IIJNM Prospectus - Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media

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Contents
Dean’s Message 3
About IIJNM & Mission Statement 4
Overview of Curriculum & Dates and Deadlines 5
Faculty 6
IIJNM International Advisory Board 7
Programmes & Curriculum 8
Admissions Policy & Students’ Bank Loan Facilities 14
IIJNM Publications & Project Work 15
Campus Orientation / Software Tools 16
Campus Facilities & Services 17
IIJNM Seminars & Workshops 18
Placements & Awards 19
FAQs 20
Impressions 22
Annexure: Programme, Fees, Schedule & Administration 23

Since 2000, IIJNM has made steady progress in offering an excellent
journalism curriculum suited to the practice of the profession. With
experienced faculty from India and abroad, a Media Lab and state-of-the
art TV and radio studios, students get the best there is to prepare for a
start in their new career. With the recent introduction of the Multimedia
Journalism program, we are at the cutting edge of technology and media
practices. As an independent institution not affiliated with or run by
any newspaper or media organization, we are able to maintain wider
associations within the industry. Having built up our reputation as one of
the leading J-schools in South Asia, we are now ready to make further
contributions to the profession. These developments reflect not only our
commitment to a fair and independent media, but also the accomplishments
of our faculty and past graduates.
At IIJNM, first you learn the craft of journalism — how to cover a story,
be a good reporter, do the research properly, and write well. We also teach
you to use the many tools of journalism such as software applications,
how to design and layout, work with images, edit, and so on. These are
some of the essentials; what I want you to recognize is something more.
We do not teach you “what to think,” but “how to think and analyze.” You
must develop the skill of critical thought and learn to examine different
perspectives and ideas.
I hope you will examine some of the crucial questions of our time
affecting our community, India and the world. The relevance of a liberal
arts education is to examine unjust acts, wrong traditions and improper
ways of life, so that you may find ways to set things right. You must also
learn to appreciate the full breadth of individual freedom and expression,
of equality, and human justice. You must grasp, embrace and move into
the realm of right from wrong.
Indian journalism is a vibrant profession, constantly striving to find its
rightful place within a democracy in transition. Many argue that Indian
journalists are not adequately questioning the government’s economic
program and foreign policy, and investigating corruptive practices and
environmental issues. With increased concern on the part of citizens, we
can hope that our media will challenge vigorously and constructively the
wisdom and practices of our politicians and bureaucrats.
The recent turmoil in world financial markets, the terrorist attack on
Mumbai, and the Hazare movement have combined to generate critical
evaluations by journalists. The press is now more vigorously questioning
government policies, corruption and preparedness to handle external
threats. Optimistic economic predictions put out by politicians are also
being challenged. These are positive developments in bringing about the
necessary changes to governance in India.
In conclusion, what are the vital characteristics needed of a great
journalist? Needless to say, you must learn the skills to be a good reporter
and writer. You must dig into the story, find the truth, and present your
material eloquently and interestingly to the reader/viewer/listener. You
must cultivate good working relationships with your sources and contacts,
and never rely on the easy ones, such as politicians, who will rarely tell
you what they don’t want the people to know. You must learn to develop
Dean’s Message
Dr. Abraham M. George, Dean
a sense of urgency, manage your time well, and seize
the moment. In doing all these, understand the issues
that really matter to the people, cover them well, and
stimulate a dialogue with and among your readers and
viewers. Finally, you must not just be a journalist but
something more than that — a professional journalist
with personal integrity.
At IIJNM, we strive to offer the best curriculum, and
train you for a successful career in journalism. Judging
from our past graduates, the media profession has
already come to recognize the quality of our programs
and the students. I hope you will commit yourself to
excelling in this exciting career.
Thank you,
Abraham M. George,
Dean
“The Institute’s mission is to educate
students in a broad range of
skills and concepts involving the
gathering, editing and
”
presentation
of information, and prepare them
for a career in journalism.
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About IIJNM
January 2001 marked the opening of the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media (IIJNM) in Bangalore, India.
IIJNM is founded by the BS&G Foundation, a nonprofit trust dedicated to promoting true democratic values and institutions in India.
(see www.iijnm.org)
The BS&G Foundation is a partnership between the Adi Chunchanagiri Trust and The George Foundation. The former also runs several
other educational institutions in medicine and engineering, while the latter is engaged in humanitarian projects and environmental
issues (see www.tgfworld.org).
The main motivating factor behind the creation of IIJNM is the overwhelming need to improve the quality of journalism and elevate
the stature of the profession in India.
The Institute’s mission is to educate students in a broad range
of skills and concepts involving the gathering, editing and
presentation of information, and prepare them for a career in
journalism. While there is a strong emphasis on the “craft” of
journalism, the curriculum is designed to help students draw
on and supplement their basic education so they are better
equipped to handle intelligently the fundamental issues of
the day.
Mission Statement
Students are exposed to the principles and ethics intrinsic to
the profession to enable them to hone their journalistic skills.
They are given practical training by covering events in the city,
research on the Internet, working in our state-of-the-art media lab
and studio, and frequently publishing and broadcasting the news.
The hope is that IIJNM journalists will not only be competent
practitioners by today’s standards, but also that they will help
raise those standards.

The curriculum has been developed in association with
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, New
York. In order to retain flexibility in its course offerings, IIJNM
does not seek any national accreditation. The programme
leading to a diploma or a postgraduate diploma in journalism
builds on the student’s already strong background in liberal
arts, the sciences, law or other disciplines. The purpose is not
to train candidates for the next job in the field, but to educate
them for significant careers.
During a full academic year, students work in the high-pressure
deadline atmosphere of the journalism profession through their
assignments in reporting, writing, editing and using presentation
tools. Teacher-editors who have also been or still are working
journalists critique individual assignments and closely supervise
the students’ production of the in-house newspaper, magazine
Overview of Curriculum
and web publication. Students get to interact with newspaper and
magazine publishing houses and television stations in Bangalore.
The city, in all its vastness, complexity and diversity, is the
institute’s working laboratory.
Currently, the programmes consist of concentrations in Broadcast
(television and radio), Print (newspaper and magazine) and Online/
Multimedia. The curriculum includes core courses in reporting
and writing, ethical and legal issues, and tools of journalism.
