Boost Your Career with these Internships for Journalism!

Journalism can be a rewarding and exciting profession. Professionals in this sector are at the forefront of reporting essential public information such as news and current events via print, web, radio, and television. Strong writing abilities, the capacity to identify important information, and a gregarious, tenacious attitude may be required for entry into this sector. If you are interested in a career in this field then having valuable experience and quality education is a must. If you are someone looking for different types of internships for journalism, then keep reading because we will address all of your queries about internships for journalism.

Read: Find out the Best Journalism Courses after 12th

Journalism: Overview 

Before getting into the different types of internships in journalism, let’s look at what journalism is. Journalism is a subset of mass communication that involves students gathering, developing, evaluating, and presenting news or other information to an audience. Unlike in the past, the reach of this industry is no longer limited to print media; today, a journalist might work for companies that deal with newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and even the internet. 

Skills required to be a good Journalist

Journalism is a difficult career that demands aspirants to be on top of their game at all times. The following are some important skills you need to have in order to be successful in the field of journalism:

• Keen observer
• General awareness
• Clear-headed
• Good perception
• Self-motivated
• Fluent in language
• Inquisitive
• Intellectually curious
• Good writer
• Logical

Internships for Journalism: Overview

Journalism students who enjoy writing relevant, yet appealing content for a variety of media, including print, broadcast (radio and television), and digital (computers, mobile phones, and other devices) should go for internships for journalism as it will give them great exposure. Submitting a piece of writing, whether it’s a news item about current events or about any other relevant subject, is usually a requirement of a journalistic internship. Interns learn how to conduct interviews, master the art of creating website content, and receive training in how to manage a company’s social media.

Type of Internships for Journalism

Content Marketing Internships

This internship is ideal for journalism graduates who want to get into the advertising industry, marketing, or public relations department of any organization. The interns will learn how to write a copy, produce a newsletter, write blogs for a company’s specific clients, and compose press releases in order to choose a new way of propaganda to boost the company’s revenue. As a result, journalism students who excel at showcasing and marketing are ideal candidates for the internship.

Explore: How to be a Content Writer?

Editorial Internships

The editorial intern learns to edit articles, learns about a pitch-perfect write-up, learns which information should be prioritized, how to write correct header and subheadings, and much more while doing an internship in print and broadcast media. Interns in companies other than media houses benefit from learning Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in addition to writing content for the company’s products and services. In this scenario, the interns gain a lot of knowledge about digital media and their working horizon expands.

Must Read: How to be an SEO Consultant?

Social Media Internships

Social Media internships are for journalism students who want to dive into the world of social media. Writing engaging material about a company, including its functions and products, as well as considering the content’s impact across the full social media circuit. Even interns learn how to maximize the social media impact by evaluating the success of the company using measures such as Google Analytics.

Related Read: How to Become a Social Media Manager?

Broadcasting Internship

Another type of internship for journalism is broadcasting. Working as a broadcast intern at a television station or a radio station teaches you how to run a show or program. It’s not just about the creative aspect of putting on a show or broadcast; an intern also has to master administrative chores like verifying the validity of a program, preparing a manuscript, inviting guests, and writing a press release. This internship is ideal for aspiring journalists who enjoy working with traditional broadcast media.

Must Read: How to start a Career in Broadcast Media?

Copywriting Internships

Copywriting internships are extremely common internships for journalism. Interning at an advertising agency or a marketing firm will expose you to creating significant content, writing acceptable brochures, preparing reports, and learning how to repair proper marketing materials such as logos, correctly addressing the target audience, layout, and other details. These interns will get the opportunity to learn how to write and edit news items as well as website and blog content. They also receive training on how to keep up with current marketing and media trends, as well as how to adapt their writing style in response to the changes that are required.

Top Companies offering Internships for Journalism

Here are some companies in India that offer internships to journalism students:

• NDTV
• Hindustan Times
• India Today
• Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd.
• The Economic Times
• Taylor and Francis
• ZEE TV
• Republic
• The Hindu
• Inshorts
• Business Today
• Indian Express
• Media India Group

How to find Internships for Journalism? 

Follow the following steps to get internships for journalism:

• Prepare your cover letter and CV carefully.
• Make contact with your references.
• Check popular job portals like LinkedIn, Internshala and the official websites of the companies.
• Maintain a focus on the professional field in which you wish to work.
• Look for opportunities both at home and abroad.
• Use subletters to your advantage.
• Keep your choices (both paid and unpaid) open.
• Maintain an online presence in addition to social networking.

4 Ways to Ace your Journalism Interview

Most internships for journalism have a round of interview where candidates can impress their managers. How you present yourself in an interview can determine whether you will get that internship or not. Here are some tips on how you can impress your interviewer-

• Punctuality – being late will increase your stress levels and make a terrible first impression on the company, so make every effort to appear on time. If it is online, be present at the online meet venue before time.
• Be Positive & Enthusiastic – Be nice and professional with any staff you meet before or after the interview, and if you’re particularly worried, remind yourself that the worst thing that can happen is that you don’t get the job. Respond to inquiries with positive responses, be passionate about the job, and avoid criticizing your prior employers or university professors throughout the interview.
• Body language – Before and after the interview, deliver a solid handshake to your interviewer(s). Sit naturally in your chair without slouching or leaning on the desk once you’ve taken a seat. Remember to smile regularly and establish eye contact throughout the interview.
• Be Clear – Answer all questions promptly and clearly, demonstrating your most relevant abilities, experiences, and accomplishments. It’s fine to take a moment before answering a difficult question to give yourself time to reflect or to ask for clarification if you’re not sure what a question means. Don’t speak too rapidly when responding.

Career Opportunities after Journalism

Internships for journalism and mass communications can open doors to lucrative career prospects. Journalism has evolved as a sector of communication over time to become the single point of access to information for all people. A career in journalism has a wide range of opportunities and can be rewarding in some situations. After completing journalism classes, you have a variety of professional alternatives to consider. 

Here are some of the job opportunities for a journalism degree in India.

• TV Channel
• Newspapers
• Radio
• Press House
• Public Relations and Media Management Firms
• Web Content Creation 
• Digital Agencies

[BONUS] Media Studies with University of Liverpool

In this blog, we discussed internships for journalism in detail. Studying journalism can lead to a variety of occupations in which your creativity, writing, communication, and research abilities are highly valued. For more educational content, stay connected with Leverage Edu on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and LinkedIn.