Journalism Day activities

Journalism in India began during the first war of Independence in 1857. A Hindi and Urdu magazine, “Payam-e-Azadi” were published calling people to fight against the British in the first war of independence. Although later confiscated, journalism initiated a spark and played a very crucial role in inspiring freedom fighters to fight the British.

The Bengal Gazette was the first newspaper in India established by James Augustus Hickey. Raja Ram Mohan Roy, one of the pioneers of Indian language journalism, published the Persian newspaper Miratool Akbar.

Today, journalism is the 'fourth estate' or 'fourth pillar' of democracy and is the 'voice of the voiceless'. The institution of journalism plays a crucial role in keeping citizens informed about issues, events and ideas of public interest.

Every year, 17th November is observed as National Journalism Day in India. The day is aimed at the promotion of the freedom of speech, thought and virtues as well as to emphasise the role of the media in shaping our society. Journalism plays the role of mediator between the public and policymakers.

The Indian School-Second Shift celebrated “Journalism Day” on November 17, 2022. Students of classes 6 to 8 participated with great enthusiasm and took up this day as an opportunity to add an additional career path/scope to the future of India.

The students of class 6 researched about the history of journalism and learned about its types, importance, and its role in both English and Hindi.

Learning, reading, and writing are essential in making an individual confident and conversant. The students of class 7 created bilingual posters for print and electronic media award winners. 

Students of class 8 assembled a miniature newspaper to experience publishing a newspaper on their own in the future. As publishing a newspaper involves joint efforts, a sense of teamwork and spirit of co-operation was fostered amongst the students.

The print media has seen substantial growth in the last few years. With rising education standards, there is more demand for quality work, which invariably strengthens the Indian journalism industry. Journalism has seen significant changes in India. Today, it is one of the most striking career options for the young in India. New colleges are opening up, offering journalism courses.