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Contact Hours/ Week : 5

Credit : 4

Course Objectives


 To create in the student an awareness of the basic theories and concepts related to communication and to give them basic training in writing for the newspaper.                                                                              To introduce mass media and their characteristics to students.
 To familiarize them with the history and fundamentals of print media
 To familiarize them with the characteristics of print media content and be a stepping stone
for the student to be a print media professional.


Learning Outcomes


 Students get knowledge of the history of the media
 They acquire functional knowledge of the fundamentals of media writing.
 They developing the skill by practice, of writing editorials, features, reviews and the like

.SYLLABUS


 Module I: History of Indian Journalism


The Age of Print-The beginning of Indian Journalism- Firm roots with British Raj and spread of English journalism- The Press and the Freedom Movement- recent developments.


Module II: Introduction to Mass media.


Importance of Mass Media-Functions-Various types of mass media and their characteristics- Print media: newspaper, magazine, books. Electronic media: TV, Radio, Films. The New
Media- the Internet-Media Convergence-Media ethics-‘media world’ vs native culture.


Module III: Writing for the media


Role of Journalism-Journalistic Writing vs Creative Writing-Print media contents: News writing and news structure-; leads and types of leads –Report writing; News Agencies- Feature writing – Structure and types Editorial–Review writing (Book/ Film)- The People's Voice- Letters to the Editor.
(sessions to analyse language and contents of sample news/reports/leads have to be incorporated)


Module IV: Journalistic English

Writing captions & headlines (language, tense, voice and style)-rules of editing- Proofreading and symbols, standards in editing-designing, artwork, pagination.


Journalistic Glossary to be introduced :

Banner, Headline, bleed, blooper, barker, byline, credit line, dateline, deadline, gravure, gutter, jump line, nameplate, masthead, offset, op-ed, tombstone, tabloid, stringer, dummy, freelance, news agency, beat, breaking news, scoop, new journalism, precision journalism, style Book, citizen journalist, investigative journalism, sting operation, yellow journalism.


Core Reading


Seema Hasan. Mass Communication: Principles and Concepts; CBS Publishers. Essential English for Journalists, editors and writers- Harold Evans


Suggested Reading


Kundra, G. C. History of Journalism in India. (2004).
Moitra, Mohit. A History of Indian Journalism, Hardcover. (1969).
Mencher, Melvin. Basic News Writing. Dubaque: William C. Brown Co.,1983. Premanand, M.E. Textbook on Media Studies (2012)
E-book available at www.englishskillsone.com

Skill Level: Beginner