some political development has taken place, they should be able to go live and inform the viewers about that development. That is why basic knowledge of the daily events is a must for a reporter.
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Having broad knowledge about current affairs is essential to work in TV Media
Cameraperson
Camerapersons are mostly behind the camera but without them, TV news will lose its charm. One of the most important things that TV news reporters have to keep in mind is that every story needs to have a visual, which is what makes camerapersons an indispensable part of the industry. While basic training is a must for a cameraperson, most of the knowledge comes while working in the field.
However, with the use of mobile cameras, many news channels have stopped hiring camerapersons to cut costs. Reporters are rather asked to shoot videos from the phone. Some, though, still continue to hire for better-quality videos.
It will take time to see what the future holds but the need for video persons is likely to sustain in the near future.
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Video Editing
Like a newspaper requires someone to sit in an office, shorten and bring precision to the report filed by reporters, TV channels also require someone with the same skill set. However, for becoming a video editor, apart from having a nose for news, the person should be hands-on with the softwares that are used to edit the videos and embed text in-between.
Sometimes, videos shot by reporters and camerapersons could be, let's say, an hour- long, and the job of the video editor would be to convert it into a two-minute story.
Good thing is that video editors are required not only by news channels but also by many other industries who shoot videos for promotion. It could be a production company that shoots and edit documentaries, or even a film production house.
So, if you have the skill, there will be unlimited opportunities, not only in journalism but also in fields beyond that.
Anchoring
This is one job which is attracting young talent to journalism, primarily because of the glamour attached to it. In the recent past, TV news channels have emerged as the fastest way to access news but have now been overtaken by social media. This has made TV media a preferred choice for youngsters looking for a career in the media. The job requires a lot of attention, sometimes round-the-clock awareness, and also the ability to absorb pressure.
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While glamour might be the added attraction, one must be confident enough to tackle any question in front of the camera. That confidence comes from having knowledge, and knowledge, in turn, comes from reading. Having broad knowledge about current affairs is essential to work in TV.
However, it is advisable to spend time in the field for about 5-7 years before looking to take up the role of an anchor.
The author is Editor with a leading English newspaper and wishes to remain anonymous.
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Explore Career Options (By Industry)
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Publisher
A career as a publisher is one of the most revered careers in the media industry. It is a high-pressure job. A publisher gives direction to where the publication wants to head in terms of content. A publisher offers the chance and space for advertisers to display commercials in their applications or on web pages.
A publisher is required to not only plan but also execute key ideas that could be beneficial for the publishing house. He or she is responsible for all aspects of a publication from development to distribution of the book, newspaper and journal. In this article, we will discuss how to become a publisher in India, skills, and Publisher eligibility.
Journalist
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Students can pursue Journalism, Mass Communication to opt for a journalism career path. Here, in this article, we will discuss career opportunities for communicators and journalists, journalism career paths, how to become a journalist in India, the highest-paying jobs in journalism, and alternative careers for journalists.
Editor
Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.
Reporter
A reporter is a professional who gathers and presents the news to the public and spreads awareness about what goes on around the world. A career as a reporter is one of the most demanding yet rewarding professions in the modern world.
A news reporter may conduct interviews and reach out to people's locations to capture or absorb their reactions to the news story to be published in a newspaper or broadcast on television. A reporter always investigates the authenticity and accuracy of a news headline before the general public. A reporter may specialise in different fields and roles.
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A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications.