ShikshaTopQuestions-Mass Communication

TIP: Bachelor of Mass Media and BA in journalism are same courses minus the fact that some universities/colleges do not teach electronic media in BA (Journalism). Please check the details of the course before you apply for it in a certain college/university.
Both these courses require practical hands-on experience along with theoretical classes. For instance, theoretical knowledge about how to do reporting and specific tips for it can be mugged up from textbooks and written in the answer sheets for an exam but the skills come handy only when practical experience is gained on the field. Same goes for camera handling and video editing - which one cannot learn unless they have in-depth knowledge of the equipment they have to use. Hence, a distance learning in this course will not help the candidate who means to pursue a career in mass media.
This being said, if the candidate wants to do a degree only to get an 'undergraduate' tag in their CV and not take up the course as a platform to pursue their career then distance learning is your thing.

1. You don't need to be a hardcore journalism student to become an editor nowadays, you just need to have a flair for writing. Why do I warrant this is because I did engineering but became an editor later on.
2. Start applying for content writer jobs and you will surely get a job somewhere.
3. After gaining experience for a year or so, you can knock at the door of any newspaper, you stand a chance.
4. Online newspaper or more accurately newsletters are more in demand, so you can try for web content writing in newspapers.
The role has changed over the years in Indian publications, as with the change in the digital media the work procedure and trends has changed. One has to be very active and updated with the news and with online portals you need to keep updating the news on time. There is no time now to keep waiting for the next release and therefore, the roles have changed over the last few years.

There is an answer to a related question about the courses in question: https://ask.shiksha.com/what-are-the-career-prospects-in-india-and-abroad-for-ma-in-film-television-and-new-media-production-qna-4393242
The above question has attracted three expert replies and takes us to a better understanding of what job are available after it and how can one get a job.
The aspect here is not about sharing that there are jobs in the above profile and skill sets. But the question still remains where the things are taught in real serious and responsible manner.
If the graduation has been a learning activity and there is a job coming your way through graduation, then doing a PG in distance is okay but the candidate has to work very hard; really hard on the personal+professional front.
https://ask.shiksha.com/is-it-worth-to-pursue-a-ba-in-video-editing-and-videography-from-distance-learning-in-india-and-why-qna-4392978
https://ask.shiksha.com/is-it-worth-to-pursue-a-certificate-in-audio-video-editing-from-distance-learning-in-india-and-why-qna-4392980
https://ask.shiksha.com/is-it-worth-to-pursue-a-certificate-course-in-cinematography-from-distance-learning-in-india-and-why-qna-4392983

Photography, in particular, has arguably been one of the most revolutionary additions to the recent years. Our cell phones are now packing image making tools that surpass the technology of most digital cameras from fifteen years ago. With the evolution of digital media, the photography has taken all the new heights and is the most trending job of this century. Everyone wants to be a photographer and enter into the glamour industry, whereas, photography is not only about glamour but is also about a lot of hard work, dedication, and creativity. The more creative you are, the more you are good at your photography.
When it comes to the earning these days, a good and professional photographer who has a good portfolio created earns much more than a corporate job employee. Photographers these days make 50,000-70,000 per shoot.

The cinematography is all about the art as well as skills to make the best of camera and place for the shoot of a film. This skill is possessed by those who have sharp minds, quick hearts and minds and strong observation skills. The essentials of becoming a cinematographer are so complex and elite that we can not think of acquiring them in isolation. A distance mode degree for the sake of making an educational qualification and eligibility may be fine but someone to be called a cinematographer just because a degree or certificate was done via distance mode, that is not praiseworthy.
It is not worth pursuing a certificate from distance learning in India or from anywhere because this 'media' thing needs real learning which is more than the classroom. Such learnings and experiences come when the cameraman gets time to learn the nuances and advanced things at a dedicated place.
If we allow distance learning to run and sell such a course and people start doing the same, it will be tough for the field of videography and photography or even film-making to get people who actually know what to do.
Creative aspects of learning are developed when a class meets. Hence, we may not suggest a total distance mode course in camera works or lighting or direction or even acting. Practical learning has to be there, at any cost.
It is not worth doing any course which needs professional competence which is developed by personal contact with the institution and in regular classes.
Read the following:
https://ask.shiksha.com/what-are-the-career-prospects-in-india-and-abroad-for-certificate-course-in-cinematography-qna-4393195
https://ask.shiksha.com/is-it-worth-to-pursue-a-certificate-course-in-videography-from-distance-learning-in-india-and-why-qna-4392997

The best way you can start to earn from freelance writing jobs is to start writing some small SEO articles for the buyers on Indian freelancing websites like worknhire or contentmart. Worknhire is the best website for beginners because anyone can easily get a work of writing SEO articles that will pay you around Rs. 100-250/- for writing a 500-1000 words article. Once you become acquainted with your writing skills, then you can shift to some of the international websites that should pay you way higher than the content writing work on Indian websites. So, I think this is the best strategy that you can apply to work from home.
You can also write blog posts and your own articles on some websites like Hubpages that share the revenue earned from the adverts shown on your articles page.
There is no specific degree or education required to become a freelance writer, however, a degree in journalism or English would be a bonus point.

