Selecting the correct career is a crucial decision with far-reaching implications. It is a choice that will shape your future, underscoring the importance of making an informed decision.
Over the next few weeks, The African Reporter will engage with business people, professionals and other role players, focusing on a specific career every week.
By doing this, we aim to provide valuable guidance to our younger readers navigating their career choices.This week, we give a platform to journalism as a career.
Kwa-Thema resident Xoliswa Kali has been a journalist for seven years after attaining her Bachelor of Arts in Politics from the University of Johannesburg.
“Growing up, I wanted to be a news reader, which I thought was journalism. I realised the news was important because we watched more than one bulletin each night. I chose print journalism because I love writing more than speaking,” she said.
What is journalism?Journalism is the gathering, assessing and reporting of news to inform the public.
What does a journalist do?A journalist gathers, investigates and reports on current issues, stories or events using an unbiased perspective. Journalists give the public accurate, balanced and timely news through media outlets, like newspapers, TV, magazines, radio and digital platforms.
Some tasks include researching stories, writing articles, fact-checking, editing and proofreading. Overall, we play a crucial role in informing and educating the public.
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Where can I study journalism?You can study at several universities and institutions:• University of Cape Town;• University of the Witwatersrand;• University of Stellenbosch;• University of Pretoria;• Tshwane University of Technology.A diploma in journalism takes three years to complete.
Which qualifications do I need to become a journalist?Fortunately, you do not need any specific qualifications to become a journalist. You need a strong command of the language you will write in, a skill one can learn while pursuing qualifications like communications, sociology, political studies, marketing and public relations.
Although one does not need a qualification to become a journalist, it is better to have one because of the field’s competitive nature.
How long does it take to qualify as a journalist?Most institutions offer three- to four-year qualifications that could set one on their way to becoming a journalist. Many other shorter courses can help aspiring journalists improve their writing.
These include:• copywriting;• writing articles for websites and blogs;• travel writing;
Which high school subjects do I need?You have to be great in the language you want to write in. You must enjoy using words to build a picture for others. Other subjects might help you focus on a niche in journalism. For example, if you enjoy business studies, you could be a journalist and focus on business news.
What skills do I need to be a good journalist?It depends on what journalism you want to do, but the basics are good language and grammar, wide general knowledge and good social skills. You must be able to write well, correctly and according to your publication’s style guide.
You need to understand what you are writing about to clearly communicate it to the public. Lastly, you need to be able to work well with people and communicate with all types.
After that, if you want to be a science journalist, for example, you need to understand the science you are writing about. If you want to be a travel journalist, you need to be able to travel and document those travels.
A news journalist is a jack-of-all-trades. A mini expert in all fields because all fields have news worth writing about. Decide early on what you want to specialise in and develop your skills accordingly.
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Are there different types of journalism professions?Yes. Some journalists focus on different roles and work in different fields.
We have:• investigative journalism – reporters deeply investigate a topic of interest, such as serious crimes, racial injustice, political corruption or corporate wrongdoing;
• online journalism – a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the internet as opposed to publishing via print or broadcast;
• opinion journalism – journalism distinguished by the subjective views and personal opinions of the writer.
• sports journalism – reporters write about and report on amateur and professional sports. They have various duties like reporting game statistics, interviewing coaches and players and doing game commentary;
• entertainment journalism – journalism that focuses on popular culture and the entertainment business and its products;
• broadcast journalism – the production and delivery of news stories via radio, TV or online;
• political journalism – a broad branch of journalism that covers all aspects of politics and political science;
• photojournalism – journalism that tells a news story through powerful photography.
Where do journalists find employment?Journalists can find work almost anywhere. If the corporate world is attractive to you, a public relations officer can write and distribute corporate newsletters, press releases and training materials.
If you want to work for a community, your community newspaper is the place for you. You can look at national or global news organisations if you seek prestige. Blogging, radio, broadcast, magazines and social media journalism are viable options.
These platforms lend themselves to almost any topic and are usually more flexible. Journalists can also work full-time or on a freelance basis for multiple companies.
Journalists Melissa Nel and Palesa Tsotesi (Springs Advertiser) and Charma du Plessis (Brakpan Herald) also answered the questions.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
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