Osmania University BCJ (bachelor of communication and journalism)

Osmania University BCJ (bachelor of communication and journalism)


2006-07 academic year

I semester


B1: Introduction to Communication and Mass Media

Unit1: Introduction to Communication. Nature, process and elements of communication. Functions and barriers of communication. Typology of communication – interpersonal, intra personal, group, mass communication.

Unit II: Mass communication characteristics, concept of gate keeping. Communication Models – Shannon and Weaver, Osgood and Schramm. Two step flow hypothesis, multi-step flow of communication.

Unit III: Communication effects, early perceptions, concepts – agenda setting, cultivation, uses and gratification. Roger’s theory of Diffusion of innovation.

Unit IV: Mass Media status: Print media, Broadcast media, New media, Advertising / PR Traditional media, New media technologies – satellite, cable, digital, internet, Mass media audiences, Issue of ownership, cross media ownership

Unit V: Media history: Print media – pre Independence, post Independence (Major issues, land marks), Regional language Press, Broadcast media, commissions of inquiry.

B2: Reporting and Editing-I

Unit I: Reporter – role, duties and qualities. The news process- from event to the reader. Concepts and definition of news as relevant to India. Basic components of a news story – attribution, verification; balance and fairness, brevity. News sources, gathering facts, Different forms of reporting – spot news / live reporting – Reporting public affairs, meetings, conferences, seminars, cultural, civic and social events, Mofussil reporting.

Unit II: Crime, legislature, courts and sports reporting. Investigative, interpretative, trend, in depth and advocacy reporting. Building and using background. Reporting fashion and lifestyle, writing curtain raisers, interviewing techiniques.

Unit III: Organisational structure of a newspaper’s editorial department. Role and functions of and editor, news editor and sub-editors. Qualities of a sub-editor. The news process: Sources of news. Different types of copy – Agency copy, Bureau copy, Mofussil Copy. News values and selection of news. Different Desks – General sports etc.

Unit IV: The editing process – symbols, handling various types of copy; Re-writing, translation, Integrating, Updating; Referencing; Proof reading, style book/sheet. Electronic editing. Headlines – functions, types, patterns of headlines. Unit count. Headline schedule. News schedule, Planning of pages and editions, editing supplements, features and special pages.

Unit V: Development and growth of printing. Desk Top Publishing, Printing process, Different methods of printing – Offset, Gravure and screen printing. Off-set printing process, advantages and disadvantages, Typography: Types and families, Type sizes. Reproduction of art and photographs, selection and editing of photographs.

B3: Advertising

Unit I: Advertising – Its relationship with Mass Communication, as a part of the marketing mix. Difference between publicity and advertising, advertising and Public Relations. Advertising definitions, functions.

Unit II: Classification of Advertising based on demand, media, objectives, different consumers to be reached, stages in the product life cycle, personnel involved-vertical /horizontal etc. Product, institutional, financial, social, political, government, classified and display.

Unit III: Advertising agency – Structure and functions of the various department of the Advertising Agency. Client servicing, creative media, production etc. Media Types of Media – Radio, newspapers, magazines, television, outdoor, specialty, internet, Relative merits & demerits, Basics of media planning and scheduling – Importance of media tariff, sources of information for media planning and scheduling –ORG, ABC, Readership surveys

Unit IV: Campaign Planning & Execution, Brief – Collection of Information, Analysis of market, Target Audience, Budget, Creative strategy and concepts; Creative themes and appeals Copy- Elements of an Advertisement, Functions of headline and copy, Types of copy for different media, Layout, Types of Layout, Principles of Design and lay out production process for print ads, Radio jingles, spots, commercials, TV commercials and Films (Script writing), Printed Literature. Direct Advertising, Point of Purchase

Unit V: Evaluation and Regulation of Advertising – Copy research – Pre testing and post testing Ethics, Codes and laws related to advertising, Professional bodies AAAI,ISA,ASCI, INS, Consumer associations Act. Advertising in India, role in economic development Trends (Case studies and Workshops in copy writing, media planning, campaign planning)

B4: Electronic Media and Film

Unit I: Introduction to broadcasting: Radio as a Medium of Mass Communication, Evolution and growth of All India Radio and Doordarshan, Prasar Bharathi – structure, objectives and role. Growth of private television channels. Emerging trends in radio broadcasting – FM, Digital, satellite

Unit II: Radio production, Programmes for various audiences, Different Programme format, creating audio space, sound perspective, voice casting, types of music, use of sound effects. Production crew and their functions: Role of producer. Production planning and execution. Radio studio, acoustics, recording equipment, types and use of microphones, Use of Digital Technology in production.

