How to Become a Journalist?

Index :

  • The law regulating the profession in Italy
  • requirements
  • How to become a professional journalist
  • how to join the practitioners register
  • PUBLICIST
  • STATE EXAM
  • Becoming a publicist
  • Working Freelance on
  • the

    • Web

  • Info

Becoming a journalist is a dream for many, but how do you become a journalist? What course of study should you follow to be a journalist? What are the requirements needed to practice journalism?

See also : How to open the hood of a Clio?

This fascinating profession with the advent of the web and the growing spread of online news outlets is undergoing a phase of profound change.

To answer every question, we offer you a guide with all the useful information on how to become journalists in Italy.

Related reading : How to Organize a Tree Climbing Adventure?

The law regulating the profession in Italy

First of all, you should know that journalistic work understood as an intellectual activity, with a professional character, characterized by creativity is regulated in our country by law no. 69/1963 “Order of the profession of journalist.” This law establishes the Order of Journalists and recognizes two categories of subjects: professionals and publicists.

The type of professionals belongs to those who practice exclusively and continuously the journalistic profession. To that of publicists, however, those who, at the same time as the journalistic activity, practice other professions.

REQUIREMENTS

The profession of journalist, both professional and publicist, can be freely accessed by anyone who has a passion for journalistic activity regardless of the level of education, even if today the profession, as we will see later, has increasingly defined access channels. The current trend indeed shows a progressive increase in the education of journalists. This phenomenon results from the progressive specialization of the profession, which has led to the development of very diverse sectors.

What are the basic characteristics required of the aspiring journalist? They must certainly possess a good knowledge of the Italian language, both written and spoken, an excellent general culture, a love for reading, and a desire to immerse themselves in all aspects of the world around them. Very important is also the knowledge of at least one foreign language. And, finally, a lot of grit and determination to achieve the coveted badge.

How to become a professional journalist

To become a professional journalist, it is essential:

  • to complete 18 months of practice in a journalistic press room. And, furthermore, also attend “remotely” one of the preparatory courses, lasting a minimum of 45 hours, promoted by the National Council or the Regional Councils of the Order;
  • alternatively, to have attended one of the journalism schools recognized by the National Council of the Order for two years;
  • to pass the professional qualification exam.

HOW TO START PRACTICE

To start the practical aspect, you do not need a bachelor’s degree since the law requires a high school diploma. However, you must be hired in a journalistic press room as a practitioner.

Once this condition is met, you must go to the Regional Order of Competence with a copy of the contract and a declaration of commencement of practice signed by the responsible director of the news outlet, and request registration in the Practitioners Register.

After the 18 months of practice, it is necessary to follow one of the training courses organized by the National Council or the Regional Councils of the Order. At the end of the course, you can access the exam to become a professional journalist.

Journalism courses

As an alternative to the practitioner route, one can attend a school or a master’s program in journalism recognized by the Order. The requirement to access the courses is possession of a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or specialized diploma awarded in any discipline.

Training courses in journalism are closed and last two years. Participation is mandatory and full-time and allows admission to final exams and registration in the professionals’ register.

There are currently twelve journalism schools in the national territory. Here is the complete list:

  • Two-year Master’s in Journalism (University of Turin);
  • Two-year Master’s in Press, Broadcasting, and Multimedia Journalism (Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore di Milano);
  • Two-year first-level Master’s in Journalism (IULM University of Milan);
  • Two-year Master’s from the Walter Tobagi School of Journalism (University of Milan);
  • Two-year Master’s in Journalism (University of Bologna);
  • Italian Center for Advanced Studies in Broadcasting Journalism Training and Improvement (Perugia);
  • Institute for Journalism Training (Urbino);
  • Two-year Master’s in Journalism (LUMSA University of Rome);
  • High School of Journalism “Massimo Baldini” (LUISS University of Rome);
  • Two-year first-level Master’s in Journalism (Sister Orsola Benincasa University of Naples);
  • Higher School of Journalism (University of Salerno);
  • Two-year Master’s in Journalism (University of Bari).

