In today’s age of digitization and cutting edge technology, the general public is slightly more aware about issues, products, cinema, music etc. Children are exposed to television at an early age because of which their means and capacity to absorb information has become much wider. Especially in the last decade, we have witnessed a colossal expansion in the Mass Communication Industry, with more and more magazines, news channels and media houses coming in the picture every year. Owing to stiff competition and a variety of prospects to choose from, the field seems to be transcending into a humongous sector for growth and excellence.
As a graduate of Mass Communication, you are exposed to a diverse range of career options in various mediums such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television, advertisements, public relations etc. The biggest advantage is that it gives creatively inclined people a lot of opportunities to explore and experiment. From working as an independent Film Maker to a Fashion Blogger or a Sound Engineer, there is indeed an array of opportunities as far as growth in this field is concerned.
There are several media organizations in India that have carved their own identities in the communication industry. Also, they keep providing a platform for aspirants who are looking to exhibit and explore their potential on a professional level. To name a few popular organizations, Network 18 Group, HT Media, The Times Group, NDTV Group, The Hindu Group, Indian Express Limited, India Today Group and many more. The opportunities are endless, but the hard work and dedication required is this field is surely not to be ignored.
Breaking the myth:
Earlier people thought that Mass Communication was a synonym for journalism. The fact however is that Mass Communication is all about disseminating information to the masses at local, national or international levels with or without a necessary intent. On the other hand, Journalism is more about reporting facts and informing people about something more meaningful. It is more predictable in its approach where the emphasis is on information and facts, but Mass Communication is more about letting the creative bug make the better of you. In short, Journalism is a part of Mass Communication.
Careers in this sector are not only high paying, but creatively gratifying as well as challenging. The advent of technology has created a need for qualified professionals. The different roles offered in this sector include Fashion Photographer, Film Director, Fashion Blogger, Copywriter, News Correspondent, Journalist, Producer, Radio Jockey, Screenwriter, Sound Engineer, Video Jockey, Art Director, Editor, Event Manager and Public Relations Officer. The sole objective of all these roles is to spread the message across a wide community.
Explore the different dimensions in Mass Communication:
Journalist:
We all tune into the daily happenings in our country and around the world through various mediums such as print, magazines and most of all Television, with all the fervor and passion usually reserved for Cricket and Politics, but maybe that’s because those subjects dominate our news. If we travel back to those moments that have shocked the nation like the Mumbai terror attacks, Kargil war to those golden moments which make the nation proud like the successful launch of the satellite ‘Mangalyan’ and the Tata Jaguar-Landrover takeover, there are some faces that bring us these stories and have become a part of our lives in doing so. They are the Journalists, the fourth pillar of justice in a hugely democratic country like India. As a journalist, your work should include investigating a story as soon as it breaks out, following up potential leads, developing new contacts, interviewing people face to face as well as over the phone, attending press conferences, and structure them into articles that will attract the reader’s attention. Beyond the glitz and glamour of being on television, one needs to look at the amount of hard work, dedication and perseverance that journalists posses to bring us the facts up-close, personal and objectively. Few prominent names in Indian Journalism include Arnab Goswami, Rajdeep Sardesai, Vikram Chandra, Shereen Bhan and so on.
Behind every organization is usually a man or woman (or a team) making sure that the company's message is portrayed correctly. Let’s take a famous sports brand ‘Nike’ for example. We are all aware of the company’s motivational and youth oriented campaigns and the message it delivers on a wide scale. Mrs. Keerthana Ramakrishnan, Head PR, Nike India plays a vital role in crafting communication policies and overseeing the development of all statements and press releases for the popular sports brand. As a Public Relations Head, one of her duties is to build a healthy relationship with the general public as well as journalists. Established relationships with well-connected people in the media industry make this job easier and help ensure that journalists will write well-balanced, accurate and informative articles about your employer. To opt for Public Relations as a profession, one should have a pleasing personality and the ability to develop new contacts with ease.