Unit III: Television technology: broadcasting standards, PAL, NTSC and SECAM. Broadcast chain, Production equipment – cameras, microphones and lights. Special effects generators, digital video effects, Character Generator, computer graphic work stations. TV stations. TV studio layout, TV production – studio and field production, TV staff and crew, their functions. Programme formats, Proposal writing, Script writing – outline, treatment, visualization, shooting script.

Unit IV: Production process – pre-production, set up and rehearsal, production and post production. Classification of shots, techniques of audio production. Television news production, scripting for TV documentaries. Linear and Non-linear editing, voice over, dubbing, mixing and final mastering. TV Direction; Shot division, Blocking the script, story board, time line and budgeting.

Unit V: A brief history of Indian cinema. Film technology. Elements of film – script, cinematography, editing, music and direction. Process of film making – shooting, editing, dubbing, mixing, married print. Film genres, Art and commercial films, parallel cinema. Film appreciation. Critical Study of films of important art and commercial film makers. Trends in contemporary cinema. Film review and criticism, Script writing for documentaries. NFDC, FTII.

Exercises in reporting, script writing and television production

II Semester:-


B5: Reporting and Editing II

Unit I: reporting conflicts, calamities, disasters. Issues in development reporting, environment, education, ecology, health, industry, business, agriculture, consumer issues, gender issues, Computer Aided Reporting (CAR)

Unit II: Editorial writing – concept, Types of editorials, policy, conferences, Letters to the Editor, edit page articles, Middles.
Feature writing: Characteristics of features, types of features, difference between articles and features; survey of market for features; Review and criticism, types of columns, techniques of column writing, columnists.

Unit III: Use of computers in editing. Editing mofussil copy, translation, integrating, updating, and planning of pages and editions. Editing supplements, features and special pages.

Unit IV: Process of colour printing, use of colour, use of colour photographs. Digital printing. Page Design and Layout, Use of new technologies: Internet, VSAT.

Unit V: Newspaper management: structure of a newspaper organization and functions of various departments. Marketing strategies.

Exercises in Page Maker and Quark Express.


B6: Media Laws and Ethics

Unit I: Indian constitution - salient features, fundamental rights, concept of PIL, directive principles, freedom of speech and expression, its limitations.

Unit II: Official Secrets Act, Press and Registration of Books Act, Prevention of Publication of Objectionable Matter Act, Working Journalists Act, Cable Regulation Act, Cinematography Act, Parliamentary Proceedings Protection of Publication Act 1956, Its repeal Act, Constitutional Amendment Article 361A (Protecting the publication of Parliament and Legislature).

Unit III: Contempt of Court Act, Indecent Representation of Women Prohibition Act, Censorship Act, Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, Children’s Act. Law of Defamation.

Unit IV: Right to Know, Right to Information, Freedom of Information Act, 2002, Right to Information Bill 2004, Cyber Laws, Intellectual Property Rights and Copyright Act. Right to Privacy.

Unit V: Introduction to Media Ethics, Yellow Journalism, Communal writing, Right to reply, Press Council, Media and Human Rights and Civil Rights.

B7: Corporate Communication:

Unit I: Corporate communication – concept of PR philosophy, meaning, definition, scope, dimensions and distinction from advertising, propaganda, liaison, lobbying, PR and Public Opinion, growth of PR staff and line function, structure and function of PR Department, Profile of a Public Relations Officer.

Unit II: Concept of corporate citizen, corporate identity, image, PR publics – internal and external, importance of communicating to internal and external publics. PR process, four stages – fact finding, planning, execution and evaluation. PR strategy/campaign. Steps in campaign planning Case studies.

Unit III: Media relations- press conference, press kit, press briefing, Tools of PR- interpersonal: talks, discussions, meetings, open house, open day, exhibitions Print: House journals, news letters, brochures, pamphlets, circulars, notices, newspapers, annual reports, magazines, press releases. Audio-visual: radio, television, corporate films, OCTV, VNRs, FNRs, Information Technology New Media; Internet Writing and PR – Teleconferencing, E-mail, fax, CD Rom, Floppy Disks, Websites

Unit IV: Employee relations; Importance, responsibility of employee relations. Employee communication; Financial PR –Background, growing importance. Role of PR in raising capital and finances – annual general meeting – Role of PR person. Communication to share-holders. Customer relations.

