M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication

The course has been designed to provide an in depth understanding of the
modern concepts of Communication and Media and and the working of professional
media organizations for the aspiring students who take up professional career in
various media industries. The course incorporates media training to provide the
candidates professional exposure in mass communication and media sector. The
curriculum has been designed to meet the changing needs and challenges in the areas
of mass communication and especially media industries in the context of new media
and global competition. Besides, the course aims at strengthening research, especially
applied research, in the various areas of Mass Communication with a thrust on the
Communication , new media and development.

SYLLABUS : SEMESTER I
Core I FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION
UNIT I
COMMUNICATION -Definitions, scope, forms and purpose; Types of Communication -
Inter personal, Intra personal, Mass, Organizational, Verbal, Non-verbal, Political Communication;
New Communication technologies and the emerging trend: global and Indian context.
UNIT II
Process of Communication - Source, Massage, Channel, Receiver, Feedback, Encoder,
Decoder, Noise in communication - types of noise - Basic Models in Communicationconcept
of Gate keeping: Gate keepers in mass media.
UNIT III
Language and communication; Importance and use of language, Psychology of language,
Language and Semantics: Denotative, Connotative, Contextual, Structural meanings;
semiotics;
Language as a barrier in multi-lingual societies and cross cultural communication -
translation -problems and solutions.
UNIT IV
Communication systems in Indian context: Interpersonal and group networks - New
media situation and its Socio, Economic, Political and Cultural implications. Public and
private ownership; media conglomeration - Social, Economic, Political and Cultural
factors and their influence on communication Systems - media and Public Opinion
process. Communication policies, issues and Future developments.
UNIT V
Mass Communication: Characteristics; Mass media - Growth, New media context,
access, control and use. Functions of Mass communication - information, education and
entertainment, Social Norm, Status conferral, Privatization, Monopolization,
Canalization, Inoculation, Mass society and Mass culture.- Dysfunctions : stereotyping,
cultural alienation, impact on children; Regulatory mechanism: government ,
professional bodies and citizen groups.

REPORTING
UNIT I
Newspaper organization: structure - Reporting section: Chief Reporter, Correspondents
and reporters. Duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges - Objectivity, editorial
freedom vs newspaper's policies and objectives. Trends in reporting: Interpretative and
Investigative - Freelancing.
UNIT II
Writing News Report - Elements of news, Structure of News Story - Inverted Pyramid
style; Lead: importance, types of lead; body of the story; attribution, objectivity;
Interviews_ types, techniques, preparation and writing interview story.
UNIT III
Reporting government and other agencies: Central, State and Local Governments, Rural
reporting -Beats and Special Coverages. Covering essential services Communications,
Transport, Education, and Health etc.- sources of news - Press Conference: Preparation,
Handout, and Press release.
UNIT IV
Reporting Legislature: Proceedings, Powers and Privileges of the House. Responsibilities
of the press. Reporting Judiciary: Powers and Privileges of the Court - Precautions in
reporting. Crime Reporting: Source of news, procedure, reporting style, precautions in
crime reporting, problems and hazards; Covering public meetings and speeches: dos and donts..
UNIT V:
Sports Reporting: Writing Style, Language use, Sports terms, Use of pictures. Science
Reporting, Financial Reporting. Features: Types, Characteristics, Styles, Subjects and Scope.
Writing Reviews: Book, Film: Procedure and Style.
Work shop: News and feature writing workshops have to be conducted periodically
besides regular field based reporting assignments and media internship which will be evaluated.