Videography is meant to be something with the camera and is not advised through distance mode.
The above things cannot be imparted through distance mode and that's is why it is not advised to have a course in acting or even anchoring through distance.
These areas of expertise are not theory subjects and can never be made a theory based alone.The students need exposure and real-time experience.
It is not worth pursuing a certificate from distance in India or from anywhere because this 'media' thing needs real learning which is more than the classroom. Such learnings and experiences come when the cameraman gets time to learn the nuances and advanced things at a dedicated place.
If we allow distance learning to run and sell such a course and people start doing the same, it will be tough for the field of videography and photography or even film-making to get people who actually know what to do.
Creative aspects of learning are developed when a class meets. Hence, we may not suggest a total distance mode course in camera works or lighting or direction or even acting. Practical learning has to be there, at any cost.
It is not worth doing any course which needs professional competence which is developed by personal contact with the institution and in regular classes.
There are many aspects of media-related courses and it should be clear to us that distance learning cannot develop the level of skills and competence that regular courses can do.
It is possible that one does distance learning studies when a foundational skill-set is already earned.
Please refer to the following replies as the same type of response is needed here as well (read your query subject in place of performing arts or editing):
Distance learning was not devised as an alternative to classroom learning or practical learning with the teachers.The same applies to the question as well. FCP is something which is a special learning and through the distance mode, I do not think that it is possible to comprehend and learn the best of FCP like tool through distance. Besides, in India, we do not have that strong and fault-free delivery system of distance learning programmes.

It is not worth pursuing a certificate in camera and lighting from distance learning in India or from anywhere because this 'camera' thing needs real learning which is more than the classroom. Such learnings and experiences come when the cameraman gets time to learn the nuances and advanced things at a dedicated place.
If we allow distance learning to run and sell such a course and people start doing the same, it will be tough for the field of videography and photography or even film-making to get people who actually know what to do.
Creative aspects of learning are developed when a class meets. Hence, we may not suggest a total distance mode course in camera works or lighting or direction or even acting. Practical learning has to be there, at any cost.
It is not worth doing any course which needs professional competence which is developed by personal contact with the institution and in regular classes.
There are many aspects of media-related courses and it should be clear to us that distance learning cannot develop the level of skills and competence that regular courses can do.
It is possible that one does distance learning studies when a foundational skill-set is already earned.
Please refer to the following replies as the same type of response is needed here as well (read your query subject in place of performing arts or editing):
Distance learning was not devised as an alternative to classroom learning or practical learning with the teachers.The same applies to the question as well. FCP is something which is a special learning and through the distance mode, I do not think that it is possible to comprehend and learn the best of FCP like tool through distance. Besides, in India, we do not have that strong and fault-free delivery system of distance learning programmes.

Editing and proof-reading (text related) are practically learned skills and shall need serious observation-based studies. The real learning not really possible in distance mode in the absence of a structured contact programmes. It is advised that some regular learning plan should assist in the distance mode learning which otherwise is not good for courses of media-editing or proof-reading. I am still not denying that distance learning cannot teach the above two things. If you would have meant video editing then there would have been a strong no to distance mode.
It is not worth doing any course which needs professional competence which is developed by personal contact with the institution and in regular classes.
There are many aspects of media-related courses and it should be clear to us that distance learning cannot develop the level of skills and competence that regular courses can do.
It is possible that one does distance learning studies when a foundational skill-set is already earned.
Please refer to the following replies as the same type of response is needed here as well (read your query subject in place of performing arts or editing):
Distance learning was not devised as an alternative to classroom learning or practical learning with the teachers.The same applies to the question as well. FCP is something which is a special learning and through the distance mode, I do not think that it is possible to comprehend and learn the best of FCP like tool through distance. Besides, in India, we do not have that strong and fault-free delivery system of distance learning programmes.

It is not worth doing any course which needs professional competence which is developed by personal contact with the institution and in regular classes.
There are many aspects of media-related courses and it should be clear to us that distance learning cannot develop the level of skills and competence that regular courses can do.
It is possible that one does distance learning studies when a foundational skill-set is already earned.
Please refer to the following replies as the same type of response is needed here as well (read your query subject in place of performing arts or editing):
1. Is it worth to pursue MA in performing arts (theater and television) from distance learning in India and why? Performing arts (theatre and television) bring to mind the stage and performance as part of the daily learning in the course. However, for all valid reasons, we can think of the feasibility of such a degree through distance mode as well. Distance mode has been established all over the world to keep the learning active and bring education to them who otherwise were away from that learning.
This is to add to the above details that where there is no connection between the provider of the Master's degree and the students, the degree is a waste. IGNOU offers assignments and personal contact programme empowered courses and that may be the single reason to think of doing such a course via distance mode.
2. Is it worth to pursue a certificate in FCP and editing from distance learning in India and why? Distance learning was not devised as an alternative to classroom learning or practical learning with the teachers.The same applies to the question as well. FCP is something which is a special learning and through the distance mode, I do not think that it is possible to comprehend and learn the best of FCP like tool through distance. Besides, in India, we do not have that strong and fault-free delivery system of distance learning programmes.