Unit V: Community Relations: Community relations policy, objectives. Organization Employee’s role. Contributions to community welfare, community relations as a image building exercise. Government Relations- Nature and need for government relations. Structure and organization in Government PR Propagating Govt policies – Feedback mechanisms. Community Relations – definition of Community need and scope of PR – Rural PR – multi-media campaigns.

B8: Magazine and Photo Journalism (optional):

Unit I: Introduction to photography; Types of cameras, Understanding the camera- shutter types, The Shutter/Aperture relationship, Film size, Types of films, Lenses: the basic lens, Lens characteristics, Depth of field, Special lenses, Filters. Handling the camera, basics of exposure, camera angles, composition. Developing and Printing, the good negative, Lighting practices and sources, basic flash lighting, types of light meters, judging exposure.

Unit II: An overview of photo journalism, Trends in photo journalism. Use of graphics and photographs in magazines and newspapers, Picture categories, qualities of a good photograph. Single picture and caption: Judging the single photograph. News photos, People pictures
Role of a photo editor, selection and editing of photographs, writing captions. Photo features- planning and production. Colour photography-films, lighting, exposure and printing, digital photography. Images-JPEG, TIFF etc. Cropping, photo syndicates. Ethics-the tragic photo, shooting tragic scenes, staying out of the way, photo journalism and the law, Issues of Libel and invasion of privacy, freelancing.
Unit III: Types of magazines-News, general interest, and specialized magazines in niche areas-women, children leisure, business, science and technology etc., Use of visuals in magazines, Planning the editorial mix of a magazine-articles, news stories features etc., Trends in magazine publishing.
Unit IV: Techniques of magazine writing-choosing a topic, Identifying sources, gathering information, and the process of writing, importance of rewriting, various types of articles and features, Customizing magazine content for readers,

Unit V: Subjectivity in magazine writing. Slanting, content and writing style of different magazines. Approaches to editing specialized and glossy magazines-like fashion, city, travel etc., studying the requirements of magazines. Freelancing. Marketing features. E-journals. On-line magazines.

B9: Telugu journalism(optional)

do you have nose for news?

The new(s) boom
After the Mumbai blasts, apart from the defence forces, another unlikely hero emerged. That was the media. The tireless and courageous reporting by some of the journalists had the entire nation hooked to the TV for three days.

This would have certainly spawned a million aspirants around the country. However, the terrible events, which on one hand, highlighted the competency of some reporters, also exposed glaring insensitivity in some others.

Such attacks underscore the need for not only trained journalists, but also thinking ones. “If you are not the thinking and logical sort of a person, then media is not for you,” states Vir Sanghvi, advisory editorial director, Hindustan Times.
A study conducted by FICCI-PWC established that the Indian media and entertainment industry, currently pegged at Rs 35,300 crore, is likely to witness a compounded annual growth rate of 19 per cent to touch Rs 83,740 crore. The print media is likely to increase to Rs 19,500 crore by 2010 whereas television will be the fastest growing.

“The best way to prepare oneself for this industry,” says M.J. Akbar, Chairman, Covert, “is to develop domain knowledge in subjects like history, political science, economics and finance. “We need people with knowledge and understanding, not just typing skills,” he adds.

There are media schools mushrooming all over the country, and joining one for a basic training does make sense as recruiters do not prefer vanilla graduates these days. Time and resource constriants have limited on-the -job training that used to take place earlier.

“The ideal thing to do is to go to a reputed media school and then join a good news channel. A school should be able to teach systems, technology, writing to picture and identifying a news story,” explains Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-chief, IBN NETWORK.

But most experts warn against joining a mediocre journalism school. “Join only credible institutes as most of the mediocre ones are no more than teaching shops,” says Akbar.

In this age of multimedia, the future belongs to those who can adapt and shift from one medium to another. Each medium has its own set of unique advantages. Television is the fastest growing segment and provides a good mix of fame and money.

Radio, on the other hand, enjoys an omnipresence that television lacks. Print journalism commands a respectability that is second to none. And “Internet is,” as Sangitika Nigam, National Academic Head, WLC College puts it, “the cutting edge area in media which requires not just reporting skills but proficiency with technology.”

For a reporter in print, a degree or a diploma in print journalism is desirable. On the other hand, designers would need page-making skills. Often, reporters are required to design their own pages as well as edit their own copy.

