While a degree in journalism is the minimum requisite for a fresher to get a job in most media houses, News Today‘s Editorial is always home to talent from various streams of education. In fact, its Editor, T R Jawahar, is a chartered and cost accountant by qualification.
I realised this in 2005, soon after passing out from a business school. Like any other MBA of that time, my hunt was for a marketing job and I got one from Talk Media of News Today group.
When I was about to receive the offer letter from Executive Director Kausalya Jawahar, the passion for journalism in me woke up from hibernation and I asked, “Madam, are there any opening for a Reporter? If so, can I apply for it?”
She was slightly taken aback with my quirky query, but replied with a smile, ‘In that case, you have to meet News Editor Balakumar and take a test’. I immediately said “Okay, sure’, but with a request again – ‘In case I fail to clear the test, will you please keep this Marketing Executive offer open for me?”
After getting her assurance, I rushed to the Editorial, wrote the test, and, in a few hours’ time, was informed – “You are selected.” I was appointed as Trainee Reporter and joined News Today and Talk Media Editorial the very next day, when I met the Editor for the first time. Jawahar, understanding my interest, assured all support which continues.
Inside the Editorial, though there were / are people with journalism background, I have found Engineers, History graduates, Political Science degree holders, English majors, a former IAS officer and civil services aspirants working as full-fledged journalists, proving my initial apprehensions wrong.
The opportunities News Today provides to its journalists are endless. Age and qualification are never a criteria at NT for growth. With a management that is so down-to-earth, sky is only the limit for the staff here.
In the last 13 years, I had covered various beats and taken care of different pages of NT and editions of Talk, all because of the confidence the Editor had in me. Today, as Associate Editor of this newspaper, I am still learning and this will only continue. For, there can be no bigger journalism college than News Today.