The first lecture on media laws and ethics by Mr. Satyaprakash focused on the basic duties of a reporting, during on-field reporting. In an elaborate lecture, he said about the basic duties and rules to be followed by reporters, that enables us to cover a complete story which makes sense and appeals to the larger masses.

Of the many things that he explained, he said that the first and foremost duty of a reporter includes informing the office or the editor about the incident and seeking permission to go ahead for covering the story. On getting a go ahead, there are several other factors that must be considered to make the news worthwhile.

One of the first ones to follow is the 5W1H rule, which entails covering ‘What the incident or the story is all about and where did it occur, when and why did it happen and whom all does it affect’ and how? This ensures that the news being filed is complete in every sense and makes it to the final print.

He continued with the lecture and talked at length about setting an agenda for discussion and debate in the society. This however is decided on the nature of reporting being done. For instance, only covering a particular incident and its details falls under micro reporting. On the other hand, covering the bigger picture related to the incident is macro reporting, and this is what sets the tone for debates and discussions.

Journalism and journalists, more often than not, act as a watchdog for the society. They report and cover the details pertaining to events which go unnoticed. Investigative journalism is one such field, which requires coming out with facts supported by proof, which otherwise would not come to the knowledge of the common man. And for all this, it is very important that to educate the common masses, one needs to research and research more to mature as a journalist. And then we have the duty to entertain the masses, by thinking and coming up with various ways in which the common man can be kept engaged to a common social cause.

The very first lecture of the session was with Ms. Namita Kohli on the basics of reporting. We started off by discussing what journalism stood for. Journalism basically sought to give voice to the “voiceless” or marginalized.  In this context it is also important to ask whose voices are we willing hear. It creates public opinion and brings forth key debates while also acting as a watching and empowering the citizens with information.

We next discussed what ‘news’ stood for. NEWS basically stands for “North, East, West, South” or everything which has any significance, a bit of drama, a surprise element, or concerns personalities makes news. Also scandals, large scale events and proximity of an event are important factors in determining the news. News is factual, objective, and lacks any bias. The various areas which make news can range from sports, crime, infrastructure, politics, legal issues, conflicts and calamities to fashion, entertainment, celebrities and lifestyle. Inside a newsroom, editors decide news according to its timeliness and define news as something readers care about.

We finally concluded by discussing how news is made. News is not something that merely “happens.” It’s actively “put together” by reporters, editors and publishers. Gathering, selecting and writing news is also a largely subjective matter.

The day commenced with an introductory lecture by Ms. Aditi who told us about the inverted pyramid form of reporting and rule of 5Ws and 1H. The inverted pyramid signifies that while reporting, the most relevant information must precede the less important details of the story.  We also had a little discussion about the major publications in India, their target audience and their influence.

The second lecture was on Communication Concepts by Ms. Parul Abrol. She defined Communication as “all those planned and unplanned processes through which one person influences the behavior of others.” She told us that we interact according to certain theories as they help broaden the contours of our understanding of communication behavior. They also help us predict and control our communication while providing us with an abstract understanding of communication process so that it enables one to move beyond deciphering in a linear fashion.

The next lecture was taken by Probir Pramanik who shared his experiences as a print journalist. He began by giving us an advice that while writing a report, the sentences must be short and crisp as it helps hold the attention of the reader. He said preparation study or research is a part of life for a journalist and sources and contacts are an essential part of journalism. While elaborating on each of these points by sustaining them with real life examples and interesting anecdotes from his experience as a journalist, he also remarked on some relevant facts about the media industry. He told us about the constant conflict between the industry trends and journalistic trends which is present due to the strong corporate lobby that enables the corporations and politicians to plant stories. Lastly he spoke about the newspaper’s social responsibility towards the people so that the reporter may write ethically without instigating them.

The first lecture by Mr. K G Suresh focused on the basic fundamentals of editing. We were given a brief insight into the job of a newspaper editor and how an actual news copy is edited and made fit for publication. The lecture primarily focused on various factors which should be kept in mind while writing a good news copy.

Some of the factors which are essential for preparing a good news copy are as follows:-

1.Being professional: The writing must be formal and crisp. But simple and conveying the news in short.

2.Maintain reader’s attention: It should be a good copy, useful to the reader. It should not just have an attractive headline; the body needs to be relevant as well.

3.Presentable: The copy must have a proper layout, good captions, headings, significant boxed items, stats and figures, boxed backgrounders, headlines in place, sub headings, proper graphs and photographs.

4.Copy fit for publication: The final copy must be credible as well as fit for publication.

5.Highlighting the relevant: The copy should look relevant for the public at large, it needs to touch the core of the people.

6.Factual: Facts are sacred. So, they need to be correct. It is very important to be cautious.

7.Selection of content: It should always touch the target audience.

8.Sentiments should not be hurt.

9.Effective: Words, nuances, various terms that make a copy effective must be used.

10.Bias: The copy should always be objective. An impartial delivery is a must.    A copy must never be one sided, both versions must be addressed.

11.Error- free: It is very important for the copy to be error free.

12.Co-ordinating.

13.Inverted pyramid structure: The most important part of the copy must always come first.

14.Backgrounds: A brief backgrounder is important in a copy, not just for the first time readers but also to refresh the memory of the public.

Also, the editor should be aware of his target audience and the news copy should be prepared accordingly. The article should be able to engross the reader and captivate his attention throughout. The Editor should also try to chalk out a fine balance between the demands of his readers and the inclinations of the newspaper’s corporate ownership. A bias towards either direction can be damaging for any news copy. Moreover, the lecture emphasized on how having good general awareness is pivotal for any news editor. He should be well versed with the happenings around him and portray them accurately, whenever he is called upon to do so. We also had a discussion about how vital it is for any editor to take an interest in all fields and develop qualities like curiosity and inquisitiveness.