We would like to emphasize that there is no degree in journalism, but there are postgraduate courses, those just listed, which allow access to the exam to become a journalist. Which faculty should you choose to best prepare? Certainly, degrees in the humanities (e.g., humanities, philosophy, history, political science) or degrees in communication — the field of publishing can provide a useful foundational training. However, even those who have a degree in sciences can access master’s programs in journalism.

STATE EXAM

The exam, which takes place every year in Rome, consists of a written test and an oral test. The first test consists of three stages:

  1. summary of an article chosen by the candidate from two articles provided by the committee;
  2. writing an article on one of the following topics: domestic and foreign politics, economy and labor, chronicle, sports, culture, science, technology, entertainment;
  3. questionnaire containing open-ended questions on constitutional law, criminal law, ethics and professional conduct, and the history and technique of journalism.

The interview (oral test) checks, on the other hand, the candidate’s knowledge of the ethical principles of the profession, legal standards, and the techniques and practices related to journalism.

Passing the professional qualification test is crucial to apply for and obtain membership in the Register of Professional Journalists. The application for registration, along with the certificate of passing the exam issued by the national employment agency, must be submitted to the competent regional order, that is, the one where they reside.

How to become a publicist

To become a publicist journalist, you must engage in paid and continuous journalistic activity for at least 24 months at one or more outlets (web, broadcasting, or print) regularly registered and directed by a member of the journalists who certify the activity carried out.

To register on the publicists’ list, no exam is required. But it is necessary:

  • to meet the legal requirements (absence of a criminal record, proof of payment of the government concession fee);
  • to submit the articles, signed by the applicant, published in newspapers and periodicals, and certificates from the directors of the publications, proving the regularly paid advertising activity for at least two years;
  • to present in photocopy the cooperation agreement concluded with the outlet(s) they cooperate with;
  • to submit the documentation of compensation received in the last 24 months, which must comply with the relevant tax regulations.

Regarding the actual number of articles required for registration in the list and the amount of related compensation, aspiring publicists should contact the office of the Region where their residence is located, which is competent to accept the application and evaluate the compliance of the declared compensation.

Working freelance on the web

In the last decade, with the advent of the Internet and the spread of online news outlets, the figure of the web journalist has established itself.

The online journalist must, like the traditional professional, know how to write very well but, given how much the world of information and communication has changed, must also have a certain knowledge of digital technologies and multimedia languages because the information to be used is not only written texts but also images, videos, or audio files.

More often, they are independent, specialized in a specific field, who lends their work without constraints of time and presence in the press room, but in a completely independent and autonomous manner.

Even independent journalists, it is good to remember, can register in the practitioners’ register. Provided that there are the following requirements:

  • registration as a publicist;
  • at least three years of activity with coordinated and continuous collaboration relationships with one or more outlets;
  • documentation of journalistic production;
  • certificate of participation in seminars organized by the National Council of the Order and/or training courses organized by the regional councils.

Professional outlets

Where does the journalist work after being registered in the register? They can work in the press offices of public and private organizations, in the editorial boards of news agencies and journalistic newspapers (print, online, television, and radio) as a sports journalist, economic journalist, parliamentary chronicler, judicial chronicler, special correspondent, correspondent.

Info

For all interested parties who wish to have more information on how to become journalists, we suggest consulting the website of the Order of journalists (www.odg.it). The portal provides detailed contacts for regional bodies, references for journalism schools, news on continuing education, and active courses. Very useful is the web FAQ section where you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions addressed to the National Council of the Order. And, again, the Laws and Regulations web page where the laws and regulations governing the journalistic profession are gathered.

You might also be interested in:

  • How to become an actor in Italy, for cinema, television, and the web.
  • How to become a magistrate, training, competition, and work.
  • How to become a sommelier, training path.

Tag : the reporter journalist: what does he do?

How to Become a Journalist?