This would require multi-skilled professionals. With a number of new papers being launched, job avenues have improved, so have the salaries. Starting salary for a reporter range from Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000. A designer starts at Rs 12,000-Rs 15,000.

Promotion is faster as compared to the past when one had to wait for years to get into the bureau and remunerative packages are assuming near parity with those in the electronic medium.

Television journalism is all about high-end technology and communication, which is why candidates with professional degrees are preferred over freshers.

Training for television journalism includes equipment handling, scripting, news reporting, editing, studio workshops, news conceptualisation and visualisation.

Each student has to play the role of a producer, director, cameraperson and video editor to attain success and understand the nuances of production.

Despite there being a great demand for skilled professionals in television, there are not enough institutes offering specialised education in this medium and private channels and media conglomerates often have to pitch in with their own custom-made courses. TV Today, for instance, has its own institute called TV Today Media.

Although most journalism graduates expect to be absorbed as reporters or correspondents in news channels, they often get their breaks in the production team instead.

Opportunities in production houses, documentary filmmaking, corporate videos and TV advertising commercials also open up for TV journalism graduates.

Besides joining a news channel, they can even work for the various other entertainment channels. And with a starting monthly salary of Rs 15,000-Rs 17,000, it is the better paymaster than radio or print.

Radio can pose greater challenges than print and television because of the nature of information delivery. Here, a radio presenter or a radio jockey has to capture the listener on the basis of his or her voice and script, completely unaided by pictures, moving or otherwise.

Quite understandably, a radio journalist relies heavily on voice and choice and structure of sentences to grab the listener’s attention and sustain it. This is why writing for a piece of information to be aired on television is very different from writing for the same piece for radio.

Radio would require the use of simple words and short sentences that do not bore the listener and, at the same time enable the listener to visualise the information.

Due to the nature of the communication, radio also tends to make use of a more informal and friendly attitude with its listeners and aims to be more interactive.

A course in radio journalism lays heavy emphasis on writing as well as voice training. There are modules where one learns interviewing techniques, making of radio packages along with the technical aspects of mixing sound and handling equipment.

Those joining private channels can work as radio jockeys or join the production team. The starting salary is Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000 per month. But one can expect a much higher figure, after just a couple of years of experience.

A look at the job prospects

* Print: This sector offers opportunities in reporting, copy-desk and designing. Often reporters are required to edit and make their own pages. So, multi-skilled professionals are in great demand. Starting salaries for journalist fall within the bracket of Rs 12,000-15,000 per month per month.

* Television: Television journalism is all about high-end technology and communication, which is why candidates with professional degrees are preferred over freshers.Starting jobs are usually with the production team or at the desk. Starting salaries range between Rs 15,000-17,000 per month.

* Radio: The nature of information delivery is completely different from print or TV. A course in radio lays heavy emphasis on both writing as well as voice training. Those joining private channels can work as radio jockeys or join the production team. The starting salary is Rs 10,000-12,000 per month.

* Internet: Cyber journalism is a convergence of writing, sound bites, movie clips and internet language. It requires professions to be not only conversant with technology but also keep pace with its rapid changes. Writing, designing or editing are the other desired skills. Rs 12,000 per month is the starting salary.


Institutes...

* Asian School of Journalism, Chennai Ph: 044-28418254/55, Web: www.asianmedia.org

* Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi Ph: 011-26742920, Web: www.iimc.nic.in

* TV Today Media Institute, Delhi Ph: 011-23684848

* Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai Ph: 022-23513157/23514147, Web: www.sophiacampus.com

source: indiatoday

The art and science of communication

Our communication skills, or the lack of them, could spell the difference between success and failure in many of the things we do. In this new series, we start by looking at communication basics.

