The power of journalism

          The power to make and the power to break....

                                                       By Solandra D'souza, SYBA

To make you laugh with joy or cry with sorrow, to unify to divide, to destroy or help, to entertain and to shock. It will make you feel sad at the news of a person who died, who you never even knew existed in the first place.. That is the kind of power that journalism beholds!

Journalism, is a revolution. It has brought a change in our lives; our thoughts, actions and behavior, all are partially influenced by what we read in newspapers and magazines. It makes us more aware about what is ‘really going on’ rather than merely what ‘seems to be going on’.

Journalism is not all about news and newspapers. It even involves writing articles for entertainment and pleasure which is usually reffered to as ‘soft news’ in the jurnalistic world. Writing an article requires patience, a good command over language and interests. It is an expression of one’s thoughts and feelings, be it anything from fashion, food, education, health to travel and so on.. you write what is in your heart and the way you feel or it makes you feel.  That... is what makes it exciting and differenct!

Writing soft news requires the ability to capture the reader’s heart immediately and give the reader a light getaway from the otherwise hard news. It appeals to the senses and gets you relaxed or excited. Reading about and seeing pictures of a preety red dress or a picture of the lates bike will make you want to get out there and buy it! It has the power to influence and motivate.

Things faraway would not have been impossible to know about and see if not for our news channels and newspapers. Thanks to technology, we can n ow see through the television, things happening miles and miles away and feel like we are actually there. Looking at war zones, seeing people battered and bruised bring tears to our eyes. Seeing cruelty done to animals as well as human beings angers us.

The way it is used and by ‘whom’, makes a huge difference.

In the right and skill-full hand it can be a mightly blessing...

A medium of revolution for a better future!

Solandra D’souza.