Understanding Mobile Journalism & Its Relevance in Today’s Times

A widely accepted definition of the term Mobile Journalism or MoJo is –

“A new workflow for media storytelling where reporters are trained and equipped for being fully mobile and fully autonomous.”

Simply put, as the name suggests, any kind of storytelling and content creation done digitally using a mobile phone (smartphone) is Mobile Journalism (MoJo). With the proliferation of smartphones, this new, quick way of journalism is now accessible to all. Photos, videos and audio can be recorded, created and edited on the phones and uploaded to servers which can be accessed by news channels or directly uploaded to even social media platforms. It is basically close to having an entire production studio in your pocket.

Advantages of Mobile Journalism

There are several logical advantages of using mobile reporting or mobile journalism as a medium.

• It’s cheap: As almost everybody owns a smart phone now anyway, just investing on some basic hardware like a microphone and a tripod, this setup becomes much cheaper than a traditional setup and is therefore much affordable. Mobile journalism apps and other features that are freely available make this medium extremely accessible and cost-effective for journalists who are on the go.
• On the move: As the name goes, since most of it is done using a mobile phone, this setup is easily portable. Even with the aforementioned hardware, this entire setup can easily fit in one bag. Imagine the mobility and portability that provides without hampering the quality of the shoot.
• Go discreet: Seeing a smartphone in somebody’s hands is such a normal scenario that it is difficult to distinguish a layman from a journalist. Smartphone journalism naturally provides opportunities to work discreetly. Also, the MoJo setup is smaller in size as compared to the traditional equipment and setup required. This makes it more approachable. The people who are interviewed can be intimidated by the large, traditional setup. Comparatively, this setup is less intrusive and minimal, making the subjects less conscious. You can indeed break barriers and break new ground in the field of journalism with MoJo.
• MoJo is for everyone: The biggest advantage of mobile storytelling is that the user interface for this medium can be any smartphone and apps which can assist beginners as well as professionals. There are apps that are specifically designed for MoJo which makes editing, photography and news packaging easier.

With the advent of technology, this field has definitely flourished. We can literally create and edit content for radio, television, online platforms with utmost ease without hampering the quality at all. The device being a phone, it can be used to schedule and record interviews. We can go live on social media platforms and can actually capture audience feedback as well, that too in real time. Indeed, an all-encompassing journalistic device is now literally in everybody’s pockets.

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Of course, with these come a few limitations which have to be considered. These limitations are essentially device based. Quality of the audio recordings, quality of the smart phone, the light conditions, lens quality, etc. all are slightly compromised compared to a traditional setup. However, these are nothing compared to the way MoJo has changed the name of the game and news studios and channels are slowly but surely adopting and adapting to MoJo. Mobile journalism in India has caught up with the rest of the world and the endless streams of news and firsthand accounts of events around the country are testimony to its proliferation even at the grassroot levels. Soon enough, we will see this medium proliferate universally.

There are a few things that you need to do of course. There are numerous apps that assist the art of MoJo. Get well versed with these apps. Practise the use of your phone and the hardware. Carry power banks and back up inventory. These things always come in handy. Also, MoJo is a blend of science and art. Ensure that you do justice to both these factors before making a news package.

Social Media Journalism and Mobile Journalism Training

All said and done, it is important that this medium and the power it gives you is used judiciously. One must always adhere to the morals and ethics of journalism. Know everything you need to know about all facets of journalism. And this is only possible through a solid education – it is best to enroll yourself at an institute that offers degree courses in journalism and mass communication so you can learn the nuances and nitty-gritties of the subject.

At Seamedu School of Pro-Expressionism, we make sure that you learn not only the theory behind mass communication and broadcast journalism, but also gain plenty of practical experience as well. Our motto of ‘learning by doing’ allows you to put the theory you have studied into practice. Widely regarded as one of the leading broadcast journalism and mass communication colleges in India, at Seamedu you get to learn from some of the best professionals in the industry through workshops, projects, seminars, visits to media houses and placements, thus gaining a real world understanding of the job and what it entails. It also helps you make professional contacts even before you graduate.

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Find out all you need to know about journalism and more about our broadcast journalism courses available at our Pune campus.

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