Disadvantages of a journalist Profession journalist

Journalist- a person engaged in public activities for the collection, processing and periodic dissemination of relevant information through mass communication channels. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in the Russian language and literature and social studies (see the choice of profession for interest in school subjects).

Journalism (from the French journal- diary, newspaper) is a type of social activity for the collection, processing and periodic dissemination of relevant information through mass communication channels (press, radio, television, cinema, etc.). Therefore, a journalist is a person working in the mass media system (media). And although the name of this profession indicates an attitude towards the magazine, journalists also work for radio and television.

In this regard, journalism is divided into many subspecies (specializations): newspaper journalism, photo, radio and television journalism, Internet journalism, public relations (PR). Journalism is not only momentary news. Among the topics it covers are international relations, economics, which require special training. Articles, notes, television reports are the work of correspondents. But journalists also include editors and designers working in publishing houses, on radio and TV, as well as employees of the editorial secretariat. All of them are participants in the information process.

On January 13, Russia celebrates the Day of the Russian Press. This is a professional holiday with a history of more than 300 years. It is believed that journalism in our country arose in 1702, when, by personal decree and personal participation of Tsar Peter the Great (1672 - 1725), the first printed newspaper Vedomosti appeared, published in a typographical way. Since then, the Russian press has been developing and developing, although as early as 1621 the first Russian unprinted newspaper, Chimes, appeared. It was handwritten, issued in the form of a scroll in several copies 2-4 times a month. The clerks distributed it to a limited circle of people - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1629 - 1676) and his entourage. The newspaper contained information on military, diplomatic, court and trade topics from foreign newspapers.

The Russian newspaper "Vedomosti" had serious differences from the first newspapers of other European countries. It was rather not a commercial publication, but served to explain the essence of the sovereign's policy and his reforms. From the very beginning, the Russian newspaper was a conductor of a certain policy, a propagandist, and sometimes even an organizer of public opinion in favor of state reforms or the defense of national independence and independence. The newspaper gave rise to the rapid development of journalism in Russia and contributed to the cultural development of the country. In 1755, the newspaper Moskovskie Vedomosti was created under the guidance of the scientist and founder of Moscow University M.V. Lomonosov (1711-1765). Currently, over 74,000 publications are registered in the Russian register of print media (although less than half are present on the market), and the total circulation of publications is about 5 billion copies.

Future journalists need to understand that this profession is not only creativity, but also a great responsibility for every written and spoken word. Every professional journalist should be able to convey objective information to the audience. It is believed that the main function of journalistic activity is the creation of an information channel between the state and society, as well as the formation of public opinion.

There are three stages in the work of a journalist:

  • search for information (makes up 90% of the work of a specialist; the methods of obtaining information are different, mainly observation of the object of study, interviews and work with the necessary documents);
  • information processing (includes analysis of the information received, verification of facts, clarification of the issues that have arisen, as well as the final formation of the material and its editing);
  • feedback (a journalist must monitor the opinion of the audience, and in the event of legal disputes, be ready to defend his point of view in court).

Journalism training

It is traditionally believed that future journalists graduate from journalism departments. However, good specialists are obtained from philologists, philosophers, linguists. It is also very common for a journalist to specialize in one area (eg computers, cars, art). In this case, it is important that the author of the article understands the material better than the reader. In this regard, almost half of the journalists have no specialized education, and sometimes even a technical one.

The Russian Institute of Vocational Education "IPO" - recruits students to receive a specialty through a remote program of professional retraining and advanced training. Studying at the IPO is a convenient and fast way to receive distance education. 200+ training courses. 8000+ graduates from 200 cities. Short deadlines for paperwork and external training, interest-free installments from the institute and individual discounts. Contact us!

Required professional skills and knowledge

  • the ability to work with information (find, study, select, analyze, compare and evaluate facts);
  • the ability to highlight the main thing in a large amount of information;
  • the ability to find an explanation with facts;
  • the ability to speak or write quickly, competently, easily and at the same time interesting and not banal;
  • the ability to handle professional devices and equipment necessary for the work of a journalist (dictaphone, camera, etc.);
  • knowledge of the Media Law and the ability to use it;
  • the ability to ask uncomfortable questions and get to the bottom of the problem;
  • professional ethics, tact.