Core III
EDITORIAL PRACTICE
UNIT I
Organization of editorial department in a newspaper - functions of editorial department ;
duties, responsibilities and qualifications of editorial staff : Chief editor, News editor,
Sub Editors. News selection process: criteria - influencing factors; Copy desk functions,
path of a copy , morgue.
UNIT II
Principles of editing - editorial space - news value - copy fitting, checking facts,
continuity; paragraphing, grammar, punctuation, taste, style, spelling etc; Rewriting;.
Headlines: Importance, functions of headlines, typography and style, language, types of
headlines; readability and legibility. Picture editing: Importance of pictures, selection of
news pictures, cutlines, cropping methods. Style sheet / manual.
UNIT III
News agencies: Structure and functioning of news agencies - agency services :
subscription procedure, cost and use; Agency profile: PTI, UNI, AFP, AP, Reuters,
TASS, UPI. Wire editing: news selection , Problems of Translation.
UNIT IV
Opinion page: Editorial writing: Purpose, Types of editorials, subjects, editorial policy,
influencing factors, editorial writers and editorial freedom. Editorial Board: constitution,
responsibilities and functions of editorial board; ombudsman - Review of newspaper editorials.
UNIT -V
Profiles, Guest columns, Letters to the editor, Syndicated columns, Sponsored columns.
Columnists - advertisements - newspaper layout and design.- Review of editorial page of
newspapers.
(Note: Regular practical excercises and workshops in editing using the appropriate
softwares to be conducted.)

Core IV
Editorial Practice (Practical - I)
List of Practicals:
1. Writing News
2. Headlines
3. Writing Lead
4. Writing Sports news
5. Writing features
6. writing editorials
7. Editing principles
8. Editing symbols
9. News selection
10. Agency reports
11. Editing wire news
12. Rewriting
13. Readability
14. Picture editing
15. writing cutlines
16. Page layout
17. Editorial page
18. Writing reviews

Elective I INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHIC DESIGN
UNIT I:
A brief history of graphic design: Elements of design; Principles of design: Unity,
balance, rhythm, proportion, movement ; Language of design: white space, fonts,
pictures, page layout and design.
UNIT II:
Design process: conceptualization, stages involved; types of design; creativity in
design; traditional and modern designs - technology in designing.
UNIT III:
Text and Images: typography- styles and features, application and techniques in
design; Colour in design: colour theory, colour combinations, colours and meanings,
psychology of colours, Logo design, illustration techniques, design and composition.
UNIT IV
Introduction to graphic design softwares - Features and application of Coral Draw,
Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark Xpress, PageMaker. Review of graphic designs ( cases).
UNIT V:
Graphic design application in brochure, newsletter, directmail, magazines, posters,
newspapers, billboards, catalogue, letter head, corporate merchandising , packaging,
product.
(Practical exercises in creating designs using computer softwares to be done
regularly.)

Core V
MEDIA LAWS AND ETHICS
UNIT I
World Press: A brief comparative account of the press systems in the USA, UK, Japan
and China: Leading dailies and news agencies - ownership pattern - newspaper design
and format - content and style - new technologies and developments.
UNIT II
Indian Press: Pre-Independence Press in India: Early Newspapers, Indian languages
journals, growth of Tamil press, Vernacular press act 1878 , Raja ram Mohan Roy, Indian
National Congress , Swedesamitran, India , News Agency, Gandhi as a Journalist.
UNIT III
Characteristics of the English press: Times of India, The Tribune, Patriot, Hindustan
Times, the Hindu, The Indian Express and Deccan Herald. Press after independence;
News Agencies, Press Commissions; Tamil press: Leading Tamil dailies and
magazines, Status, ownership, circulation, editorial content , style and design.
UNIT IV
Press Laws: National objectives, Responsibilities of the press, Rights and Privileges;
Freedom of the press and Reasonable Restrictions; Defamation, Sedition, Obscenity,
Incitement of violence, Press and registration of books act 1867, Copy right law, The
Working Journalists acts of 1955, 1956, and 1958.; wage board for journalists ; Contempt
of court act 1971. The Newspaper (Price & Page) Act 1971. Right to information Bill.
UNIT V
Press as fourth estate, press and society, professional code of ethics, violations (cases),
Influencing factors, self-regulation; Press council: powers and responsibilities; other
agencies regulating the press, problems. Debate on entry of foreign press in India; future
developments and issues.

