Structure, governance, value education, policies and administration
Paper 2 :Domain knowledge (Mass Communication & Journalism)
Unit 1: Introduction to Journalism & Mass Communication
This unit covers the foundational concepts of communication.
i. Core Concepts: Communication and Mass Communication (nature, scope, process, and functions), types of communication, and barriers to communication.
ii. Theories & Models: Key communication models (Aristotle, Lasswell, Shannon-Weaver), theories such as Agenda-Setting, Framing, Cultivation, and the Two-Step Flow.
iii. Media and Society: Role of media in democracy, concept of the public sphere, media literacy, and media's influence on society.
iv. Indian Communication Traditions: A look at India's rich history of communication, from folk media to modern mass media.
Unit 2: Communication for Development & Social Change
This unit focuses on how communication is used to bring about social and economic development.
i. Concepts: Development communication (definitions, concepts, and paradigms like Modernization and Dependency).
ii. Role of Media: The role of different media forms (print, radio, TV, folk) in development projects.
iii. Social Change: How communication can be used for advocacy, social movements, and empowerment.
iv. Case Studies: Analysis of significant development communication campaigns in India related to health, education, and the environment.
Unit 3: Reporting & Editing
This is the core of journalistic practice, covering the skills needed to create news content.
i. News Fundamentals: Concepts of news, its elements, news values, and the inverted pyramid structure.
ii. Reporting Skills: Techniques for news gathering, sourcing, attribution, interviewing, and beat reporting (political, crime, business, sports).
iii. Editing Principles: The role of the editor, principles of editing, copyediting symbols, headline writing, and page layout/design.
iv. Journalistic Ethics: Key ethical principles, objectivity, fairness, and dealing with dilemmas like paid news and sensationalism.
Unit 4: Advertising & Marketing Communication
This unit explores the commercial side of media, focusing on persuasive communication.
i. Advertising Basics: Definition, types, functions, and the role of advertising in the economy and society.
ii. Ad Agencies & Campaigns: The structure of ad agencies and the process of creating and executing an ad campaign.
iii. Brand Management: Concepts of brand, brand identity, brand positioning, and brand equity.
iv. Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC): Combining various promotional tools like PR, direct marketing, and sales promotion for a unified message.
Unit 5: Public Relations & Corporate Communication
This unit covers the strategic management of communication for organizations.
i. PR Concepts & Tools: Definition, functions, and key tools of PR like press releases, press conferences, and media kits.
ii. Corporate Communication: Managing internal and external communication to build and protect a company's image.
iii. Strategic Functions: Crisis communication, reputation management, and media relations.
iv. Professional Bodies: The role of organizations like the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI).
Unit 6: Media Laws & Ethics
This unit deals with the legal and ethical framework within which the media operates.
i. Constitutional Framework: Freedom of speech and expression (Article 19(1)(a)) and its reasonable restrictions.
ii. Key Media Laws: Laws related to Defamation, Copyright Act, Contempt of Court, Official Secrets Act, and Right to Information (RTI).
iii. Regulatory Bodies: The role of the Press Council of India (PCI), News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA), and other self-regulatory bodies.
iv. Cyber Laws: An introduction to the IT Act 2000, covering issues like digital privacy and cybercrime.
Unit 7: Film & Visual Communication
This unit explores the language and impact of visual media.
i. Cinema History: Milestones in world cinema and Indian cinema.
ii. Film Language: The grammar of film, including shots, camera angles, movements, editing techniques, and sound design.
iii. Visual Communication: Principles of visual design, photography, semiotics, and the use of graphics in media.
iv. Film Theory: An introduction to major film theories like Auteur theory and Feminist film theory.
Unit 8: Communication Research
This unit covers the methods used to study media and its effects.
i. Research Fundamentals: The meaning, scope, and types of communication research.
ii. Methodology: Steps in the research process, from formulating a research question to writing the report.
iii. Research Methods: Qualitative methods (interviews, case studies) and quantitative methods (surveys, content analysis).
iv. Data Analysis: Basic statistical tools for analyzing data.
Unit 9: New Media & Digital Communication
This unit focuses on the impact of the internet and digital technologies on communication.
i. Digital Media: Characteristics of new media, the internet, and social media platforms.
ii. Online Journalism: Skills like web writing, mobile journalism (MoJo), data journalism, and multimedia storytelling.
iii. Digital Culture: Issues of media convergence, user-generated content, and the participatory nature of new media.
iv. Cybersecurity & Policy: Laws and policies related to digital media and online privacy.
Unit 10: Media Management & Production
This unit covers the business and operational aspects of media organizations.
i. Media as an Industry: Principles of media management and organization.
ii. Ownership Patterns: Different media ownership models in India and their implications.
iii. Media Economics: Revenue models, market structures, and competition in the media industry.
iv. Production Basics: Fundamentals of radio, television, and online video production.