Copywriter:
Anybody who has a flair for writing and unmeasurable depths of imagination can take up the profession of a Copywriter. As a kid if you were hooked on to Enid Blyton, or as a teenager you developed an interest in fiction like Sidney Sheldon or Jeffrey Archer, your chances to become a copywriter are much likely. By reading extensively, you gain a solid command over the English language and become well versed with words. Copywriters are responsible for generating the words and slogans that accompany advertising visuals. Without the contributions of a copywriter, products would not sell and many organizations would have a hard time offering their services to the public. The public is bombarded by words but they read only a fraction. You have seconds to grab their attention and you need to know which pattern of words will work for you. A Copywriter must also perform research related to the product as they will need to know exactly what type of message should be portrayed. For example, Prasoon Joshi who coined the popular catchphrase ‘’Thanda Matlab Coca Cola’’, was instrumental in promoting the beverage as a cold drink. Another prominent name in this field would be Harlan Kilstein, who has carved a niche for himself through the power of his words. He has worked for major brands like Volkswagen and Toshiba. Yet another famous copywriter with an astounding record is Bob Bly. Then there's Joe Sugarman, famous for advertising materials for BluBlocker sunglasses. He is known for the reaction demo that sold millions of sunglasses.
With the advent of the FM radio everyone seems to be hooked on to the radio, especially during their morning and evening commute. Therein you have the exciting, radical and new age career option of a Radio Jockey. If you love talking, have a flair for communicating and are passionate about music, then Radio Jockeying may be the ultimate career for you. A Radio Jockey's job is a thrilling one. S/he gets to entertain and interact with a very large audience. People with a beautiful and strong voice can not only try their hand at singing but also make a difference through interaction. The primary role of a Radio Jockey is to anchor the radio show, discuss music and keep the listeners interest levels up so that they log on to the show consistently. The profession requires enthusiasm, rationality and a good sense of humour. As easy as it seems, the job of a Radio Jockey involves a lot of dedication and hard work because he is connecting to a large audience and believe me, you cannot afford to make any errors. As an aspirant, you can apply in organizations like AIR, Times FM, Radio Mid-day, Radio Star, Radio Wani and other independent radio stations. Over time a Radio Jockey can also apply for voice-over commercials, television shows and movies. The most popular Radio Jockey in India has to be Ameen Sayani, whose body of work traverses a 65 year old long career. He is hailed as the man with the ’Golden Voice’, and his inimitable style has earned him fans across generations. Few other popular RJ’s include Rahul Vaidya, Jeeturaaj, Richa Vyas and Hamid Sayani.
Film Director:
We all love watching films be it Action, Comedy, Romance, Drama, Fantasy Fiction or Neo Noir. It serves as a makeshift from the hectic lives we are living. There is a person who’s solely responsible for the execution of those films and he is known as a Director. Whether it’s a ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ or a ‘Saransh’ or a ‘Dev D’, it’s the Director who is the main creative force behind them. As a Director you can specialize in certain themes like commercial, feature, documentary or educational. Essentially, a Director is the head of the production unit which serves as a crucial link between the production, technical and creative teams who are eventually responsible for translating the script into cinematic images. It’s an incredibly demanding job and the one that requires creative vision, strong leadership and the ability to be a quintessential storyteller. Apart from possessing creative vision, directors must also understand the entire filmmaking process, which includes technical know-how, constraints of budget and most importantly the ability to turn vision into reality. It takes great amount of vision and leadership to be a Satyajit Ray, Raj Kumar Hirani, Anurag Kashyap, Shyam Benegal or a Vishal Bhardwaj. These Directors have garnered adulation not only from the Indian audiences, but leading Hollywood Directors.
