Making News, Making Money

FROM ISSUE # 135 (March 2007) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Simrika

Have you ever wanted to break big news to the world? Do you want to expose corruption happening in your country? Do you want to see or hear your words in print or broadcast medium? Do you want to update people with what's happening around the world? If your answer is a 'yes', then journalism would be the career for you.

Journalism is a profession that involves reporting, writing, editing, photographing and broadcasting of news. With the start of private media houses and restoration of democracy in the country in 1990, its demand is increasing. And why not, news reporters and newscasters today can enjoy name, fame, and an attractive pay.

One way to get into the field is with a degree in journalism. "If you want to start afresh, you need to learn the basics by studying," says Simrika Sharma, 20, of Kantipur Television who's a third-year student of bachelors in mass communication and journalism at Madan Bhandari Memorial College. "I'd been practicing news writing as a part of my syllabus when I applied at KTV," she tells us adding, "and I think that knowledge helped me get in." It definitely did as in a year's time, she not only is very popular but also known as a young and powerful news presenter.

Lily

There are a lot of colleges in the country offering journalism studies. "Our college helps students who want to work for radio, television and newspapers," says Dr Manju Mishra, principal, College for Mass Communication and Journalism. Established in 2001, her college is equipped with a digital laboratory and a soon-to-be started FM studio, which aids in professional experiences. It also offers Bachelors' and Masters' level courses in mass communication and journalism. "They can work professionally for the station too," she says. Like her, VS Niketan College's principal Dr Baburam Pokharel also worries about students' job placement and is starting a professional youth magazine.

"We will only provide the financial support, the rest will be done by the students," he says.  At present, the college offers mass communication at +2 level but will be shortly starting bachelor-level studies. Plus two or bachelors' in any faculty is the minimum criteria to pursue the graduation and post-graduation course.

Though Mishra and Pokharel think alike about entering the field armed with a  degree—one of the journalists of Samay, Nabin Aryal thinks otherwise.

"A degree is a plus point but not the only way to be a journalist; your knowledge and your reporting counts the most," he says. A graduate with economics and mathematics as his major subjects, Nabin started his career as a sports journalist for Naya Sadak, a monthly magazine; then worked at Rajdhani daily for three years before finally moving to Samay. The recently-promoted senior journalist Nabin also writes about politics and other national issues.

Lily Vaidya, 24, of Nepal 1 has similar opinion too. Lily studied hotel management from the UK and then BA in sociology from Nepal. She started her career as a newsreader at Kantipur FM and then worked at Image Channel for a while before moving to Nepal 1. "Here, we have to work 13 hours a day," she says. But is she paid well? "Compared to others, we are," she says. Lily now wants a masters' degree in journalism. "It's time for me to strengthen my abilities," she adds.

Regardless of the ways of getting into the field, one thing is for sure—people are concerned about news and there are a lot of media houses for job placements. "And we can even work as communications managers if we want a change of the career," says Simrika.