Osmania University BCJ (bachelor of communication and journalism)

Osmania University BCJ (bachelor of communication and journalism)


2006-07 academic year

I semester


B1: Introduction to Communication and Mass Media

Unit1: Introduction to Communication. Nature, process and elements of communication. Functions and barriers of communication. Typology of communication – interpersonal, intra personal, group, mass communication.

Unit II: Mass communication characteristics, concept of gate keeping. Communication Models – Shannon and Weaver, Osgood and Schramm. Two step flow hypothesis, multi-step flow of communication.

Unit III: Communication effects, early perceptions, concepts – agenda setting, cultivation, uses and gratification. Roger’s theory of Diffusion of innovation.

Unit IV: Mass Media status: Print media, Broadcast media, New media, Advertising / PR Traditional media, New media technologies – satellite, cable, digital, internet, Mass media audiences, Issue of ownership, cross media ownership

Unit V: Media history: Print media – pre Independence, post Independence (Major issues, land marks), Regional language Press, Broadcast media, commissions of inquiry.

B2: Reporting and Editing-I

Unit I: Reporter – role, duties and qualities. The news process- from event to the reader. Concepts and definition of news as relevant to India. Basic components of a news story – attribution, verification; balance and fairness, brevity. News sources, gathering facts, Different forms of reporting – spot news / live reporting – Reporting public affairs, meetings, conferences, seminars, cultural, civic and social events, Mofussil reporting.

Unit II: Crime, legislature, courts and sports reporting. Investigative, interpretative, trend, in depth and advocacy reporting. Building and using background. Reporting fashion and lifestyle, writing curtain raisers, interviewing techiniques.

Unit III: Organisational structure of a newspaper’s editorial department. Role and functions of and editor, news editor and sub-editors. Qualities of a sub-editor. The news process: Sources of news. Different types of copy – Agency copy, Bureau copy, Mofussil Copy. News values and selection of news. Different Desks – General sports etc.

Unit IV: The editing process – symbols, handling various types of copy; Re-writing, translation, Integrating, Updating; Referencing; Proof reading, style book/sheet. Electronic editing. Headlines – functions, types, patterns of headlines. Unit count. Headline schedule. News schedule, Planning of pages and editions, editing supplements, features and special pages.

Unit V: Development and growth of printing. Desk Top Publishing, Printing process, Different methods of printing – Offset, Gravure and screen printing. Off-set printing process, advantages and disadvantages, Typography: Types and families, Type sizes. Reproduction of art and photographs, selection and editing of photographs.

B3: Advertising

Unit I: Advertising – Its relationship with Mass Communication, as a part of the marketing mix. Difference between publicity and advertising, advertising and Public Relations. Advertising definitions, functions.

Unit II: Classification of Advertising based on demand, media, objectives, different consumers to be reached, stages in the product life cycle, personnel involved-vertical /horizontal etc. Product, institutional, financial, social, political, government, classified and display.

Unit III: Advertising agency – Structure and functions of the various department of the Advertising Agency. Client servicing, creative media, production etc. Media Types of Media – Radio, newspapers, magazines, television, outdoor, specialty, internet, Relative merits & demerits, Basics of media planning and scheduling – Importance of media tariff, sources of information for media planning and scheduling –ORG, ABC, Readership surveys

Unit IV: Campaign Planning & Execution, Brief – Collection of Information, Analysis of market, Target Audience, Budget, Creative strategy and concepts; Creative themes and appeals Copy- Elements of an Advertisement, Functions of headline and copy, Types of copy for different media, Layout, Types of Layout, Principles of Design and lay out production process for print ads, Radio jingles, spots, commercials, TV commercials and Films (Script writing), Printed Literature. Direct Advertising, Point of Purchase

Unit V: Evaluation and Regulation of Advertising – Copy research – Pre testing and post testing Ethics, Codes and laws related to advertising, Professional bodies AAAI,ISA,ASCI, INS, Consumer associations Act. Advertising in India, role in economic development Trends (Case studies and Workshops in copy writing, media planning, campaign planning)

B4: Electronic Media and Film

Unit I: Introduction to broadcasting: Radio as a Medium of Mass Communication, Evolution and growth of All India Radio and Doordarshan, Prasar Bharathi – structure, objectives and role. Growth of private television channels. Emerging trends in radio broadcasting – FM, Digital, satellite

Unit II: Radio production, Programmes for various audiences, Different Programme format, creating audio space, sound perspective, voice casting, types of music, use of sound effects. Production crew and their functions: Role of producer. Production planning and execution. Radio studio, acoustics, recording equipment, types and use of microphones, Use of Digital Technology in production.

Unit III: Television technology: broadcasting standards, PAL, NTSC and SECAM. Broadcast chain, Production equipment – cameras, microphones and lights. Special effects generators, digital video effects, Character Generator, computer graphic work stations. TV stations. TV studio layout, TV production – studio and field production, TV staff and crew, their functions. Programme formats, Proposal writing, Script writing – outline, treatment, visualization, shooting script.

Unit IV: Production process – pre-production, set up and rehearsal, production and post production. Classification of shots, techniques of audio production. Television news production, scripting for TV documentaries. Linear and Non-linear editing, voice over, dubbing, mixing and final mastering. TV Direction; Shot division, Blocking the script, story board, time line and budgeting.

Unit V: A brief history of Indian cinema. Film technology. Elements of film – script, cinematography, editing, music and direction. Process of film making – shooting, editing, dubbing, mixing, married print. Film genres, Art and commercial films, parallel cinema. Film appreciation. Critical Study of films of important art and commercial film makers. Trends in contemporary cinema. Film review and criticism, Script writing for documentaries. NFDC, FTII.

