Journalism and Mass Communication in the Digital Age

To grasp the trends of journalism and mass communication in the digital age, it is essential to delve deeper into its evolution in the current world.

In 1776, William Bolts, an ex-employee of the British East India Company, attempted to start the first newspaper. However, it was James Augustus Hickey who launched the first English newspaper in India on 29 January 1780. After being in prison, Hickey’s paper continuously appeared with the same defiant tone. 

In the context of media, the reach of radio became significant for different countries to communicate with the people. Heeding the need to introduce new media technologies to influence diversified cultural change, the media revolution was considered.

The media revolution is brought in by technological advancements like Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, 3-D printing, VR, and AR. It is also influential in increasing demand for professionals in the industry.

Looking at the transformative impact of technological advancement on the media industry, top universities of India offer different journalism and mass communication programs.

The School of Media and Communication at Manipal University, Jaipur, is an opportunity for those who are passionate about storytelling and creativity. Therefore, pursuing a BA Journalism and Mass Communication from here can be the most suitable step for students' career progression.

Here are the critical aspects of the profound transformation of journalism and mass communication in the digital age.

Digital Platforms and Real-Time Reporting

The implications of social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter bring a significant rise in journalism and mass communication. Top universities of India are giving importance to these platforms in their journalism and mass communication programs.

According to Forbes, 4.9 billion people use social media in 2023. It is expected to increase further to 5.85 billion by 2027. This rise in social media usage can be a great assistance to deliver real-time news and reach a global audience. Journalists are increasingly adapting YouTube to run their live news reporting in India.

Live updates and streams are significant ways journalists engage with audiences on social media platforms. The popular channel in India, Aaj Tak, earned $466000 from YouTube within the last 30 days.

Pop-up notification that users receive is helpful for them in the instant delivery of information and news. In India, news organisations also prioritise timeliness in a 24/7 cycle with the help of digital platforms.

Multimedia Storytelling

“Listening to stories and passing them down over generations is part of Indian culture”. Hindustan Times.

Immersive and engaging storytelling experiences efficiently attain a higher level of potential audience. We at Manipal University, Jaipur, offer experiential learning to the students to foster their storytelling abilities while pursuing a BA Journalism and Mass Communication.

In India, the majority of storytellers are considering Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts to obtain a diversity of interactions in the world. On-the-go capturing, editing, and sharing content has influenced Indian journalism because of MoJo (Mobile Journalism). MoJo is a kind of digital storytelling used mainly by journalists, content creators and other organisations.

Here are the different multimedia formats to enhance storytelling.

• Videos
• Podcasts
• Interactive Graphics
• Texts and Audio

At Manipal University, Jaipur, you will often learn how to create mythological stories and other narratives. Faculty members at MUJ are teaching BA Journalism and Mass Communication students through storytelling competitions.

Personalised News

Journalism and mass communication in the digital age prioritise personalised content for gathering a large audience. Different algorithms on digital platforms help journalists personalise news and reports on the basis of the audience’s behaviour and preferences.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the most used digital tool for personalisation. News channels like Aaj Tak, Indian Express, Zee News, and others are using AI tools to analyse the needs and preferences of the audience to deliver the most suitable content. Generative personalisation has also been significantly increased in India's media industry.

Well-equipped print, electronic media, and computer lab facilities at Manipal University, Jaipur, are beneficial for learning about creating personalised content. It will add to your competencies and employability.

Transparency and Accountability

In the digital age, journalism and mass communication have become more oriented to create a transparent world.

Most journalists and content creators use digital tools to influence transparency in reporting with the help of source links, documents, and other contexts. As you can see, several research publications provide references from where they had collected the information. It also builds trust with the sources and the audience.

The digital world includes various fake news on politics, crime, and entertainment. However, transparency in journalism is a key to eliminating fake news to regain public trust. Also, various journalists use AI tools for fake news detection. The research centre at Manipal University, Jaipur, is efficient in developing your understanding of citing the sources from where data has been gathered.

Emerging New Formats

News newsletters, podcasts, and live-streaming trends have become popular in the digital age of journalism and mass communication. Continuous experiments of journalists and organisations have been performed to engage a diverse audience in the world.

Users on the internet prefer digital content in live streams, blogs, and newsletters. Top universities of India conduct competitions for blog writing to influence student’s abilities.

It is the foremost way to improve students' employability in the digital world. One can also contribute to the field of digital marketing with creative blogs.

Let’s Wrap

Technological advancements have significantly evolved the world of journalism and mass communication. Professionals broadly use digital methods to deliver accurate and exciting facets to the audience. Also, to use such technologies, one must have appropriate knowledge. BA Journalism and Mass Communication at NAAC-accredited universities in Rajasthan can engage you in different events, webinars, workshops, and guest lectures to train you in such technologies. Explore the Manipal Jaipur placements and enrol for admissions.