Depending on their media choice, students take several essential
and elective courses in their stream. Students may specialise in
political reporting, international news coverage, business, arts,
sports and several other electives.
Media workshops include working on in-house television or radio,
newspaper, magazine, or web publications.
The IIJNM academic year starts in mid-July, and ends in mid-May. Applications must be received by June. Selected candidates
will be notified by June-end. Student acceptance of admission must be received by early July, failing which admission may be
given to candidates on the waiting list.
Early applications will be considered from January to March. Early applicants will be notified of conditional acceptance by
mid-May. Admissions will be confirmed subject to qualifying interview results.
For further details visit www.iijnm.org
Dates and Deadlines
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Faculty
Full-time and visiting faculty are from leading national
news organizations and academic institutions, as well
as from abroad:
Kanchan Kaur, Vice Dean, a print-medium journalist for
18 years including stints at the Deccan Herald and Gulf
News, Dubai. She has had a varied teaching experience
from the IIM-B, Mount Carmel College to Sri Sri Centre
for Media Studies.
Mark Austin worked from 1997 until 2010 for The Yomiuri
Shimbun, Japan’s biggest newspaper. He was employed as
a staff writer at The Daily Yomiuri, an English-language
newspaper published by the parent organ. Mark has also
freelanced and worked as a stringer for publications
including The Independent and The Irish Times (for whom
he covered the historic election in Japan in 2009), Newsweek
Japan, Scotland on Sunday and the Asahi Evening News
(now the IHT/Asahi).
Charles Lavery is an award winning investigative journalist
from Scotland. He began his career as a copy boy at the
Herald newspaper in Glasgow before studying journalism
at Lancashire. In 1993 he joined Scotland’s biggest-selling
newspaper, the Sunday Mail, as its youngest-ever recruit
and was appointed chief reporter there in 1998. He won
seven awards for his reporting, most notably Reporter of
the Year in 2008 and 2009. He has reported from Africa,
the Far East and the United States. Since 2010 he has been
freelancing, advising media clients and writing a book, The
Black Widower, which tells the story of a true-crime world
exclusive Charles broke while at the Sunday Mail.
Surekha Deepak, Professor, has over 12 years of experience
in television and films. She was part of the planning and
setting up of regional satellite channels of Eenadu TV. She
has worked in Ramoji Film City and was special effects
coordinator for the Kamal Hassan film Hey Ram, which won
the National Award for Computer Graphics in 2000.
Girish Bhadri, Associate professor, media applications,
is an expert in various application software in print and
web. He started his career with an advertising agency and
later worked for the Books for Change at ActionAid as a
Production Head, print and web. He is up to cinch with
the latest web technologies arriving each day on the cyber
scene. He is proficient in various print and multimedia
applications.
Vinyasa Hegade: Spending 15 years with one of India’s
best-known theater troupes, Ninasam, helped shape Vinyasa
Hegade’s outlook. Armed with this experience, he wound
his way through media houses including Gautham Media
House and corporate companies such as Hewlett-Packard,
sticking with communication and media through all of his
various roles. He has worked with an independent film maker
as an assistant director, edited documentaries for Bangalore
University and directed a short film. With emphasis on
cinematography and video editing, Vinyasa is adept at
handling application software such as Final Cut Pro, Avid,
Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Premiere, among others.
K.S. Dakshina Murthy was a key member of the team that
launched the English language version of Al-Jazeera. He
covered the U.S. invasion of Iraq, while posted in Doha.
He has worked with Sunday Mid-Day, The Indian Express,
Press Trust of India, Deccan Herald and Hindustan Times.
He continues to write for Al-Jazeera and is an editorial
consultant/trainer with The Hindu.
Nagesh Hegde, was an assistant editor with Prajavani, a
leading Kannada daily, and a is widely respected writer in
Karnataka on environmental issues. He is a JNU product and
served as assistant professor of Environmental Geoscience
at Kumaon University before moving into journalism.
B.T. Venkatesh is a practicing lawyer specializing in human
rights and civil liberties. His legal career of 25 years has
brought him in close proximity to - and in some cases, the
eye of the storm of - issues such as Civil and Human rights of
persons accused of sedition, stigamitized South Asian LGBT
community, marginalised communities. Apart from being an
experienced civil and criminal lawyer, Prof. B. T. Venkatesh,
through ReachLaw, provides probono legal advise and
litigation support to marginalized communities. He is legal
advisor to Greenpeace India, sangama, Suraksha, Garment
& Textile workers’ Union, Biodiversity Conversation India
Limited, Environics Trust, mines, minerals & PEOPLE and
many other organisations.
Saggere Ramaswamy has been in photojournalism for over
18 years and is a resource person in Bangalore for journalists
from elsewhere. He has worked for eight publications,
including The Hindu Business Line, The Indian Express,
Andolana and Star of Mysore before starting his own photo
news agency, which supplies pictures to various newspapers
and magazines.
A.G. Appanaa is an English lecturer-turned senior sports
correspondent with experience in The Indian Express, The
Asian Age, Indiainfo.com, and Star TV on an interactive
television project also known as New Age Television. He
is currently with IBM.
Krishna Prasad, Editor for Outlook. A veteran journalist
and founding member of Outlook magazine, he was among
the two journalists who broke the cricket match-fixing
scandal. He has worked for major Indian dailies and UPI.

International Advisory Board
IIJNM strives to be a professional school of journalism for those who wish to seriously pursue it as a career, and
achieve excellence. It is founded on the belief that journalism is a powerful and responsible profession that should be
independent of everything except the public interest. To assure this noble goal, IIJNM has assembled the following
individuals as members of a select International Advisory Board to guide the institution:
Ramesh Chandran, Former foreign correspondent and advisor FICCI Delhi
Barkha Dutt, Managing editor, New Delhi Television
Michael Golden, Vice chairman, The New York Times Co.
Tom Goldstein, Former dean, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University, New York
Pranay Gupte, Former editor in chief and publisher, The Earth Times, New York
Rita Henley Jensen, Editor in chief, womensEnews.com
Riz Khan, Former anchor, CNN International
Nikhil Lakshman, Editor, rediff.com
Jai Singh, Executive editor, News.com
Rahul Singh, Former editor, Khaleej Times, Dubai
Sreenath Sreenivasan, Professor, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University, New York
Marty Subrahamanyam, Professor of finance, Stern School of Business, New York University
Prakash Swamy, Former associate editor, News India-Times
Shashi Tharoor, Former undersecretary general, communications, United Nations, New York,
former minister of state for external affairs.
N. Vaghul, Former Chairman, ICICI Ltd.
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Programmes & Curriculum
IIJNM offers the following two programmes:
� Postgraduate Diploma Programme for students with a
Bachelor’s degree.
� Diploma Programme for students who have completed Pre-
University or Standard 12.
Both programmes consist of core courses including advanced
seminars, electives, media workshops and a master’s thesis project.
These courses are offered in two semesters: July-December and
January-May.
IIJNM offers concentrations in Broadcast (Television & Radio),
Print (Newspaper & Magazine), and Online/Multimedia. Television
and Radio students produce programmes and regular news
bulletins, respectively. Apart of their practical training, students
concentrating in newspaper journalism must take the workshop that
requires producing an in-house newspaper. Magazine journalism
students produce a monthly magazine. Multimedia students
produce a biweekly online newspaper, The SoftCopy.
Core courses introduce students to reporting and writing, and
provide a foundation from which much of the subsequent
programme work is done. The emphasis is on developing their
reporting and writing skills. Students also learn the techniques
and tools available to them, and understand the ethical and legal
issues involved in professional journalism.
CONCENTRATIONS & CURRICULUM
Students choose one of the concentrations from the list below.
Newspaper Journalism (Print Journalism)
More than ever, newspaper professionals must consistently
demonstrate the qualities of precision, accuracy, speed, fairness,
understanding and public responsibility. Students will gain these
skills through a blend of theoretical and practical courses and
workshops. The Institute seeks to prepare them to step into the
nation’s newsrooms. They will learn reporting, editing, page design
and newsroom management. Teaching methods include lectures,
case studies, seminars with guest speakers, individual assignments
and workshops. Students specializing in Newspaper journalism
must take the newspaper workshop.
Magazine Journalism (Print Journalism)
Magazine journalism students’ course work will prepare them
to participate in writing, editing and production. They will use
the latest technology to create graphics, choose typefaces and
prepare layouts. While most students select magazine work from
an interest in writing feature articles, the program seeks to instill
additional interest and expertise in layout and design, and other

areas. Students specializing in Magazine journalism must take the
magazine workshop.
Television Journalism (Broadcast Journalism)
Television curriculum requires acquiring skills in reporting,
writing, and production for TV broadcast. Students work with
both print and television faculty, and acquire the necessary
background in each of the subject areas and specializations.
Television workshops train students for the real world of broadcast
journalism, offering best practices in the industry. Students learn
to shoot and edit videotape, and to produce hard news and feature
stories. IIJNM maintains close association with several TV stations
in the Bangalore area with whom students get the opportunity
to interact. Students specializing in Television must take the
Television workshop.
Radio Journalism (Broadcast Journalism)
Radio Journalism students learn to work on news bulletins
and documentaries, as well as on in-depth and longer form
radio reports. Advanced courses, later in the year, stress on-air
production and hosting skills. They also learn editing and mixing
on state-of-the-art digital audio workstations. Theoretical sessions
will be further strengthened through library research and seminar
paper presentations. Students specializing in Radio journalism
must take the Radio workshop.
Online/Multimedia Journalism
This stream/curriculum teaches how to deliver news in any and all
media—the skills needed to be a converged journalist. Students
learn solid reporting and writing for online, airwaves, magazines,
cell phones, PDAs and electronic paper. Convergent journalism
is all about what makes a news story effective today and how to
recognize the best medium for a particular story. That medium may
be the web, broadcast, radio, or a newspaper or magazine—or,
more likely, all of the above combined. Students take courses
from all areas—print, TV, radio, and web/new media—and learn
to combine the individual media skills to present a single story
through multimedia. They will create a news website — The
SoftCopy — doing everything from gathering and writing content
to publishing their work. Utilizing major web-publishing software
tools, students design, create and operate web publications as part
of their coursework and workshops. The Multimedia Journalism
course teaches you—an aspiring journalist, the news writer, editor,
reporter, and producer—how to tailor a story to meet the needs
of various media and present it in today’s cutting edge format
and media technologies. Students concentrating on Multimedia
Journalism must take the Multimedia workshop.
CORE COURSES
Reporting and Writing
The course has three principal components: beat reporting, deadline
writing, and seminars. Each student is assigned a Bangalore city
neighbourhood or area of news and spends at least two days a
week on that beat. From this beat reporting experience, news and
feature stories evolve, tied to topics discussed in class. Students
learn the rudiments of covering crime and courts, government and
politics, social issues, health care, education and other subjects.
Each week, students work on exercises under deadline conditions.
In weekly sessions, instructors lead discussions on journalistic
techniques and specific areas of content.
Reporting and Writing for Television
This course is a requirement for those concentrating in television.
Students learn reporting and writing techniques applied in
television by initially adapting reporting assignments given in the
IJ2001 course. Students also learn to conduct television interviews,
write, and narrate stories in a variety of formats, including:
breaking news, news feature, documentary, and news magazine.
While the emphasis of this course is not on actual shooting and
editing, students learn to develop the story suitable for broadcast
outlets.
Reporting and Writing for Radio
This course is a requirement only for those concentrating in
Radio. Students learn reporting and writing for radio by initially
adapting reporting assignments in the IJ 2001 course. They also
learn the important aspects of reporting and writing for radio like
conciseness, writing for the ear and writing to sound. They learn
not only to write radio news bulletins and send dispatches from
the field, but also to work on longer-format programmes that
might include features, documentaries, discussions, interviews
and magazine.
Reporting and Writing for Multimedia
The course has three principal components: Beat reporting,
deadline writing, and seminars. Each student is assigned a
Bangalore city neighborhood as a beat and spends at least two days
a week in that neighborhood. From this beat reporting news and
feature stories evolve, tied to topics discussed in class. Students
learn the rudiments of covering crime and courts, government and
politics, social issues, health care, education and other subjects.
Each week, students work on exercises under deadline conditions.
In weekly sessions, instructors lead discussions on journalistic
techniques and specific areas of content.
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Students also learn to blog and maintain Facebook pages and
Twitter news content. They learn to participate in and moderate
online discussion forums, with special focus on language used.
Tools of Print Journalism I & II
This course consists of two components: Training on software
applications for publishing and news editing. Each of the two
components is taught in separate sessions through the entire
semester. In the software applications class, students learn to
use publishing tools such as Adobe Photoshop, PageMaker,
QuarkXpress, InDesign, CorelDRAW, Dreamweaver and an
introduction to Flash. The use of computers as a design tool,
applying the principles of graphics, design, and layout, will be
a major focus.
News editing section introduces students to the practice and
mechanics of editing, the selection of stories, news judgment and
the writer-reporter relationship.
Tools of Television Journalism
This course is a requirement only for those concentrating in
television. Students learn the techniques of shooting with a range
of cameras, and editing using some of the widely used video
editing software, including Adobe’s PremierePro and Apple’s
Final Cut Pro.
In addition to learning how to apply these skills while producing
stories for television, students learn basic documentary production,
too. Not just this, every student is introduced to all desktop
publishing software. This course is conducted in conjunction
with IJ2001A.
Tools of Radio Journalism
A requirement only for those concentrating in Radio, this course
introduces students to the basic techniques of radio production.
They learn the basics of sound and sound effects; recording and
microphone techniques; and digital audio mixing and editing
aesthetics. It is offered during the first semester and is conducted
in conjunction with IJ2001B.
Tools of Multimedia Journalism
This course is a requirement for those concentrating in Multimedia
Journalism. Students learn techniques not only of shooting with
available handheld devices, but also those of editing with popularly
used software. They also learn to use publishing tools such as
Adobe Photoshop, CoralDRAW, Dreamweaver and an introduction
to Flash. The use of computers as a design tool, applying the
principles of graphics, design, and layout, will be a major focus,
as will be uploading information on the web.
The second component introduces students to doing research for
reporting and writing. Students get to learn searching the web for
research material, and understand how to use various sites that
provide information. Students also become familiar with webbased
database services and business data.
Ethical and Legal Issues in Journalism
This course explores the social role of journalism and the journalist
from legal, ethical and economic perspectives. The course
examines the current and historic conflicts between journalists,
government and the legal establishment. Issues such as libel,
privacy, prior restraint against publishing the news, protection of
sources, the right to gather news and national security are explored.
Other issues include fairness in journalism and balanced reporting
and ethical considerations in the setting of the news agenda.
Advanced Area Seminars
Specialised seminars are conducted by instructors and guest
lecturers. Postgraduate students are required to take at least one
advanced area of specialisation from the following four course
offerings:
Advanced Political Reporting
This course provides an in-depth analysis of the national and local
political landscape. Topics include party politics, campaigns and
elections, political propaganda, lobbying and special interests,
and other areas. Students learn to identify the substance of issues
that currently dominate the national and local news agenda, and
acquaint them with the skills necessary to report and write on
those issues. A recurrent theme will be how to recognise spin and
keep it out of the copy.
Advanced International News Coverage
This course deals with the techniques and difficulties of
international news coverage. It teaches students to gain and report
on international viewpoints and balance that with presentations
by the national government. The instructors and guest speakers
will discuss issues of censorship, coverage of defence matters and
the impact of modern communication on international reporting.
Advanced Business and Financial Reporting
This course covers business and financial reporting and broad
issues and trends within it. The course stresses reporting and

writing techniques of business news and how to interpret and
present business and economic events. Among the topics covered
are corporate financial news, takeovers and mergers, corporate
governance and shareholder rights, international trade and
economic developments, financial markets, and the developments
in various sectors of the economy.
Advanced Development Journalism
This course covers key developmental issues such as evaluating
the impact of policies and programmes. Students are required to
examine one or more recent developmental projects and use them
as case studies for critically reporting and writing on whether or
not those projects have benefited the people and why.
Advanced Concentration Seminars
Specialised seminars are conducted by instructors and guest
lecturers. Students are required to take at least one advanced media
concentration from the following five course offerings (they may
register for more than one, if the schedule permits):
Advanced Television Studies
Students fine tune their skills in writing and reporting for the
medium. They learn the techniques of news presentation and
simulate news room ambiences during the execution of the weekly
and daily news bulletins. These are intensive programmes where
they package complete bulletins over a single day. In these, they
compete with real time TV news channels, in as much as they are
expected to get real and current stories, which would be present in
the newspapers the next day. They are also exposed to studio work
and studio lighting as an integral part of the newsroom.
Students are also taught packaging of their programmes. They learn
how to use and apply industry standard software to support their
bulletins. Students will also learn how to create basic graphics and
animations that may be required to support their news stories.
Advanced Radio Studies
Students explore the world of sound-rich documentaries. They
also learn to use voice effectively and to host radio programmes
— reading news bulletins, moderating discussions or interviewing.
They learn advanced interviewing and presentation techniques.
They are also exposed to the world of descriptive writing and
narrative structure.
Advanced Newspaper Writer’s Seminar
All postgraduate students in print and New Media are required to
take this course. Students join faculty to critique award-winning
journalism, while sharpening their skills in practical hands-on
workshops.
Advanced Magazine Writing & Editing
Students learn all the skills necessary for producing a long piece of
work. These include how to interview for a magazine story, how
to structure a long piece and how to sell the work to the editors.
Students learn the editorial roles on a magazine —writing, editing,
photo editing, copy editing, fact checking — in preparation for
work in magazine journalism.
Advanced Multimedia Tools
This course will help the student design, edit and produce online
content. The course will familiarize students with advanced
concepts of web design, user interface, information architecture,
streaming and multimedia, as well as web services such as chat
and discussion boards. Students will also be introduced to the
use of databases, content management systems, advanced HTML
and other editing software. Students opting for the course will
be trained not only in theoretical issues but also in using these
concepts for The SoftCopy, as part of the Multimedia workshop.
Advanced Writing & Editing
This course is designed to develop good writing and editing skills.
Students learn to edit hard news and feature articles. By examining
the critical issues of accuracy, balance, clarity and readability in
a variety of contexts and styles, students will learn the essentials
of line editing and organisational skills. (This course is required
for print and web journalism students only)
Advanced Multimedia Writing & Editing
This course is designed to develop good writing and editing skills.
Students learn to edit hard news and feature articles. By examining
the critical issues of accuracy, balance, clarity and readability in
a variety of contexts and styles, students will learn the essentials
of line editing and organization skills. (This course is required for
Multimedia journalism students only)
Critical Thinking in Journalism
A journalist does not work independent of society. While s/he
reports on it, s/he is also a part of it. An ability to comprehend,
analyze and evaluate unfamiliar material quickly, and think
critically is as much a core journalism competency as the ability
to identify the news and report on it. In order to be able to think
critically, young journalists need background and context. This
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core course explains the political, economic and societal contexts
in which journalists operate and provides an understanding of
democratic functions. It also helps provide paradigms to help the
young journalist understand the bigger picture behind the story.
(This course is required for all students across both semesters.)
ELECTIVES
Students should choose the required number of electives from
the list below.
Political Reporting
This course teaches students how to approach breaking stories
and analytical pieces involving national and local governments.
By covering parties and politicians, from campaigns to press
conferences, students learn the complexities of the political scene.
All students with specialisation in national political news are
required to take this course.
Business and Financial Reporting
This course is an introduction to business and financial reporting,
exploring corporate stories, industry news, national and local
economic trends, and financial markets. Students learn what news
is important to readers, where to find, and how to analyse and
present it. All students with specialisation in business reporting
are required to take this course.
Covering International News
Students learn how to go about researching and capturing
news on fast-breaking international events. The importance of
distinguishing facts from propaganda, and the importance of
reflecting different points of view are emphasised. The impact
of modern communication in the globalisation process is also
discussed. All students with specialisation in international news
are required to take this course.
Magazine Writing
Long-form narrative writings that have appeared in major national
and international magazines will be explored. What makes a
magazine story different from newspaper reporting? Narrative
energy, the storytelling voice, the shift from observation to insight
and interviewing techniques are some of the discussion topics. All
students with concentration in magazine publishing are required
to take this course.
Investigative Reporting
Students learn to write investigative articles about government
policy and other areas by cross-reading different published articles
and documents and by interviewing key players—in search
of contradictions and misrepresentations. Examples of major
investigations and other materials published by Investigative
Reporters and other organisations form the basis of the study.
Digital Photo Journalism
This course teaches reporting with a camera. The class will learn
photo-reporting for a newspaper as well as the photo essay form
that explores one subject at length. The technology of transferring
the digital photo for the Web will also be studied.
Op-ed Writing
Students are introduced to commentary articles in the media.
The course teaches how the subject is chosen, formulated, and
presented. The art of writing op-eds, using rhetorical skills, is
covered in-depth.
Covering the Arts and Cultural Events
Students will learn to cover different aspects and forms of art, and
learn its importance to daily life. The world of ideas is another
related area that is both compelling and important to human
experience. Further, the impact of “established,” “popular” and
“emerging” cultures on society will be examined.
Sports Reporting
Much more is involved in sports and games these days than who
won, who lost and why. Complex questions involve the sociology,
the psychology and the business of sport, and perhaps more
importantly, the ethics of sport.
Covering Social and Religious Issues
These two distinct but inter-related subject areas are of considerable
importance to a sustainable and peaceful culture and society.
Students will learn to write with an edge about issues of poverty,
social class, labour, crime, religion and spirituality, traditions,
environment and a host of other topics.
Covering Health and Environmental Issues
Health issues include those related to the field of medicine,
delivery of health care, and environmental health. Environmental
issues include local and global problems related to pollution,
contamination, adulteration and others. The relationship between
health and environment is also discussed. Students will be required

to report on stories dealing with health and environment problems
currently faced by the community.
Issues in Developmental Journalism
Developmental issues such as poverty eradication, healthcare
delivery, literacy programmes and infrastructure development are
examined in this course. The roles of institutions of government,
bilateral and multilateral international agencies, nongovernmental
organisations, and philanthropy are studied to understand how
policies and programmes are carried out, and their impact. All
students with specialisation in developmental issues are required
to take this course.
Rural Reporting
This course calls for students to carry out their beat reporting
in rural areas on issues that are part of the daily life in villages.
Problems faced by the rural population are examined, and issues
dealing with farming, rural education and vocational training,
role of women and the administration of villages are some of the
stories covered.
Television News Magazines & Documentary
Students report and produce stories ranging in length from five to
10 minutes, designed for news, magazine and documentary style
programmes. Students work in small teams on feature stories,
investigative reports and profiles.
In addition, anchoring for television is approached in a systematic
manner with emphasis on hands-on learning. Students directly
apply their knowledge in the daily TV bulletin, Bangalore@7, that
forms a valuable part of real-time reporting experience.
The emphasis is on substance and the ability to investigate and
document a series of facts and events in an interesting manner
for the medium. All students with concentration in Television are
required to take this course.
Radio News Bulletin and Documentary
Students produce stories for radio news bulletins. They research,
interview, record and produce bulletins to a deadline, individually,
and in teams. They also work in teams on longer programmes like
documentaries and features, with an emphasis on research and
investigation tuned to the medium. All students with concentration
in Radio are required to take this course.
Covering Science and Technology
Science and technology have become very much a part of our
lives that the two are now inseparable. Information technology, for
instance, has virtually taken over our daily tasks through devices
such as personal computers, mobile phones and automated banking.
The media recognizes the need to talk about technology in simple,
layman terms so that the general public can understand even
complex issues. Many newspapers have introduced technology
pages, and more television channels have begun to devote more
than a few hours a week to technology news. Some magazines
have appointed science and technology correspondents. Bangalore
is a hub of scientific research institutions and IT related-business
activities. Apart from hardware and software, business processing
and outsourcing have become a very important aspect of business.
IIJNM students are expected to find informative stories from the
technology and science sector. Students will study the impact
of IT, as well as breakthroughs in bio-technology and medical
technology, and learn to report on them in a simple, clear style.
(Course offerings are liable to change.)
“ ”
I am privileged to be invited by your organisation. I feel humbled and enthused when
I meet people committed like your institute is to issues of truth and human concerns.
For us all the RTI is a tool for getting both justice for the individual and disclosing the
contradictions of the mechanisms of governance and mockery of justice, so that we
can somewhere provoke the passive people to protest to regain their sovereignty.
- Aruna Roy, Social Activist
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Admissions Policy & Requirements
Commitment to Journalism
Journalism is a field that values individuals who are curious,
well read, enthusiastic and creative, and who have demonstrated
initiative in their work and studies. We seek highly motivated
students with a passion for the field and a keen interest in what
is happening around them. This may be reflected by outstanding
prior work in journalism, or by describing clearly what motivates
him/her to a career in journalism.
Writing Skills
We expect journalists to be sensitive to language and to organize
their thoughts clearly and coherently. Fair command of the
English language is a must.
Those who wish to avail student loan from a bank may
contact IIJNM Admissions Office. Applicants who have been
granted admission to the program may be directed to one
of the participating banks that have agreed to make student
loans to IIJNM applicants in conformity with banking norms.
Education
One-year Postgraduate Diploma: A bachelor’s degree in any
discipline is required. Applicants awaiting final-year examination
results or who will be graduating this year may also apply.
One-year Diploma program: Students who have completed or
awaiting results for 10+2/pre-university are eligible to apply.
Background and Life Experience
Consideration will be given to the applicant’s background and life
experience that would contribute significantly to a dynamic and
diverse student body. IIJNM admits both Indian and international
students. Selection is based entirely on merit, without any regard
for gender, race, religion, or caste. There is no age bar.
Students’ Bank Loan Facilities
IIJNM Admissions Office
No. 502, 5th ‘C’ Main, 5th Cross, 2nd Block HRBR Layout,
Kalyana Nagar, Bangalore –560 043, India
Tel: 080 080 2545 2564/2545 2565 Fax: 080-2545 2563
E-mail: admissions@iijnm.org Website: www.iijnm.org

Admission procedure for the diploma programs:
1. Completion and submission of application form
2. Online aptitude test
2. Interview
Completion and submission of application form
All application material must reach IIJNM by June for the new
academic year beginning in July. The application will not be
considered unless all material is typewritten (or printed legibly),
signed and dated. The applicant’s full name must appear at the
top right corner on each page of the application and supporting
material. Applications that do not reach by their due dates may
not be considered.
Notes: a) Due to last minute cancellations by accepted candidates,
a very limited number of seats might open up just prior to the
start of the academic year. b) Early applicants may submit their
applications prior to March 31 for consideration. c) If the applicant
has not received his/her final exam degree/high school results,
admission will be conditional, assuming that the applicant will get
the minimum marks required. These applicants will be notified of
conditional acceptance by mid-May. Admissions will be confirmed
subject to qualifying test and interview results (if college final
examination results are not available at the time of application).
Application/Admission Procedure
Completed Applications (See enclosed “Application Form”)
must be sent to :
Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media
IIJNM Admissions Office
No. 502, 5th ‘C’ Main, 5th Cross,
2nd Block, HRBR Layout, Kalyana Nagar
Bangalore –560 043, India
Tel: 080 2545 2564/2545 2565
Fax: 080-2545 2563
E-mail: admissions@iijnm.org
Website: www.iijnm.org
Acknowledgement of applications will be e-mailed or posted
within 10 days of receipt.
Personal interview
Those selected for interview will be notified and arrangements
for interview will be made with the applicant by the Admissions
Committee. Within seven days following the interview, those
selected for admission will be notified by the admissions
committee. Candidates notified for admission are required to
confirm acceptance within seven days following the notification
and remit the initial installment of tuition fees.
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The academic year begins with an orientation to many of the
resources available to students. These include introduction to such
campus facilities as the Media Lab, high-speed network, internet
access and software tools. Subsequently, students are expected to
further familiarise themselves with the use of these software tools by
Software Tools
IIJNM offers every student and faculty individual computers running
WindowsXP operating system in a network environment.
E-mail facility is available to everyone through powerful Google
mail server. High-speed internet access is provided with special
communication lines, and Microsoft Internet Explorer/FireFox is
used for the browser. Publishing software tools available are:
For text editing, and web production:
� Microsoft Office (Word, Excel & PowerPoint)
� QuarkXPress
� CorelDRAW
� Adobe PageMaker
� Adobe Photoshop
� Adobe Type Manager (ATM)
Campus Orientation
working with audiovisual and interactive training materials. Out-ofstation
students are encouraged to learn more about Bangalore city,
its institutions, public transportation, and other facts that could come
in handy when everyone is required to cover a city neighbourhood
as part of the Reporting and Writing course.
� FrontPage
� Macromedia Dreamweaver
� GIF Animation
� Macromedia Flash 5 (Introduction)
� HTML
� JavaScript (Introduction)
For video editing:
� Avid, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier Pro.
For audio editing:
� Digi Design Protools, Adobe Audition & Cool Edit.
Additional software, as and when needed, will be added to this
library of publishing tools.

Facilities & Career Placement Service
HOUSING & MEALS
The IIJNM program requires intense study for one year, and all
students are advised to stay in the dormitory next to the campus,
unless an exemption is granted. A convenient and modern
residential facility is provided separately for both male and female
students. Some faculty members may also choose to stay in the
apartments provided within walking distance of the Institute.
The convenience of living close to the campus gives students
constant access to the services offered by the Institute. Often,
students may want to work on their computers until late hours
without worrying about a long commute. Also, when course
assignments call for team effort, students are able to easily get
together at short notice.
The cafeteria adjacent to the dormitory offers regular meals —
breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner.
MEDICAL INSURANCE
Medical care is available from a number of hospitals and clinics
within one hour of the campus. For your own protection, everyone
is encouraged to have immunizations against measles and other
contagious diseases that are common in South India.
Insurance coverage for medical care and hospitalization is
the responsibility of every student. IIJNM does not offer such
coverage.
TRANSPORTATION
IIJNM is situated on the outskirts of Bangalore city at
Nityanandanagar. The common mode of transport to the city and
back is by buses that frequently run throughout the day. Several
buses run as frequently as every half hour to various points in
Bangalore city.
The Institute operates its own van service for the conveyance of
faculty members residing in the city. Students travel free to the
city for beat reporting in the college bus.
IIJNM cannot be responsible for any accident to its students and/
or its staff. It is recommended that everyone carry his or her own
disability and life insurance as deemed necessary.
CAREER AND COUNSELING
The Institute maintains close contacts and professional relationships
with a number of news organizations, academic institutions and
corporations. Many of our faculty members, full-time, parttime
and guest lecturers are professionals in senior positions at
major media institutions. We maintain active partnerships with
several journalism-related organizations in India and solicit their
participation on an ongoing basis.
The journalism community in India recognizes the quality of
our program and the caliber of our students. Our graduates are
now working in CNN, CNN-IBN, Times Now, Rediff, Google,
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Reuters, Press Association (UK), major newspapers and many
other leading media houses. Further, we have placed graduates
in internship programs with the prestigious New York Times and
Scripps Howard Program in the United States. Practically all our
graduates have found their starting jobs in media organizations
and other institutions of their choice at attractive salaries.
IIJNM career placement services aggressively market our
graduates to leading media organizations. We maintain constant
contact with human resource departments at these organizations,
developing a relationship that provides our graduates with the best
career opportunities. As the leading school of journalism in India,
it is our priority to ensure the highest placement of our students.
IIJNM Seminars & Workshops
As an institution of excellence and practical orientation, IIJNM invites practitioners and scholars to the campus to give lectures and
hold workshops. The participants have included both Indian and foreign experts in a wide range of subject areas. The journalism
community in Bangalore and elsewhere are invited to workshops where they get to interact with our students and faculty.

Placements & Awards
Our alumni are doing exceedingly well in their chosen streams
of media and the organisations they work for. Walk into any
mainstream publication or TV channel and you will find IIJNM
alumni.
Most students receive multiple offers from media organisations.
Companies that came to recruit include CNN IBN, CNBC
Awaaz, CNBC TV18, Newswire 18, NewsX, Times Now, BIG
FM, Deccan Chronicle, Times of India, Indian Express, Reuters,
CMPt, IDG, Press Association, Sakaal Publications, Infomedia,
DNA, Bangalore Mirror, TV9 and other consulting firms. Within
a span of nearly 10 years since commencement, our Institute and
its program have gained considerable recognition by many leading
media organisations in India and abroad.
Several job opportunities are available to students graduating
from IIJNM, such as careers in newspapers, magazines, web
publications, and dot-com companies. Two of our past students
have been selected by international organisations to do their
internships in the United States — one by the prestigious New
York Times (the first student to be selected from an Indian media
school for the NYT internship for which nominees from all over the
world compete every year), and the other by the Scripps Howard
for internship in Washington.
In today’s job market, several career opportunities are available
to graduating students in journalism. These include careers in
newspapers, magazines, web publications, television channels,
radio stations, corporate communications, public relations and
others. With our special emphasis on new media, internet-based
companies in India and abroad find IIJNM candidates particularly
suitable for employment.
The Institute maintains close contacts and professional relationships
with a number of news organisations, television channels, radio
stations, academic institutions and corporations. Many of our
full-time and part-time faculty members and guest lecturers are
professionals at senior positions in various institutions. We also
inform and update many journalism-related organisations in India
about the activities of the Institute, and solicit their involvement.
IIJNM expects the journalism community to quickly recognize
the quality of our program and the caliber of our students. We
will organize recruitment sessions on the campus for companies
at the end of the academic year. All student resumes will be posted
on an IIJNM website and companies will be notified about the
availability status of all students who seek employment.
You may visit our website www.iijnm.org for policies and
regulations of the Institution.
For enquiries, e-mail us at admin@iijnm.org
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How is the IIJNM syllabus and curriculum structured?
The curriculum has been developed in association with the
prestigious Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism,
New York. The programme consists of concentrations in television,
radio, newspaper, magazine and online journalism.
Can you describe in more detail the programme, courses and
other requirements?
We offer the following programmes:
� One-year Postgraduate Diploma in Television, Radio,
Newspaper, Magazine, Online/Multimedia Journalism
� One-year Diploma in Television, Radio, Newspaper,
Magazine, Online/Multimedia Journalism
Is the IIJNM diploma recognised?
IIJNM already has the media industry’s recognition. Media
organisations are aware that we have probably the best journalism
programme in South Asia. In order to assure flexibility and run
a quality programme, we do not affiliate ourselves with any
university or government organisation.
Our graduates are so well equipped academically and professionally
that practically all major media organisations are anxious to hire
them. Our previous on-campus job interviews led to offers from
Britain’s CMPi, United States’ CMP Technology Britain’s Press
Association, CNN IBN, NDTV Hindu, Mint, CNBC Awaaz,
CNBC TV18, Newswire 18, NewsX, Times Now, BIG FM, Deccan
Chronicle, Times of India, The New Indian Express, Reuters, BBC,
Bloomberg, Rediff, IDG, Google, Star News, Outlook, Hindustan
Times, The India Today Group, Business Standard and Economic
Times. Recognising the quality of our graduates, The New York
Times accepted one of our students for internship in New York in
2003, while a Scripps Howard fellowship was awarded to another
student for training in Washington.
Tell me about the IIJNM faculty and advisory board.
The full-time faculty is complemented by several part-time
FAQ
instructors from India and abroad who are serving in news
organisations. Depending on their professional background, they
teach courses in their specific areas of specialisation.
IIJNM is a recipient of the Knight International Press Fellowship
and the Ford Environmental Reporting Fellowship awarded by the
International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), Washington, in 2002-03.
IIJNM invites nationally and internationally recognised individuals
in fields such as media, law, environment, government, international
finance, technology and the arts to deliver guest lectures.
What resources are available at IIJNM?
IIJNM is situated on five acres of beautifully landscaped grounds
surrounded by rolling hills on the outskirts of Bangalore.
The 30,000-square-foot facility features large classrooms, a
sophisticated Media Lab, state-of-the-art digitalised television
and radio editing stations, two auditoriums, library and conference
rooms. Each student is assigned a personal workstation with an
advanced PC connected to a network running on powerful servers,
with e-mail and high-speed access to the internet. Major software
tools used in video/audio editing, print and online journalism are
also made available.
The Centre for TV/Radio Production: Equipped with digital
video cameras and sophisticated edit stations, the TV and radio
production centre allows students maximum time in honing
their production skills. Intensive training with digital editing
on internationally recognised software like FinalCut Pro, Avid
and Premier Pro, Nuendo, Rack Audio Editing, Cool Edit &
Digi Design Protocols prepares the student for tight deadlines
encountered in real life situations.
The Centre for Multmiedia: It serves as a college “workshop” and
provides all the modern software tools for online journalism. While
the focus is always on quality journalism, the Centre familiarises
the student with the use of technology—computers, multimedia,
interactivity, and the coding language that makes web pages. The
Centre works closely with professional and trade organisations to
identify industry-best practices.