Personal qualities

  • the ability to express one's thoughts accurately and clearly;
  • active participation in public life;
  • the ability to quickly switch from one job to another;
  • ability to analyze events and phenomena;
  • broad outlook;
  • the ability to complete work quickly and on time;
  • sociability, charm;
  • efficiency, perseverance;
  • objectivity;
  • observation;
  • communication skills, ability to work in a team;
  • initiative;
  • performance and diligence;
  • endurance, stress tolerance.

Pros and cons of the profession

  • the work of a journalist is associated with great nervous, emotional, physical overload, work in an emergency mode;
  • irregular working hours.
  • interesting, creative profession;
  • gives you the opportunity to express your point of view through texts and articles;
  • often the presence of a free work schedule;
  • the opportunity to travel, journalists are allowed to go where ordinary people are not allowed;
  • meetings and communication with many famous, talented people.

Place of work

  • publishing houses;
  • newspapers and magazines;
  • TV;
  • radio;
  • advertising and marketing agencies;
  • press services of various organizations.

Salary and career

Salary as of 08/05/2019

Russia 20000—60000 ₽

Moscow 40000—100000 ₽

The salary of a journalist depends on his experience, fame, the subject of his materials, as well as the place of work. Specialists writing on political or economic topics traditionally receive more than, for example, "culturologists". However, if the publication has a narrow focus and requires additional knowledge, then the start-up income increases. As professionalism grows, wages also increase.

Traditionally, television and radio journalism is more prestigious than work in the press. Most often, the most active and attractive make their way to television (usually starting their careers with cable television), and the fastest on radio (necessarily with good diction). But most journalists still work in various editorial offices of newspapers, magazines and websites.

All journalists are familiar with the expression: first you work for your name, and only then the name works for you. Young professionals usually start their journalistic career as a freelance correspondent. And only then, if the journalist manages to competently recommend himself, his income will increase sharply and employers themselves will begin to attract him to their publishing houses.

Vertical career growth is as follows: column editor, head of department, production editor, editor-in-chief of the media.

Horizontal career development looks like working in several media at once.

Details Updated: 07/12/2019 08:30 Published: 05/08/2017 17:56

The journalist is a person who collects and processes information for television, radio, and the press.

There are several types of journalism: newspaper, Internet, photo, television, radio journalism, PR. Journalists are not only correspondents working on current news, but also people who create material on a variety of topics, as well as editors, designers and other participants in the information process.

Profession history:

Profession journalist very ancient. Even in ancient Rome, there were people who wrote important messages and news on clay tablets.

As a separate field of activity, journalism arose only in the 17th century. And almost immediately it turned into a powerful tool for influencing society. The press was used to propagate political ideas, in particular, in the USSR, newspapers and magazines actively glorified the communist system.

Currently, the media serves both to inform and to form public opinion, and often also for manipulation. Therefore, sometimes the work of a journalist depends not only on his abilities, but also on his convictions and moral qualities.

See also: What is journalism as a profession?

Profession features:

Work as a journalist very responsible. Each written word must be carefully considered so that people do not perceive the information in a distorted form. Often you have to work overtime, in emergency mode.

The profession of a journalist is creative and interesting, you constantly have to communicate with a variety of people, travel and visit places where the majority is closed.

Responsibilities:

The work of a journalist consists of three stages. The first is the collection of information (observation, interviews, work with documents, press monitoring). This is what a professional does most of the time. The second is information processing (analysis, verification of facts, clarification of details, formation of material). The third stage is feedback: observing the reaction of the audience. On television, the journalist, among other things, participates in the editing.

Important qualities:

Work as a journalist requires to be sociable, to win over and be able to find an approach to different people and talk to anyone, but at the same time you need to be polite, well-mannered and tactful. You can not do without the ability to work in a team, activity, initiative, a broad outlook, observation, creativity. To write a good text, you need to competently, clearly and understandably express your thoughts, analyze the situation, look at the facts objectively.

The specifics of the profession is such that you have to quickly switch from one job to another, write in a short time. A journalist must be persistent, hardworking, hardworking, hardy and stress-resistant.

Skills and knowledge:

The first thing that is required of a journalist is an ideal knowledge of the language, impeccable literacy and the ability to express himself briefly, but interestingly. He also needs the skills of searching, selecting and analyzing information, interpreting and comparing facts, highlighting the main thing from a large amount of material.

