Picture this. You switch on the TV and see a journalist anchoring a debate. Their communication and overall personality floors you. You say,” Wow! Being a journalist is so glamorous. Maybe I should become one”. What you don’t notice is the tight deadlines, the sleepless nights, the toil involved in searching for facts, the sheer hard work. Remember, becoming a journalist takes tons of patience and years of hard work.
Unpredictability
If you thought that journalism was just like any other 9-to-5 job, think again. Come to think of it, news can happen at any time, right? There may be days when you may be required to work in a remote area covering a natural disaster, where you may have to reach a spot after hours of trekking. On another day, it could be a movie award function that goes on for hours together. To be successful in this field, you need to embrace the unpredictability and be ready to put in the hard grind.
Creative challenges
At the end of the day, journalism is all about storytelling. There are times when you may hit what is usually termed as the ‘writer’s block’. There are times when, however hard you may try, words don’t just seem to flow. This is when you need to be resilient and not give up. This is when you push through and keep trying. And pretty soon, the creative spark could be back.
Deadline pressures
While there is no denying that there are deadline pressures in almost every job, it is more so in the case of journalism. It is also obvious because you cannot be presenting stale news. After all, we are living in a world of ‘breaking news’. Even a slight delay, and a competing media house grabs the scoop first. Any aspiring journalist, therefore, needs to learn time management skills and improve their efficiency to ensure that they are delivering accurate news on time.
Emotional challenges
Journalists are expected to cover different types of events or issues. From natural disasters to conflict zones, from famines to disease outbreaks, they witness a lot of intense human suffering up close, which can take a toll on a person’s emotional health. The challenge for them is to maintain the right mental balance between empathy and resilience and report objectively. It is this balance that helps them tell stories of human experiences, without being overwhelmed.
Tough competition
Just as any other field, the media is one of the most competitive fields around. The challenge in the field is to keep adapting to evolving trends and technologies to keep themselves relevant. This is a career where continuous skill-building is of crucial importance. From keeping up with ever-changing multimedia skills to polishing their interpersonal and language skills, journalists need to keep fine-tuning their talent. It is only then that they can carve a distinct niche in this field.
Online abuse
In today’s digital world, the internet is where all the action is happening. It is true for journalists also, who need to maintain a strong digital presence and could potentially deal with a lot of negativity, criticism, and trolls. This is where they learn about being focused on their work despite shutting out all the unwanted noise. Over time, journalists develop the thick skin necessary to overcome these distractions and focus on their work.
At the end of the day, journalism, like any other profession, comes with its own set of challenges. But if you have the passion and drive for bringing out the truth and storytelling, it’s a journey worth it. The key here is to prepare oneself well for the challenges and treat obstacles as opportunities to grow, learn, and display one’s talent.
At the school, we guide students about the varied career opportunities available in the field of journalism. It is done through a variety of activities, including guest lectures, career counseling sessions, and interactive workshops, which help students understand the realities and possibilities of a media career. To learn more about what makes us a top CBSE school in Coimbatore, call us today!
