Unpaid internships should be boycotted

Hi guys! This, write up (or shout out), is a direct appeal to all the fresh pass outs as well as working students; if you are good at something, never do it for free (a famous quote).

To be honest, my personal experience has been, a little, agonizing, working as an intern. I worked for a multinational media firm for 1 & ½ months (45 days) to be exact, for free, not a single penny guys! I realized (thanks god I did), they should have paid me something, at least traveling should be considered, but nothing as such happened.

I even spoke to the seniors working over there but found no help. Then I took the matter to the head, but was denied any explanation for this routine. Finally, I decided to leave them, and I am sure they must have hired some other intern for free. This incident was back in 2012.

Thereafter, I decided I wouldn’t work for free for anyone (except for my friends ;) ) and since have stood by my word. I refused any opportunity that was provided to me in exchange of no-money-intern. This, unpaid internship, situation has worsened over the years. I strongly believe that this is nothing less than exploitation of the intern.

I know some students, now working, who have worked, as long as, for 18 months without pay in the journalism industry. Isn’t this exploitation in a way?

The situation, especially, is at cataclysm in Mumbai. There are numerous media agencies and they run this unpaid internship thing ‘shamelessly’. Even the multinational media corporations are doing the same. It is even more-heartbreaking that these firms, most of the times; don’t even pay for the intern’s traveling allowance. “Paying stipend” is a complete different story.

The media industry in defense, for unpaid interns, has reasons like, the students are not professionals or in order to learn you have to invest something first or, even to a level, we don’t require you; it is you who is in need of the internship.

They, media houses, are only able to do this because we, interns, don’t speak for ourselves. We don’t have to be scared about the opportunity, first and foremost important thing. If you are good at it, eventually, you would end up getting a decent paying job.

You just start saying ‘no’ to unpaid internships. There are n numbers of opportunities in this growing media-journalism-business. You only have to stand-up for yourself, say no to unpaid internships, at least ask for what you deserve; and deep down somewhere, you know that you deserve better.

And yes, if you are concerned what happened to me when I refused unpaid internship; nothing much to worry, I am still associated with the media business and on a decent pay ;). Quit worrying, stop getting exploited and stand for what is yours. You just have to ask and I am 100% sure asking don’t cost a single penny.

आगामी चुनाव - Navbharat Times

मेरे विचार चुनाव पर।

The ‘WANT-NEED’ Ratio: TELEVISION

I as a regular viewer of media is very concerned about the way infotainment is been provided to us. No doubt the job of the media is to catch as many eyes as possible but there should be always a limit to what is provided. The information and entertainment ratio has gone from bad to worse.

It is important for the media (especially TV) to maintain the balance. There are some very serious issues with the way the Indian TV media covers an event. For ex: While covering the whole IAC movement “who said to whom?” “What he/she said?” etc were the main points of discussion instead of discussing “why he/she said that?” were given less importance.

It is understood that the media needs to fill their pockets too. But gaining profits was always in business. So here comes the brutal truth that media in no more a media house but a business house. And by now most of us who are literate can understand what I am writing.

Smita Gupta in her research paper Post-Liberlisation India: How free is the Media? Explains citing references how media is selling just a product and it is all about profit making.

MEDIA BIAS

In my opinion media should not be biased. Like any other profession media too has its code of conduct. In any case, broadcasting, printing or radio media should maintain the standards. It is the media which acts as a mascot of the society. In consideration, in a country like India majority of the population is illiterate. This enables them to form an opinion on any particular issue. And the role of media comes in here. Their job is to guide such people in forming right opinion and coming to right conclusions.

The history proves that whenever the media has played the role of being biased it has led to tribulations in society. Whether it may be the case of Vietnam, Iraq where the western media was said to be pro US or it may be Indian regional media’s reporting during the `93 riots. The media could have just reported the facts instead of using adjectives while reporting. Under such sensitive circumstances media should go by the rulebook.

Media is a tool of ‘infotainment’. That is entertainment and information. But in recent times the media has declined more towards profit making than serving the social causes. They have made news a pure business. And in this profit making media has crossed limits being biased in reporting keeping aside the social cause.

Sometimes a personal bias of the reporter, editor or even the owner comes into play. On being a part of an organization one should always keep their personal biases aside. Media has a very progressive role in society. It should use its bias to construct and not to deconstruct the society. While covering a very sensitive issue one should strictly follow the norms of the organization.

If one tries to break rules, they should be punished accordingly. Here comes the role of PCI but PCI too needs to be given more punitive powers. It is up to the media to be more socially responsible and play the role of being the fourth pillar of society.

ROLE OF RESEARCH IN GROWTH OF NEWSPAPERS

ROLE OF RESEARCH IN GROWTH OF NEWSPAPERS

Research is an important & necessary process done before launching of any big project. Research is done in order to understand the current market status of a particular product & the future aspects of it. A newspaper is a daily commodity which is launched in the market. It has daily buyers, monthly or yearly subscriptions, etc. which heavily depends on the kind of research done by that particular newspaper department.

The research in a newspaper includes what the people/readers prefer; the language, the price, the quality of paper & very importantly the kind of news covered by the newspaper. The research team dwells on these topics & hence does their research accordingly.

The research has a very significant growth effect on a newspaper. For ex, launch of Hindustan Times in Mumbai. They researched in Mumbai about the kind of news people follow & the strength of the living youth. HT launched in Mumbai on the 14^th July 2005. HT launched HT café first in a tabloid format but later changed to broadsheet format as its biggest competitor TOI also has Bombay Times which runs in broadsheet format.

Longer the research is, the better is the result. Another example is the launch of DNA for Mumbaikars. It was launched on 21^st July 2005. DNA adopted a smart and inquisitive marketing strategy where the advertisements were done through hoardings. These hoardings were non-verbal in nature i.e. there was no text on them. This raised the curiosity of people till there were hoardings that said ‘Speak-Up. It is in your DNA’, which was interpreted by most as some medical product. Their next move was to send their representatives to people and ask them for their views on what would they want from the media and not just the newspaper. A lot of social causes were brought under the light by common people as well as celebrities who also campaigned for DNA. One thing that was common in all the hoardings was the humorous and thought-provoking comments by ordinary people. Their success lied with the fact that they kept it comfortably simple.

Many times a newspaper gets into a lot of loss; hence a research is done to revive the paper. The research done is very important as it helps the newspaper let them know what the flaws it has are. A lot of mathematical calculation that goes into the launch of a newspaper involves three basic steps: To estimate the population of the city, to analyze the English-speaking population, to know the potential of the market i.e. the number of English-speaking people reading English newspaper.

A research requires in depth study of the local people, where it is going to be launched, their understanding of news & their interests. A good research leads in a profitable growth of a newspaper. For ex, TOI in Mumbai. It always gives sufficient food for thought for the Mumbaikars. It covers in detail the city news which comes out in the sister edition of TOI, Mumbai Mirror. Also it takes care of the youth’s interest by bringing out Bombay Times & Times Accent. Hence TOI has a good reach to the Mumbaikars, making it the no.1 paper in Mumbai. A good research leads a paper in good profits by attracting useful & sufficient advertising.

Hence the role of research is very important in the growth of a newspaper.