A good journalist can communicate on any topic and get to the bottom of the issue. He must understand the psychology of people. In the work, knowledge of the current legislation, in particular, the Mass Media Law, will be useful.

Prospects and career:

Profession journalist is such that you need to start a career from the very bottom and at first you have to work very, very much. As a rule, most begin with the position of a freelance correspondent. Over time, having made a name for yourself and developed a portfolio, you can get a job in a major publication, on radio or television.

Formally, the functions of a journalist include the search, analysis and processing of information for publication in the media. But the profession of a journalist implies not only communication with people and a presentation of what they heard, saw and read, but also the ability to single out the main thing from an array of information, compare different sources, check the information received - that is, process it comprehensively.

The ultimate goal of a journalist is to form public opinion on various issues.

Of course, each media has its own theme, focus and structure. Some media have reporters who simply collect information from the scene, copywriters, analysts and proofreaders who process information without leaving their offices, correspondents or photojournalists, and many others.

Places of work

First of all, journalists work in the media - print, electronic, radio and television.

Also, such specialists are required by PR services. Positions of journalists exist at large enterprises or in government bodies that have their own press service (PR department).

History of the profession

Despite the fact that the profession of a journalist is often called the “second oldest”, it already arose in a fairly developed society. The forerunners of journalists as disseminators of information were heralds, heralds, clerks, who informed the people about the decisions of the rulers.

The profession received great development after the development and wide distribution of printing - around the 19th century.

Duties of a journalist

Despite the various demands of the media, the main job responsibilities of a journalist are as follows:

  • attending events on a specific topic;
  • searching and interviewing specialists in this industry;
  • writing articles, news, press releases on this topic.

Currently, many journalists are charged with additional functions:

  • editing materials;
  • news monitoring;
  • work with site management systems;
  • work with photo and video materials.

Requirements for a journalist

The general requirements for a journalist are as follows:

  • higher professional education;
  • experience in writing articles for the media (usually on a specific topic);
  • the ability to interview;
  • Correct oral and written language.

In some cases, knowledge of a foreign language is required, sometimes - practical work experience in a particular field.

Sample resume for a journalist

If you are thinking about how to become a journalist, then it is best to graduate from the journalism faculty of the university. Sometimes a philological or other humanitarian education is enough.

There are quite a few journalists who have made a career with both a technical or, for example, medical education. But for this you need to be at least a good specialist in your field and at the same time have a good command of the Russian language (and not only be able to write correctly, but also do it “deliciously”).

Journalist salary

The salary of a journalist ranges from 30 to 80 thousand rubles a month. Although some press secretaries or specialists of the "top" media can receive a lot of money. For example, according to foreign recruitment agencies, a “star” of the Russian media market gets more colleagues of the same level from the USA, Great Britain and France.

The average salary of a journalist is around 45 thousand rubles a month.

Where to get training

In addition to higher education, there are a number of short-term studies on the market lasting, as a rule, from a week to a year.

The Institute of Vocational Education "IPO" invites you to take distance courses in the direction "" (there are options 256, 512 and 1024 academic hours) with a diploma or a state-issued certificate. We have trained over 8000 graduates from almost 200 cities. You can study externally, get an interest-free installment plan.

There are a lot of professions in the modern world, one of the interesting ones is the craft of a journalist. A specialist in this field is a person who knows how to write beautiful texts that can attract any reader. The profession studies many sciences and data, that is, a person who has chosen this specialty must be able to describe events taking place in the world. In addition, he must present this news in an interesting way so that people have a desire to read it.

If we consider the profession of a reporter, then it can be noted that people should publish their work, and those who have a lot of articles in their desk are not considered journalists in any way.

Story

Many researchers argue that journalism appeared at a time when there was no question of the technological process. But in reality this is not the case. And this kind of activity has a beautiful history, and therefore we can assume that journalism is the oldest profession.

A few centuries ago, people lived and had no radio, no TV, no telephone. But they somehow learned the news. In the 17th century, the king issued a decree that people should be warned about reforms, and it was then that the discussed sphere was born. The first Russian newspapers began to be printed, which laid the foundation for the development of journalism in Russia. This area was constantly developing, and people were closely connected with the press.

