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What is Broadcast Journalism Exploring Its Meaning, History & Types

Written by 7:33 am Journalism & Mass Communication

What is Broadcast Journalism: Exploring Its Meaning, History & Types

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The foundation of Indian media is Broadcasting journalism. Broadcasting news is the delivery of daily events to the audience through different media like TVs, digital platforms, and radio. Broadcasting journalism have come a long way as the technology and the industry has upgraded themselves. It has become one of the most desirable and lucrative career options.

In this article, we will learn about what broadcast journalism is, the type of broadcasting journalism like TV journalism, radio journalism, and more, we will also go through some of the broadcast media examples. So, if you are someone who wants to start a career in this competitive and booming industry, continue reading this blog.

What is Broadcast Journalism?

The practice of broadcasting news to the audience through electrical technologies and not through traditional methods like posters, magazines, or newspapers is called broadcasting journalism. Broadcasting is basically done through television, radio, and internet. In this, they share images that are static and animated, text, and audio.
Broadcast journalism focuses on delivering news of real events to a wide range of audiences all over the world in real-time. To engage their audience broadcast journalists, gather news of the events through visuals and audio. Through this form of news, the viewers are kept informed about the breaking news, political affairs, local events, and global events.

History of Broadcast Journalism

The 20th century was when the first ever radio broadcast of news began. Below is the history of broadcast journalism:

The Birth of Radio News

  • The presidential election in 1920 was the first radio broadcast news program.
  • Due to its ability to reach a wide audience radio became quite popular.

The Rise of Radio News Networks

  • Radio news networks like NBC and CBS got fame in the 1930s and 1940s.
  • They started producing news programs and employed employees to increase their reach to report events.
Television is a Dominant Medium
  • In the 1950s television got the attention and quickly became the preferred medium for broadcasting.
  • The audience was impacted due to the visual aspects of the television.

The Golden Age of Television News

  • The competition increased as companies started to provide detailed news in the 1960s and 1970s.
  • Big-shot journalists like Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, and Barbara Walters started reporting on events to change the opinions of the viewers.

Cable News and 24-Hour News Cycle

  • The concept of 24-hour news was introduced by CNN in 1980 which changed broadcast journalism.
  • This was followed by other news channels providing updates and analysis.

Digital Transformation and Online Broadcasting

  • The internet in the late 20th century brought a significant change in the broadcast industry.
  • Due to the internet, the news channels were able to broadcast news online where they engage share live updates and engage the audience on a larger scale.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Digital Age

  • The digital age has expanded the reach of news broadcasts but has also brought challenges.
  • It has raised concerns of fake news and misinformation and therefore had to be checked.
  • Journalists are to adapt to the evolving media terrain but maintain the trust factor with the viewers.

Why Broadcast Journalism is Important?

The language borders have been raised globally as broadcast journalism brings visuals and aspects that help people globally understand the events that are happening, and this has massively changed the course of the journalism process. The interactivity has been greatly improved as the engagement rate through comments on Facebook and Twitter posts have increased. Therefore, you can say that this has led to allow viewers and television to interact with each other.
 
 
Newspapers are often read by educated people, but television and radio reach a wider audience due to non-discrimination between educated and non-educated. TV news has become more important with the rise of social media and misinformation. Online platforms and social media are totally immersed in fake news and misinterpretation of news, and therefore, TV news still keeps on dominating the broadcasting industry.

Types of Broadcasting Journalism

Broadcasting journalism in the last few years has gained a lot of dominance compared to traditional journalism. The quick access to daily events in terms of political affairs, local news, and global news has increased the popularity of broadcast journalism. There are several mediums through which news companies can broadcast and are broadcasting.

Here are the different broadcasting journalism types:

  • Television
  • Radio
  • Live Streaming and Online Video
  • Mobile Apps and Push Notifications
  • Social Media
  • Podcasts

Television

This broadcast medium is the most used medium in the world today. Through this audience is able to consume information while watching visuals. The journalists read the news through the teleprompter. In between they ask the reporter present at the event site to report and then take the charge back again.
Television has become a primary and important source of learning about the headlines for people today. They shape the opinions of the viewers which is mostly possible due to the visuals seen on the screen, unlike radio where they can only hear and not see anything.

Radio

The radio broadcast was the first broadcast platform to start broadcasting journalism. While the events are read by the radio jockey, the sounds from the events are played in the background. Radio jockeys are also called reporters and they also deliver voices over these noises.
They can reach a diverse audience which includes audience living in remote areas where there is no accessibility. Due to the absence of visuals they need to have strong communication skills that will help them put an impact on listeners. Due to the increase of digital media radio broadcasting has also evolved and broadcasted on the internet through platforms like Spotify.