For those of you who are looking to get your foot in the door towards a career in Sound Engineering, you will be happy to find that getting your foot in the door will become a way of life for you, especially if you get a chance of working in the recording industry. If you only expect to engineer, you're already behind the curve. If you own some good gear, that helps. If you can play an instrument or two, that's even better. If you're out there in the clubs and know artists and bands and can get them in to record, that's another big bonus. If you can produce, well that's another feather in the possibility hat. Sound Engineering involves operating the technical equipment that amplifies, balances, records and edits sounds for music performances, theatre, radio, film and television. They make use of various equipments to capture and edit sounds. The electronic equipments used are amplifiers, mixing consoles, dynamic range compressors, loudspeakers etc. All these equipments are very sensitive and can record the slightest variation. So if you have a knack for sounds and flexibility to work in odd hours, then this profession can provide immense amount of satisfaction. H Sridhar, a Sound Engineering prodigy from Kerala has worked closely with the maestro A.R Rahman to George Harrison of The Beatles. Similarly, there’s Ashish Manchanda, Ali Thompson, Bob Rock and many more.
Art Director:
If you have a fascination towards cinema, advertising campaigns, web designing and animation, you are almost on your way to become an ‘Art Director’. Keeping fascination aside, Art Directors need to have a number of characteristics to be successful in this profession. Not only do they have to be active listeners, they also need to have a creative inclination. They often have to come up with a number of original ideas on a certain topic and also possess the ability to envision what their idea will look like once it is executed. The role of an Art Director could be compared to that of a chef, blending different ingredients to produce a menu of delightful dishes. They make designs, manage the layout, select the appropriate photographs and review all the work that is sent in by the client. Art Directors are also in charge of managing a team of designers, illustrators, animators and copywriters to make sure that the final product is as per the client’s requirement. It is a highly paid profession, which is a driving force for aspiring Art Directors. Apart from financial perks, they are able to use their creative vision and see their hard work being executed which eventually results in emotional satisfaction. Few Art Directors who have remarkably worked for poplar Bollywood films include Samir Chanda, Aparna Raina, Sabu Cyril, Nitin Chandrakant Desai, Sharmishta Roy etc.
Video Jockey/VJ:
Have you ever been termed as a chatter box by your friends? Do you have a confident personality? Do you have a good sense of humour? If your answer is in the affirmative, then get ready for a life filled with tons of money, fame and glamour. A Video Jockey or commonly known as VJ, is a person who introduces music videos and hosts music related shows on popular channels. But that’s just an inch into their job profile. They also interact with the public, conduct celebrity interviews, and host reality shows. It is a demanding profession and a VJ needs to be at his/her very best in every frame. They must constantly be updated on the latest trends in music, all the latest videos and information about music stars and other celebrities. Many music programmes are popular just because of the quality and value a VJ brings to the show. S/he is required to choose the theme of the programme, decide the songs to be played and even prepare the script. There are lots of established VJs in India; some of them are Cyrus Suhukar, Nikhil Chinappa, Rannvijay Singh, Maria Goretti and others.
Have you ever been intrigued by plots? Do you have good story telling abilities? Do you rightfully assume what’s going to happen in the next scene? If your answer is yes, then Screenwriting might be the ultimate career for you. Screenwriters create ideas and bring stories to life through scripts in feature films, television series, animation videos and video games. As a screenwriter, you might develop your own original ideas or take extracts from a true story, an existing piece such as a novel, a play or a comic book. Script and screenplay writers are the creative minds behind the story we see in a movie, television series or a play. The profession demands an outflow of creativity as well as vision for execution. Salim- Javed, one of the most successful screenwriter duo’s in Bollywood were responsible for the phenomenon of the angry young man in the 70s personified by none other than Amitabh Bachchan. Other than that we have Prayag Raj, Gulzar, Sachin Bhowmick, Sreeram Raghavan and many more.
‘Pen is mightier than the sword’. That pretty much sums up the power and significance of communication. In today’s rapidly changing times, the field of Mass Communication has witnessed a paradigm shift with countless avenues to explore. As responsible citizens, if we raise our raise voices through effective communication, the world would be a much better place to live in.
Top Institutes offering courses in Mass Communication: