How has the legal journalism become an upcoming career for law graduates?

This article is written by Surbhi Kumari from Amity University Patna.

Introduction

Law has been the foremost varicolored stream ever since it absolutely was incorporated within human society. Once one thinks of a vocation in law the primary image that strikes its mind could be a person, wearing black and white, surfing some mammoth books, running in and out of the court, fighting petty issues(that’s the foremost common notion regarding lawyers as per Indian context.) For the boys of upper intellects, a career in law suggests a luxurious life, wherever a company professional keeps on creating and reviewing some random documents and gets paid double for it. For some, it connotes power, for others, money, and for still others, it connotes societal service. A pen is more dangerous than a brand or gun. These days everybody desires to remember the difficulty and incidents happening round the world associated with the economy, science, politics, culture, religion, sports etc. Someone searching for a career in journalism ought to be respectable and assured. To be a professional person or to be a journalist could be a similar issue as in each case you would like to be terribly precise regarding the main points and facts. It is not the only option for a graduate of a graduate school to work as a professional. You have got a massive range of choices with sensible financial advantages. Communication and research skills may be what each of them requires. Your growth will be accelerated if you have more talents. With an academic degree, working as a journalist is a fantastic career option.

 Meaning of Journalism 

Journalism is the dissemination of information derived from events, facts, and interactions with people from all over the world.  It’s the strategy of aggregating the reports and organizing the literary vogue. Journalist media includes the newspaper, news channel, radio. If we look deeper in journalism, the journalism in some countries isn’t an associate degree freelance body, it’s controlled by government interventions.While the country’s journalism is largely freelance, the body operates under the protection of the country’s constitution. The globe of journalism from the last 20 years has undergone a massive range of amendments with the change in technology. 

Will law and journalism go hand in hand?

 My sole aim of creating a career in law and media at constant time was to hold out my desire to put in writing and specific my ideas, and law provides an influence of intellect and awareness which might create efficiency in my field. I have this sturdy perception that the sole line that separates lawmen and laymen is “Laymen would invariably do the proper of incorrect means, and lawmen would even do the wrong the right way,” that barn door power of shaping one’s mind in accordance with society lies in the hands of either the professional person or the journalist, and my heart goes insane in ecstasy after I dream of being a mix of the two law not only modified my stereotypic mind-set ”. “Most of the successful Journalists area unit law graduates, as a result of their alertness to human science, browse the society and apply the things aptly”. 

Is Journalism a sub-branch of law as a career? 

Yes, a law graduate possesses all the qualities that a journalist would need. The work of a professional person is to interpret the sort of crime stating the laws governing several countries, and therefore the work of the journalist is to report the crime. Because each of the careers sub the sunshine of law and crime, I second that Journalism could be a sub-branch of law as a career. 

The role of law in journalism

 Freedom of press 

The world of journalism works underneath the constitutional protection of freedom of the press that has helped the journalist to figure freely with no interruption of a private body or person. Freedom of the press is the communication of expression and thoughts through the medium of newspapers or TV. However, freedom solely thereto extent wherever it’s not inflicting defamation.

 Issue of privacy 

There has invariably been a dialogue of privacy with relevance to journalism. The digital world has been terribly useful in relevance to the invasion of privacy as these days cameras will capture everything happening around. The legal issue of privacy presently focuses on personal facts of a private.

 Libel 

Libel is written information revealed regarding the other individual that damages their name. Libel causes an enormous loss to a private. However, whenever a case is noted against the news channel or newspaper the case gets simply laid-off because the defendants turn around defenses which can facilitate them to win the case as a result of the litigator failing to prove that the facts revealed or written are libellous.

Career in journalism after law

 A career in media after doing law would be a wonderful career chance. Be well-known as a jurist in a certain location. Being a jurist distinguishes you from other journalists.  Perhaps you’ll be able to get employment thanks to your specific experience. Legal education helps you to enhance your writing, narrating and researching skills that could be a necessary attribute to enter into the planet of journalism. A journalist with an academic degree desires no extra coaching to report on the legal problems. A journalist with an academic degree can facilitate in spreading legal awareness among the voters of a country. Lawyers are needed in journalism not because of their work ethics, sophisticated operational procedures, or right responses, but because they are sensitive to the laws. The public needs to be educated about our system, and this can only be done with the help of a journalist with an academic degree.

A law graduate possesses all types of qualities that a journalist needs. The work of an attorney is to interpret the type of crime and describe the principles stating that specific crime. Whereas a journalist’s job is to report the crime committed that’s why it’s thought to be the sub-branch. The truth is crucial to both lawyers and journalists. Lawyers and journalists are the foremost powerful supply offered to the planet.Lawyers and journalists are obligated to influence the general audience in order to achieve their reading goals. Legal education equips you with qualities that are ideal for journalism.

Future holds in journalism 

This is a planet of technology. Desires for e-paper are critical. Social media has condemned the web and social media is the best style of communication offered to the users worldwide. Whether or not it’s a newspaper, media, everything is accessible in one click. The conversion has brought the planet to our living rooms. Everybody is aware that the web holds an enormous audience and also the future is choked with technology.

 Law – AN overall development of an ideal journalist 

People still doubt that taking over a 5 years integrated course was smart enough to create a future in journalism. Every and each subject in law could be a stepping stone for any amateur journalist to create him a high notch one. All the social sciences subjects offer one method to be a vicinity of society and perceive its functioning in a theoretical and sensible way, which each journalist must do. Law perpetually proves to be a boon to the journalists as they’re regulated by tons of rules by the press council of India, and knowing law would infuse the habit of writing things that are de jure correct. The internships are “add on” within the method of creating a journalist as they enhance speech skills, vocabulary and confidence that are the terrible essence of an honest journalist.

 Suggestions 

When it comes to law, there isn’t a lot of talk about it in the media; law schools should trade so that students who are passionate about it can pursue it. Indian media is still in its infancy, and it requires intellectuals to help it develop into a viable career option.  Law graduates will definitely create Indian news, additional smart and less melodramatic. Remuneration to the law graduates in the media field ought to be additional as they’re going for coverage that is not solely distinguishable from others however, conjointly as per the law of  various countries. Finally, a graduation in law ought to be taken as a degree that stands in function of different mass communication diplomas and courses, giving additional weight to the aspirants having a law degree.

 Conclusion

Doing journalism while pursuing an academic degree is a fantastic option, since a student in law school gains all of the qualities required of an honest journalist. Journalism could be a composition of coverage, analysing, and organising the planet news. For journalism reading, researching, narrative, writing are the foremost vital attributes needed. Journalism and law go hand in hand having virtually similar characteristics.

Curated by Athira Albert of Kristu Jayanti College of Law, Bangalore.