Live Streaming and Online Video

Live streaming was introduced as the digital era was on the rise and had gained prominence. With the help of live streaming journalists are able to broadcast live events, breaking news, and press conferences with the help of various online platforms. Platforms like Facebook, and Twitter have gained prominence as they allow journalists to share news live in the form of statistics, live broadcasts, and videos. They have also increased the engagement rate as people are able to like and comment on these videos and statistics.

Mobile Apps and Push Notifications

Smartphones are another medium for sharing news online. News channels develop apps dedicated to sharing news. People are able to watch live news, get notifications of breaking news, and personalized news alerts. Through these apps people are able to be up to date on events not only happening in India but all over the world.

Social Media

The introduction of social media has changed the way that the world consumes news today. News channels are able to engage directly with their audience with the help of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, where they share news updates and headlines. People also share videos and pictures about events happening in their neighbourhood which has made social media a more citizen-based journalism as well.

Podcasts

This is a medium where people talk, discuss, and analyze different events as per their audience. It is a long-form storytelling format. News channels produce podcasts and bring in guests to discuss intimate and immersive topics that will help people in their lives and also give them in-depth knowledge of that particular topic. Podcasts provide stories, news coverage, and deep conversations that are difficult to happen in traditional broadcast forms.

Roles in Broadcast Journalism

Broadcast is vital to provide information and engage the audience. It included the production and distribution of news and information through various electronic media platforms like radio, television, and digital. To make their audience engaged the reports should collect information and distribute it in an engaging and effective manner that contains both visuals and audio.
 
Here are the different roles in broadcast journalism:
 
  • News Anchor/Presenter
  • Reporter/Correspondent
  • News Producer
  • Video Journalist (VJ) or Multimedia Journalist (MMJ)
  • News Editor
  • Newsroom Manager/Director

News Anchor/Presenter

The delivery of news to the audience is the primary role of a news anchor or a news presenter. They provide breaking news, take interviews, and provide commentary on current events. To create new scripts, they work with the producers and journalists.

Reporter/Correspondent

The role of a reporter or a correspondent is to gather information on events and interview politics. They are experts in the fields of sports, politics, business, and entertainment. They sit in the newsrooms and research on current events or go out and cover the live events on-site.

News Producer

Their role is to see if the production is doing good. They work closely with reporters, anchors, cameraperson, and editors to make plans and cover the best possible new story. They are responsible for making provisions needed for the smooth working of the channel.

Video Journalist (VJ) or Multimedia Journalist (MMJ)

Video journalists or multimedia journalists work as independent professionals or with small news companies. They independently report, record events, and edit news pieces. Their role is to conduct interviews of individuals, film and edit the news, and present the final story.
 
News Editor
They are responsible for editing and reviewing the content of the events brought to them by the team which helps the team to get clarity on the ongoing events. To make sure that the story accurate and as per the standards they work hand in hand with producers, journalists, and reporters.
 
Newsroom Manager/Director
The newsroom manager or director are representatives who manage all the operations for the channel. From journalists, producers, and editors to staff, everything team is managed by them. They see to it that the standards are maintained and make critical decisions that can impact the channel.

Tips to Become a Broadcast Journalist

If you are excited about this industry and want to build a career in this industry, you will have to take the first step and start pursuing journalism.

Here are a few tips to become a broadcast journalist:

  1. Pursue the correct education which will help you with the foundation. Educate yourself from AAFT Online. An ed-tech venture that helps students achieve their dreams by educating and counseling them. AAFT Online’s Ultimate Journalism Certificate Program is a program that has helped many students start their careers in this competitive industry. Students are nurtured and mentored by industry experts. The curriculum is comprehensive and is developed by the experts of this industry.
  2. Once you are confident about your knowledge start looking for internships that will help you brush your skills and gain experience.
  3. As this industry is about communication, develop your skills in communication by honing skills in writing and speaking.
  4. To will need to be aware of all the trends in this industry to gain and educate yourself accordingly about that trend.
  5. Start connecting with professionals from this industry. Networking is very important in this industry as you can expand your opportunities like this.

Examples of Broadcast Journalism

Below are some examples of broadcast journalism:
  • Television News Programs
  • Radio News Broadcasting
  • Live Reporting
  • Documentaries
  • Interview Programs
  • Podcasts
  • Online Video News Platforms

Conclusion

In conclusion, broadcasting is the foundation of world journalism. In this article we have defined broadcast media for you. This is a medium of supplying information to the people of the country and world. Even if it faces challenges like fake news and misinterpretation, the broadcast industry keeps on evolving and meeting the needs of the audience. It is important for the journalist to share the live events with the audience and broadcast journalism has made it possible.
 
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