Exercises in reporting, script writing and television production

II Semester:-


B5: Reporting and Editing II

Unit I: reporting conflicts, calamities, disasters. Issues in development reporting, environment, education, ecology, health, industry, business, agriculture, consumer issues, gender issues, Computer Aided Reporting (CAR)

Unit II: Editorial writing – concept, Types of editorials, policy, conferences, Letters to the Editor, edit page articles, Middles.
Feature writing: Characteristics of features, types of features, difference between articles and features; survey of market for features; Review and criticism, types of columns, techniques of column writing, columnists.

Unit III: Use of computers in editing. Editing mofussil copy, translation, integrating, updating, and planning of pages and editions. Editing supplements, features and special pages.

Unit IV: Process of colour printing, use of colour, use of colour photographs. Digital printing. Page Design and Layout, Use of new technologies: Internet, VSAT.

Unit V: Newspaper management: structure of a newspaper organization and functions of various departments. Marketing strategies.

Exercises in Page Maker and Quark Express.


B6: Media Laws and Ethics

Unit I: Indian constitution - salient features, fundamental rights, concept of PIL, directive principles, freedom of speech and expression, its limitations.

Unit II: Official Secrets Act, Press and Registration of Books Act, Prevention of Publication of Objectionable Matter Act, Working Journalists Act, Cable Regulation Act, Cinematography Act, Parliamentary Proceedings Protection of Publication Act 1956, Its repeal Act, Constitutional Amendment Article 361A (Protecting the publication of Parliament and Legislature).

Unit III: Contempt of Court Act, Indecent Representation of Women Prohibition Act, Censorship Act, Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, Children’s Act. Law of Defamation.

Unit IV: Right to Know, Right to Information, Freedom of Information Act, 2002, Right to Information Bill 2004, Cyber Laws, Intellectual Property Rights and Copyright Act. Right to Privacy.

Unit V: Introduction to Media Ethics, Yellow Journalism, Communal writing, Right to reply, Press Council, Media and Human Rights and Civil Rights.

B7: Corporate Communication:

Unit I: Corporate communication – concept of PR philosophy, meaning, definition, scope, dimensions and distinction from advertising, propaganda, liaison, lobbying, PR and Public Opinion, growth of PR staff and line function, structure and function of PR Department, Profile of a Public Relations Officer.

Unit II: Concept of corporate citizen, corporate identity, image, PR publics – internal and external, importance of communicating to internal and external publics. PR process, four stages – fact finding, planning, execution and evaluation. PR strategy/campaign. Steps in campaign planning Case studies.

Unit III: Media relations- press conference, press kit, press briefing, Tools of PR- interpersonal: talks, discussions, meetings, open house, open day, exhibitions Print: House journals, news letters, brochures, pamphlets, circulars, notices, newspapers, annual reports, magazines, press releases. Audio-visual: radio, television, corporate films, OCTV, VNRs, FNRs, Information Technology New Media; Internet Writing and PR – Teleconferencing, E-mail, fax, CD Rom, Floppy Disks, Websites

Unit IV: Employee relations; Importance, responsibility of employee relations. Employee communication; Financial PR –Background, growing importance. Role of PR in raising capital and finances – annual general meeting – Role of PR person. Communication to share-holders. Customer relations.

Unit V: Community Relations: Community relations policy, objectives. Organization Employee’s role. Contributions to community welfare, community relations as a image building exercise. Government Relations- Nature and need for government relations. Structure and organization in Government PR Propagating Govt policies – Feedback mechanisms. Community Relations – definition of Community need and scope of PR – Rural PR – multi-media campaigns.

B8: Magazine and Photo Journalism (optional):

Unit I: Introduction to photography; Types of cameras, Understanding the camera- shutter types, The Shutter/Aperture relationship, Film size, Types of films, Lenses: the basic lens, Lens characteristics, Depth of field, Special lenses, Filters. Handling the camera, basics of exposure, camera angles, composition. Developing and Printing, the good negative, Lighting practices and sources, basic flash lighting, types of light meters, judging exposure.

Unit II: An overview of photo journalism, Trends in photo journalism. Use of graphics and photographs in magazines and newspapers, Picture categories, qualities of a good photograph. Single picture and caption: Judging the single photograph. News photos, People pictures
Role of a photo editor, selection and editing of photographs, writing captions. Photo features- planning and production. Colour photography-films, lighting, exposure and printing, digital photography. Images-JPEG, TIFF etc. Cropping, photo syndicates. Ethics-the tragic photo, shooting tragic scenes, staying out of the way, photo journalism and the law, Issues of Libel and invasion of privacy, freelancing.
Unit III: Types of magazines-News, general interest, and specialized magazines in niche areas-women, children leisure, business, science and technology etc., Use of visuals in magazines, Planning the editorial mix of a magazine-articles, news stories features etc., Trends in magazine publishing.
Unit IV: Techniques of magazine writing-choosing a topic, Identifying sources, gathering information, and the process of writing, importance of rewriting, various types of articles and features, Customizing magazine content for readers,

Unit V: Subjectivity in magazine writing. Slanting, content and writing style of different magazines. Approaches to editing specialized and glossy magazines-like fashion, city, travel etc., studying the requirements of magazines. Freelancing. Marketing features. E-journals. On-line magazines.

B9: Telugu journalism(optional)

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