Will you consider students from the Hindi medium?
The medium of instruction at IIJNM is English.
What is IIJNM’s admission policy and procedure, and how
should I apply?
No more than 100 students are admitted to the programme each
academic year. The key qualities sought are:
Commitment to journalism: Journalism is a field that values
individuals who are curious, well read, enthusiastic, and creative,
and who have demonstrated initiative in their work and studies.
We seek highly motivated students with a passion for the field and
a keen interest in what is happening around them.
Writing skills: We expect journalists to be sensitive to language
and to organise their thoughts clearly and coherently. A good
command of the English language is a must.
Education: (1) One-year Postgraduate Diploma programme:
A Bachelor’s degree in any discipline is required. Applicants
awaiting final year examination results may also apply. (2) Oneyear
Diploma programme: Students who have completed 10+2/
Pre-University are eligible to apply.
Background and life experience: Consideration will be given to the
applicant’s background and life experiences that would contribute
significantly to a dynamic and diverse student body. IIJNM admits
Indian and international students. Selection is based entirely on
merit, without any regard for gender, race, religion, or caste.
Admission procedure consists of: Completion and submission of
application form, online aptitude test and personal interview. All
application material must reach IIJNM no later than 60 days before
start of the academic year. Application form may be downloaded
from the website www.iijnm.org or can be obtained by mail by
writing to the IIJNM Admissions Office at:
No. 502, 5th ‘C’ Main, 5th Cross, 2nd Block HRBR Layout,
Kalyana Nagar, Bangalore –560 043, India
Tel: 080 2545 2564/2545 2565
Interview will be conducted by telephone or in person. Those
finally selected for admission will be notified within seven days
of the interview.
What is a typical week like at IIJNM?
Let’s take the first semester. Classes are held four days a week.
The IIJNM academic year starts in mid-July, and ends in mid-May.
Applications must be received by June. Selected candidates will
be notified by June-end. Student acceptance of admission must
be received by early July, failing which admission may be given
to candidates on the waiting list.
IIJNM Admissions Schedule
The other two days are kept for beat (field) reporting, workshops,
and writing. Students will work typically like journalists, pick a
beat in Bangalore city, cover courts, police, legislature, or just a
neighborhood or a community. Students come up with news story
ideas, cultivate news sources, dig up facts, find human interest,
and turn in their stories to strict deadlines.
Television Journalism students master the art of using the
camera and sound equipment before they go out into the field.
Once there, they too work like typical journalists to get stories.
They then edit these stories to the required length within given
timeframes.
For example, Radio Journalism students learn to work on in-depth
and longer form radio reports, as well as on radio news bulletins
and documentaries. Advanced courses, later in the year, stress
on-air production and hosting skills. They also learn editing and
mixing on state-of-the-art digital audio workstations. Theoretical
sessions are further strengthened through library research and
seminar paper presentations.
Do you offer scholarships and/or financial assistance?
Admission decisions are made at the Institute with no regard
to applicants’ financial need. Applications for financial aid
are processed in consideration of the need and availability of
scholarship funds. Educational loans are advanced by several
major banks including ICICI Bank, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas
Bank, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank and Syndicate Bank.
Early applications will be considered from January to March.
Early applicants will be notified of conditional acceptance by
mid-May. Admissions will be confirmed subject to qualifying
interview results.
For details, visit www.iijnm.org
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This place is most reassuring and full of promise… For all those
who value fair minded, thoughtful and objective journalism.
Ramesh Chandran, The Times of India, Washington D. C.
Excellent infrastructure and faculty. Very friendly and warm.
Excellent and bright students.
Gareth Murray, PA, UK
“IIJNM has consistently been producing the best crop of new
journalists over the past few years. They are more rooted to reality,
their ears are closer to the ground, their noses more sensitive to
news, their ears better attuned to the language. I have found IIJNM
graduates to be the most daring, the most experimental and the
most comfortable with tools like RTI. I look forward to meeting
the next batch of graduates!”
Aditya Sinha, editor in chief, DNA
Meeting intelligent and concerned young people gives me hope
for myself and India.
Aruna Roy, MKSS, Rajasthan
In conversations with fellow journalists, we often discuss the wide
gap between education and professional life in India. What is taught
in most classrooms here is far from what is to be done at the office
desk. For me, that gap was filled at IIJNM. My greatest learning at
IIJNM was that “journalism is not a job; it’s a way of life.” There
are challenges and tough times every day. But the way of life that
IIJNM inculcated in me always helps me sail through.
Itika Sharma, Reporter, NewsWire18
Impressions
After working in broadcast media for more than three years, I have
realised that it’s not a cakewalk, actually far from it, and IIJNM
totally prepares you for it.
There are early morning edit meets, then you go on shoots, figure
out where the story is heading and eventually produce a bulletin
or print a newspaper. But it doesn’t end there: After everything,
there is feedback time. At IIJNM, the professors who have all been
on field and have ample experience help you understand where
and what went wrong.
I was placed through campus recruitment and I still can’t thank
IIJNM enough for what the teachers taught me. It was a great,
memorable and truly valuable year of my life.
Swati Varma, Associate Producer, Times Now
After graduating from IIJNM, in 2009 with broadcast media as
my major, I entered the radio industry and then shifted to print
media. The best part about IIJNM is that it teaches you to cut
across media.
The course is tough, no two ways about it, but it prepares you
to take on any media job, and helps you fit right in with any
organization.
During my year at the institute, I saw a lot of hard work, a lot of
anxiety as deadlines approached, the excited buzz of a newsroom
and the triumph of pulling off a daily bulletin. Things went wrong,
but we were trained to learn and move forward.
Dilraz Kunnummal, Reporter, Daily Tribune, Bahrain

ANNEXURES DOCKET
� Program Fees Schedule & Administration
� IIJNM Application Form
Designed by
Girish Bhadri
IIJNM Campus
Opp. BGS Int. Res. School Nityananda Nagar
Kumbalgudu, Kengeri Hobli
Bangalore 560 060, India
Tel: 080-2843 7907, 080-2843 7903
IIJNM Administrative Office
No. 502, 5th ‘C’ Main, 5th Cross, 2nd Block
HRBR Layout, Kalyana Nagar
Bangalore –560 043, India
Tel: 080-2545 2564 / 2545 2565
Fax: 080-2545 2563
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