The importance of the profession

There is an opinion in the world that journalism as a profession should be considered primarily from the side of sociology. It is also worth noting that this is a very significant specialty in the modern world, since changes and innovations appear in the country every year, with which it is necessary to acquaint the population.

Only the journalist is responsible for the accuracy of the information provided to the public. A person who is engaged in journalism can be called a link between readers and ongoing actions. It is important that he not only promptly provide information, but also personally convinced of their veracity.

The uniqueness of the profession

A professional worker in this field can only be a competent person who knows how to formulate his thoughts well and convey interesting information to the reader. After all, the main job of a correspondent is to write articles for people. Journalism as a profession is a very interesting and useful occupation, because in addition to good pay, there is always the opportunity to visit different countries, and not at your own expense.

Those people who consider themselves reporters should be responsible for every word and be responsible for the uniqueness of their article. Very often, linguists and teachers of the Russian language work in this area. Indeed, in order to write a beautiful and competent article, you need to have a large vocabulary and be versed in the rules of our mighty language. The most important thing that journalists should be able to do is inspire people's trust.

Profession risks

Many people who want to connect their lives with this field of activity ask themselves: "Is journalism a dangerous profession or not?" We can safely give an affirmative answer, because in order to get a unique and interesting material for an article, sometimes you have to work in the most difficult conditions.

Also, reporters try to get the information that other people try to hide from the press. Some negligent workers can rightly be considered representatives of the yellow press. They often resort to falsifying information, and this reduces the trust of readers. The reason for issuing deliberately false information may be the pursuit of fame, drawing attention to the publication, or simply a lack of quality material.

Features of the profession

Below we consider the following topic: journalism as a profession, the paradoxes of the profession. Bringing the latest news to the population is an important part of the modern state.

  • a philosophical paradox that indicates that a person can write on any topic that is relevant and interesting to the people;
  • the desire to become independent and say whatever you want;
  • the creative side can also be called a feature of the profession, because some people love their profession so much that they are ready to work night and day to benefit people and delight them;
  • efficiency is a distinctive feature of any journalist, he must grasp everything on the fly, write articles and release them to the public;
  • It can also be considered a paradox that a journalist is a rather controversial profession, because it is often very difficult to obtain the necessary information;
  • work is like a vacation - this is how this sphere can be explained (a correspondent even on vacation is looking for materials for an article);
  • the more a specialist in this field works, the more he learns, develops and acquires new skills.

Journalism as a profession is not only very popular, but also has many positive aspects.

Education

There is no single answer to the question about the education of a journalist. There are agencies that accept only qualified specialists with the appropriate education. And there are those where they mainly look at the person and his work experience.

A lot of people who work as correspondents come from other professions, as they have the gift and ability to write interesting and reliable news about the news. Of course, in order to achieve a good result, the author must have not only knowledge of the language and a large vocabulary, but also be mobile, always ready to fulfill his professional duty.

Advantages and disadvantages

Journalism (the pros and cons of the profession become apparent already in the process of training a specialist) is a very popular specialty. If a person is interested in this field of activity, then first of all he must evaluate all its positive and negative sides.

The benefits of this hard work include:

  • free schedule;
  • you can delve into the profession from the school bench;
  • there is an opportunity to constantly be in the center of attention and communicate with people;
  • you can travel at the expense of the company and get to know the world;
  • a multi-stage career ladder, climbing which depends only on personal qualities;
  • communication with influential personalities;
  • constant self-development.

The disadvantages of this profession are:

  • a high level of material that needs to be prepared and handed over;
  • negative emotions and experiences;
  • overwork and stress;
  • sudden business trips;
  • preparation of a large number of documents for travel to other countries;
  • high degree of responsibility;
  • prejudice of people.

From all these points, it becomes clear that before you connect your life with this area, you should think carefully, weigh all the pros and cons.

Specialist Abilities

Many people do not quite correctly understand what exactly a journalist does. Journalism as a profession implies not only finding interesting and fresh information, but also the correct presentation of material to the masses. In fact, learning this is not so easy. The innate qualities of a person play an important role. Of course, a reporter must be a literate person, otherwise no one will read his creations. In addition, information must be presented correctly so as not to accuse or offend anyone.

