The Emirati economy has been successful in transforming from an oil-reliant economy to one which is majorly driven by non-oil sectors like finance, manufacturing, real estate and education. Having witnessed a plethora of transformations in the last one decade, the UAE is moving forth with an approach to foster a people-inclusive growth in the country.
But, is there any common denominator interlinking the growth of these sectors?
What might be that one sector which facilitates a chord of communication between all these industries?
The answer lies in the few hours you devote to watching a news channel every evening.
Journalism-That’s the word!
Right from the latest trends in Dubai real estate to the fluctuating value of shares in the Abu Dhabi securities exchange, news is turning tables all across the UAE at the moment.
Building on the same line of thought, the discussion to follow will provide you an insight regarding the most prominent form of journalism- Broadcast Journalism.
Pursuing a Career in Broadcast Journalism
The field is a blend of various modes of communication like TV, radio, video journalism etc. This field of journalism is often termed as a fast moving business. The audience in the UAE is not only hungry for news, but for news pieces that are accurate, informative and are well-written enough to entice them at one go.
Being in one of the countries with bountiful opportunities in every sector, you might easily secure a job in journalism, but remaining enthusiastic regarding your job is what you need to keep things going.
The key to being an avid broadcast journalist lies in understanding some rudimentary basics of this field.
- Being Vibrant in your approach: This stands for nothing, but a shred of optimistic attitude in whatever chores you carry out, throughout the day. Being sluggish might hold you back throughout your career. Things like live bulletins, deadlines and last minute adjustments will come in heaps, hence being positive will make it comparatively easier and enjoyable for you to carry out the job in the desired manner.
- A Strong Knowledge Base: Being in the profession, it’s quite indispensable for you to own a strong knowledge bank pertaining to issues, names, geography, current affairs and the ability to put all of these into perspective for the viewers to understand every inch of the news delivered.
- Finesse in Carrying Out an Interview: You should possess an instinct for what the audience needs and wants to know. Paying attention to detail will help you figure out the elements that are missing out of the story and draw out information which might prove useful, in a skillful yet time-efficient way.
- Remarkable Sense of Timing: This encompasses abilities like expanding or crunching one’s speech according to the demand, assessing when the story needs refreshing and some as specific as sensing the amount of words that’ll exactly fill a minute without glancing the clock.
What do the specific fields tell us?
Radio Journalism
There are immense opportunities this industry provides to those who have the flair to excel and possess the required skills-set. Positions like radio jockeys, programming directors, news writers and readers are the most prominent ones.
However, being an RJ is what entices most of the aspirants nowadays.
There is an immense amount of pressure you’ll have to withstand while being live on air. So make sure you’re confident enough before taking any such position.
One can also opt for behind the scene roles like logistics, program director and planning.
To be a good news reader, you must have the prowess to write extraordinarily well. The concept of KISS (Keep it short and simple) and using everyday speech might prove useful in such a situation.
TV Journalism
Broadcasting on television is the foremost mode by which the crowd gets its news and by the looks of it, the trend is going to be the same in the future too. For instance, Dubai hosts a variety of international, local and regional TV stations that keenly look forward to hire hard working professionals from the field.
Qualities like being clear regarding the way to go about an interview, knowing the format of a show on the back of one’s hand, being decisive and selective, having control over the pace of a show, having excellent commentary skills, control over voice modulation and impeccable hold over a specific language are quite necessary to move forth in this segment of journalism.
Things to be kept in mind while choosing options in this field are numerous. You’ll find people working for reputable companies, interviewing renowned personalities and earning fame to leave a legacy behind. But, the lone essential that you need right now, is a disciplined approach. Stay focus and keep on trying, because it’s all about getting yourself established, using the right means.