JOURNALISM AS A PROFESSION/Qualities of a Journalist

 The profession of journalism now attracts a lot of able and talented students.

                Qualities of a Journalist
Journalism requires a special bent of mind. 

The first requirement of journalism as a profession is a keen interest in current events or day to day happenings. 

• A journalist must understand political, social and economic movements going on in the country and abroad. 
• He must take active interest in current events and have a good understanding of history and geography to develop a proper perspective.  I
• In fact, a journalist has to be a well-read and learned man.   He must have a well-stocked mind. 
• He has to be awake, alert and active. 
• He must possess a sound memory. 
• He must have an analytical mind.               
• A journalist must have original thinking in the face of events that take place from time to time. 
• He has to interpret, explain and comment on events. 
• He must read extensively and assimilate facts. 
• A journalist has a noble task to perform. 
• He must present facts before the people. 
• He is an educator. 
• He has to form and build public opinion. 
• He must have an independent way of thinking. 
• He must have the courage of his conviction. 
• He must not be biased or prejudiced against anybody or any organisation. 
• He must have an insight into human mind. 
• He must live and move among people to study their mode of living.  A good journalist combines in him all these qualities of head and heart.
• A journalist must supposed to perform an important social duty. 

His duty is to educate the masses properly in respect of their rights and duties. 

Also, he has to present, the facts of day-to-day life without and bias or interest. 

He has to keep his own personal prejudices away from what he is writing. 

He should guard against being exploited by those who are in power. 

Political influence or the power of wealth should not frighten or force a journalist into writing with some hidden motive. 

This requires a lot of courage, a strong conviction and a true sense of patriotism and humanism.

A good journalist is never distort facts, spread baseless rumours and exaggerates things

               Journalism is a noble and challenging profession Journalism is a developing and expanding profession.   In the wake of multi-channel T.V. programmes, journalism is holding a great promise to honest young man and woman. Those who are good at creative writing should adopt journalism as a profession or as a hobby.  

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