What is Broadcast Journalism: Types, Courses, Tuition Fees, Top Colleges & Career Option

Aiming to be a Broadcast Journalist? Learn all about Broadcast Journalism here.

What is Broadcast Journalism?

What is Broadcast Journalism? - Broadcast journalism makes up a significantly large part of all media avenues out there. It has gone on since the advent of radio and has evolved immensely over the years. Mass media and journalism graduates from all over aim to build a career in Broadcast Journalism. These students can go on to become producers, news anchors, editors, VJs, technicians, cameramen, directors, ADs, etc. In this article, we will discuss how to define this broad term, its elements, broadcast in the digital landscape, courses and institutes to study, famous broadcast journalists, etc. Read further to learn more. 

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Broadcast Journalism - Definition

The dissemination of information to a large audience through electronic mediums and platforms like radio, television and the internet is called Broadcast Journalism. It is particularly distinct from print media due to its extensive use of audio, visual and spoken word elements. Since the medium is electronic, broadcast journalism is often done in real-time and at other times, it is prerecorded. Unlike print media, it is more engaging for its target audience and offers an enhanced understanding of content. The news, information and entertainment offered through broadcast can be consumed on the go. It also often employs storytelling to convey information instead of just laying out facts. 

Types of Broadcast Journalism 

The various types of broadcast journalism are listed below. 

• Television Journalism - This is the most popular and most visible type of broadcast journalism. People from almost all age groups turn to their television sets and switch to news channels during their free time, while doing chores, during meals, etc. In a country like ours, the reach of television journalism only comes second to that of radio. News bulletins, documentaries, live news coverage, live sports events, panel discussions on news and sports events, etc. are some broadcast journalism pieces that we often come across on television. 
• Radio Journalism - Radio is, without a doubt, the first and the largest platform for broadcast journalism. What started as a piece of military communication equipment has now become a common device for news and entertainment among civilians. Nowadays, people often turn to their car radio sets while driving. While music is a large part of radio broadcasts, people also get to know about the weather, traffic-heavy areas and ads for local businesses through this medium. 
• Online Broadcast Journalism - With the internet so popular now, creators also broadcast using YouTube channels, podcasts, live streams, etc. 

The above-mentioned types of broadcasts converge to a large extent. Almost all news channels now have a social media presence, where their audience can engage with them more easily. Radio jockeys have social media handles where they can engage with their audience outside of brief talk shows on the radio. Shows that have already been run on television or radio can be easily found on the internet and can be accessed with the mobility that the internet allows. 

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Technical Aspects of Broadcast Journalism 

The technical aspects of broadcast journalism can be divided broadly into 3 - audio, video and transmission. Let’s learn some more about them. 

• Audio in Broadcast Journalism - Sound is a massive part of broadcast journalism. While media like radio shows, podcasts, etc. solely rely on audio, television and internet videos are also incomplete without it. Sound engineers employ microphones for recording sound, and digital audio workstations to edit, manipulate and sync sound with its video content. Handling audio equipment and editing creates employment for people in broadcast journalism.
• Video in Broadcast Journalism - Broadcast production extensively uses camera, lighting, and video editing softwares. Both television and online broadcast journalism feature videos in almost all of their content (except static content). This opens up opportunities for videographers, video editors, lighting professionals and others who assist them. 
• Transmission - Compared to when broadcasts first came into existence, transmission has come a long way. It has become more efficient, faster and smoother. Transmission of a broadcast is done by means of radio waves, satellites, transoceanic fibre optic cables, the internet, etc. The set-up and maintenance of these mediums also require a significant workforce. 

Courses to Pursue a Career in Broadcast Journalism

In our country, journalism courses are offered at the undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma levels. The eligibility requirements for these courses are also quite relaxed. These courses almost always have broadcast journalism in their curriculum with very few exceptions. Some popular journalism and media courses that can give students a headstart in a broadcast journalism career are mentioned in the table below. 

Some institutes also offer BSc and MSc courses in media studies, journalism and mass communication. However, they are not as common in India.

Top Institutes to Study Broadcast Journalism

Some popular institutes in India where aspiring students can pursue broadcast journalism are listed below. 

Also, check out the complete list of mass communication and media colleges in India.

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Famous Broadcast Journalists 

There are many famous journalists who have contributed a lot to broadcast journalism and have become household names in our country. Some of them are - 

• Ravish Kumar - Ex-Senior Executive Editor at NDTV, YouTuber 
• Rajat Sharma - Editor-in-Chief at India TV, Talk Show Host
• Arnab Goswami - Managing Director, Editor-in-Chief at Republic Media Network, News Anchor 
• Faye D’Souza - Ex-Executive Editor at Mirror Now (Times Group), Social Media Personality 
• Prannoy Roy - Ex-Executive Co-Chairperson at NDTV, Economist, Psephologist, CA, Journalist, Author
• Anjana Om Kashyap - Managing Editor at Aaj Tak, News Anchor
• Barkha Dutt - TV Journalist, Author, Owner of digital news channel ‘MoJo Story’

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