Core VI COMMUNICATION THEORIES
UNIT I
Media and Society - Media Industry ,Social, Political and Cultural influence, Information
Society Media Privatization , Media Audiences, Media and social change.
UNIT II
Communication Theory: Theoretical concepts and constructs in Communication
models:_Lasswell's model, Two-step flow theory, Schramm's circular model, Whites
Gatekeeper theory, Shannon & Weaver's mathematical model, Dance's Helical model,
Westley and Maclean model. Powerful media thesis, Limited effects tradition.
UNIT III
Media Uses and Effects: Individual characteristics, expectations, and perception of
media, media use. Uses and Gratifications Theory: - social and psychological origins of
needs, gratifications sought, gratifications fulfilled: Media dependency theory;
Knowledge gap hypothesis.
UNIT IV
Social Learning theory: Learning positive and negative social behavior, attitudes.
Cultivation Analysis: Process and effects -, prosocial and antisocial content; users'
perception and attitudes, media portrayal, effects on children; Agenda setting: media
agenda, public opinion, media gatekeepers, other sources of media control - case studies.
UNIT V
Innovation Diffusion: Process of diffusion, variables, innovation adoption process,
factors of influence: application of the model in Indian context. Cultural studies
approach; Political economy of media: Marxists and Critical approaches; Visual culture
and issues of representation; human rights and media; New media concepts and
applications.

Core VII DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND VISUAL CULTURE
Unit I
Intro to Design - Principles : Balance - Rhythm - Proportion - Dominance -
Unity - Emphasis - Harmony - Opposition - Variety - Depth - Repetition - Motion.
Unit II
Elements of Design : Line - Shape - Direction - Size - Texture - Colour -
Value - Concepts of Layout : Hierarchy - Centre of visual Impact - Organization -
Contrast - Colour - Typography - Unexpectedness - Rules - Consistency.
Unit III
Vision and Visuality - Visual Culture - Social Conditions and Effects of Visual
Objects - Critical Visual Methodology - Visual Production -: Technological,
Compositional and Social Aspects of Visuals.
Unit IV
Fundamentals of Composition - Interpretation - Spatial Organization - Light -
Expression - Montage - Content - Analysis.
Unit V
Introduction of Semiotics - Analysis - Aspects of Signs and Symbols - The Sign
and Meanings - Description of Signs - Denotations and Connotations - Paradigmatic and
Syntagmatic aspects of Signs - Signs and Codes - Referent Systems - Audience and
Interpretation

Elective II GRAPHICS AND ANIMATION
(Practical - II)
AREA -I
basics of animation - classical animation - time line-instances -stage - layers - scene ,
Key frames-Frame Rates- Editing Frames, Building Skills with Tools and Colors - -
drawing tools - Modifying and Editing - Grouping - Mixer Panel , animation using
existing software.
AREA -II
Flash - Tweening -motion tweening -shape tweening, onion skining -buttons -instances
Shape Hinting , Multiples , Gradient Animation , Symbols, Instances and Libraries,
Editing Color Styles , Text - scripting- Working with Words - Block Types - Creating -
Modifying - Formatting -Animating them.
AREA-III
3D concpts -viewports - perspective -camera -standard primitives - polygons
low polygon, camera motion - Lights- sound generation -Motion Tweening, - Effects -
Editing - Motion Guides - Exploding Text - Options and Limits.
AREA - IV
Modeling & Animation with 3D Max -primitives - low polygon modeling - organic
modeling - nerves modeling , texturing - mapping ,Painting 3D Objects with Deep Paint ,
Movie Clips - Graphic Symbols vs. Movie Clip Symbols- Animated Rollover Buttons -
Testing the Movie - motion capture techniques
AREA - V
Particles system - dynamics - inverse kinematics - reverse kinematics -timeline-key
frames, Character Animation and Visual Fx , Variability in Animations of Human
Motion , Action Scripting -Defined- Interactivity and Actions- Events- Scenes- Drop-
Down Menus, Loading Movie- Sound- Importing- Compressing- Background- Settings -
Controlling - Synchronizing ,Components and Forms - Creating Configuring -
Modifying