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
– George Bernard Shaw

One of the significant elements of success in the modern world is skill in effective communication. Those with remarkable academic achievement often fail to reach positions they otherwise deserve for want of adequate flair for communication. Some may be carried away by the notion that a rich vocabulary, correct grammar, and right pronunciation can make you a great communicator. But there is much more to it than what meets our casual eye. Let us look at the basics.
We would say that communication is the activity of conveying information. In more precise terms, it is the process of transmitting and receiving information through a common system of symbols, signs, behaviour, speech, writing, or signals. Remember the humorous quote, “When all other means of communication fail, try words.”
Exchanging info
A process of exchanging information and ideas is involved in any communication. The vital point is that the recipient should understand what the sender intends. In a wider perspective, it is a generic process of translating information from one domain to one or more other domains through a medium. A domain can be the mental world of a person, the statistical domain of an analyst, the computational domain of a software program or the economic domain of a market. As a part of the usual language learning in schools and colleges, you are exposed to fine points of reading, writing and speaking.
How many of you have thought that listening is an integral ingredient of good communication? For this central aspect, you hardly got any special hints from your schoolmasters. What is the quality of training you received in non-verbal communication, including body language? Skill in selecting the most appropriate words or expressions to convey your thoughts need not result in effective communication. It would be to your advantage if you apply your mind to the diverse features of communication, and try to develop better skills in each one of them.
Important aspects
There are three aspects in any communication – content, form, and destination. A good communicator should apply his/her mind carefully to all the three, if the process of communication has to be effective.
In any form of communication, there is always a gap between what the sender wanted to convey and what the receiver actually gathers. You have a certain idea in your mind. You couch it in certain words based on your definition to represent it accurately. Your process of forming the words to express your idea may be called encoding. Your ideas take shape in a specific form.
Sometimes instead of words, the form may be that of a picture, chart, sound, or some other medium. The idea carried in the medium is looked at by the receiver. He understands the idea based on the meaning he attaches to the words or other elements of the medium. This is the process of decoding.
There may be a gap between your idea and what is represented in the medium, and again, another gap between the content of the medium and the idea grasped by the receiver. This precisely is the reason why people often have to say that they did not mean what has been reported.
Effective communication
Effective communication can be achieved if a deliberate attempt is made to reduce the gap, by careful use of the medium, with special care of the type and background of the receiver of our message.
The meaning as given in the dictionary may not hold good in all contexts. For example, when a grandfather addresses his three-year old child “You silly thief!” the usual meaning of the words has little relevance. Before entering into important discussions, we may have to define the terms we intend to use. As an instance, after an hour of heated debate on the existence of God, one of the participants said that by ‘God’ he meant ‘Truth’.
Had the definition been made beforehand, no debate would have taken place. A person attaches a particular meaning for a word, depending on his/her background and experience. You know that in the world of politics, words such as democracy, secularism, socialism, and freedom mean different things to different people. Your own perceptions or obsession should not turn out to be a barrier in communication. What is beautiful to me may be ugly to you and vice-versa.
So if I start with the presumption that what appears to be beautiful to me is beautiful to you as well, it may end up in breakdown of communication. Building fine rapport with the listener is the essence of good communication.

***


From the Hindu:-

Are you one of those who have a nose for news and excellent verbal and written skills? Do you update your current affairs and have a persevering temperament? Are you a workaholic, and do not mind spending long hours at work? If the answer is yes to these questions, then you are cut out to make a career in journalism - print and electronic.
There is a perceptible change in the way newspapers are reaching out to niche segments and the aggression in which the television channels are eager to grab viewers. This is not to leave out radio, which is staging a major comeback through FM stations. In all, the media is poised for a major expansion, offering ample career opportunities for youngsters. A peep into the projections in the media scene in India.
By 2020, there will be about 200 television channels up from 53 private news channels and an equal number of other private channels and 33,000 cable operators.
By 2010, radio is expected to become an infotainment medium by having the FM network.
By 2020, newspapers will play a supporting and reinforcing role and will not be affected by the onslaught of high technology and innovations. `On-line' - digital newspapers, electronic magazines on the `nets' and `webs' would make inroads.
A graduate degree or a post-graduate qualification would be an asset, though opinions differ on this issue.
The Department of Communication, Osmania University, offers a one-year post-graduate degree (Bachelor in Communication and Journalism), which lays a foundation to youngsters interested not only in journalism (print and electronic), but also advertising and public relations.
It also offers the Masters in Communication and Journalism for which BCJ is a pre-requisite. The department has a state-of-the-art newspaper production laboratory, and very shortly a fully operational television studio is to be added.
Freshly passed out journalism graduates join newspapers/magazines and television as sub-editors, reporters, content writers for portals, production assistants, programme researchers and television producers. The advertising world is open to copy writers, account executives, media researchers, market researchers, visualisers, etc. Also, the corporate world offers scope for Corporate Communication Officers, Public Relations Officers, Publicity Assistants, Information Officers in the Government sector.
Osmania University has already issued a notification for admission into the PG course.