The qualities of a journalist include:

  • speed of reaction;
  • efficiency of movement;
  • the ability to convey the most deaf news;
  • attentiveness;
  • the ability to properly deal with criticism;
  • persistence in obtaining information;
  • creativity;
  • desire for details;
  • patience.

Tasks of a specialist

A correspondent is a person who is always in the thick of events, scandals, incidents and meetings. Therefore, journalism as a profession (photos of whose representatives appear in the press from time to time) is in great demand. Often reporters themselves give interviews and take part in surveys.

The tasks of an information worker include the following:

  • critical approach to information analysis;
  • highlighting key aspects in a large amount of information;
  • collection of data from different sources;
  • accessible and understandable news reporting;
  • search for more authoritative sources to confirm the accuracy of information;
  • comparing your material with competing publications;
  • prompt arrival at the scene;
  • quick formulation of thought.

This profession is in great demand among people who always try to be in the spotlight and like to be aware of all the events even before they are known to the rest. Thus, we can conclude that journalism is a professional field that opens up many opportunities for a person, from traveling to different parts of the world to meeting famous personalities.

So we have finished a brief excursion on the topic "Journalism as a profession: what is it." Now you are familiar with this difficult craft and have a general idea about this field of activity.

This is a specialist engaged in journalistic activities in newspapers, magazines, on television and radio, in other media. He obtains information and transmits it to his readers, listeners, viewers, thereby participating in the formation of public opinion.

The journalist finds interesting topics for articles, reports and broadcasts, prepares and edits messages and materials for the media. These specialists need to get news, express their opinion on the issues under discussion, and make forecasts for the development of socially significant processes.

A journalist usually chooses a specific direction of activity depending on personal predilections and interests. You can, for example, devote yourself to political or economic topics, sports or cinema and theater.

This can only be reporter work (going directly to the scene of events to collect and describe information about them), independent investigations, a review of gossip columns, etc.

The field of activity of journalists is very diverse: for example, among them there are even so-called restaurant critics who visit restaurants and similar establishments and write reviews about them.

A typical working day of a journalist often does not take place in the office, but is associated with trips to the scene of events, various events, etc., where information is collected. These experts even talk about themselves, paraphrasing the well-known proverb: "the legs feed the journalist." But do not forget that you will also have to devote a lot of time to “deciphering” the information received, selecting, studying, comparing, evaluating, verifying the facts necessary to create a really interesting and relevant story, as well as purely technical work on preparing these materials for broadcast or publication. .

Personal qualities

Those who like to be in the thick of things, actively participate in public life, quickly switch from one job to another, analyze events and phenomena, observe the behavior and life of people, have the ability to successfully master the profession, have a “scent” for incidents.

The job is suitable for sociable, proactive, hard-working people. You will also need high endurance, since this work is also associated with great nervous, emotional, physical overload.

average salary

From 25,000 to 50,000 rubles on average + travel allowance, bonuses.

In electronic media (television, internet) salaries can be much higher.

Education (What do you need to know?)

For successful activity, a journalist must first of all be able to think and work with information - to find, select, study, analyze, compare and evaluate facts based on their own worldview. A journalist must be prompt, objective, cover events without imposing a personal point of view on the audience. It is important to be able to highlight the main thing in the flow of information and events, find an explanation for the facts, and express your thoughts accurately and clearly. It requires the ability to write and/or speak in public a lot, quickly, easily and at the same time interesting and not banal.

Specialties of universities and colleges

Place of work and career

Newspapers and magazines, publishing houses, television, radio, advertising and marketing agencies.

Where to study?

Universities by specialty Speciality Forms
learning
Cost per year
(rubles)
checkpoint
score (2018)

Institute for Humanities Education

Journalism

Full-time (4 years)

Journalism

Full-time (4 years)
Correspondence (5 years)

free (10 places)
101 210
28 100

Faculty of Journalism

Journalism

Full-time (4 years)
Correspondence (5 years)

free (10 places)
138 900
39 400

Faculty of History and Philology

religious studies

Full-time (4 years)

free (15 places)
120 400

Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities

Journalism

Full-time (4 years)
Correspondence (5 years)

free (16 seats)
150 000
79 455

Faculty of TV and radio journalism

Journalism

Full-time (4 years)
Part-time (5 years)
Correspondence (5 years)

111 300
64 860
50 880