FACULTY OF JOURNALISM in BELARUS

In Belarus there are not so many schools that teach journalism. They are about 6 or 7. But the most important university – is BSU.

Training journalists at the BSU started in 1944. Since then more than 6 thousand specialists of mass media, radio and television have been trained. The Faculty of Journalism contributed greatly to the creation of the Union of Journalists. A lot of graduates have become members of the Belarusian Union of Writers, editors, correspondents and journalists of more than 1000 periodicals, leading reporters, showmen and producers of numerous radio and TV stations, PR agencies, etc..

A great number of foreign students got their education here too.

The students of the day study get education in the following specialties: International Journalism, Literary Work, Information and Communication, Journalism.

The basic course of training encompasses five years and graduates get the specialist degree. The academic year is divided into two semesters, each is completed with the examination session. During the semester the students attend lectures and seminars, take part in various workshops, have some practical classes, write and defend course papers. One of the peculiarities of studying at the faculty is the system of rating and mid-term credits which has proved to be quite effective and very helpful both for the students and the tutors while making final evaluations. At the end of the semester students take different credit tests and examinations.

Much attention is paid to probationary training. Each year students have at least one month of creative training in city, regional or Republic newspapers, on local and national radio and TV, in various press-centers, PR institutions, some information or advertising agencies.

Here are the names of the departments: Foreign Journalism and Literature, Periodical Press, Sociology of Journalism, Technology of Communication, Literary – Arts Critics, Television and Radio Broadcasting, History of Journalism and Literature, Stylistics and Literary Editing.

Profession of Journalism

- Journalism is an important job. Journalists have a duty to defend freedom of speech - one of the bastions of democracy.

From my point of view a good journalist should be communicative, curious, mobile, active, honest, respectful, tollerant for critics, should keep case in time.

Well, journalism is also exiting profession. We meeting important people, writing good stories, face different situations, have chances to deal with visual social and political issues.

- Journalism's first obligation is to tell the truth.

- Types of Journalism:

International Journalist, Literary Worker, radio reporter, newspaper reporter, PR-Specialist; Specialist in Advertising Communication; Specialist in Audio-Visual Communication, Press Photographing…

Being a journalist is a profession full of dreams and desires, and since the beginning of the process to become one, the student has to face the contrast between the university and the real environment, because journalism has an advantage, that can be disadvantage too. That is, that everybody can look at the work that a reporter does, because this is the real meaning of journalism, to work for the community and for the public cause. Being in the front of the reality and in the center of illusions is the place in which the students can see the roads they can follow in the real world.

- My ideal journalist today is Vladimir Posner. He is a Russian journalist best known in the West for appearing on television to represent and explain the views of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He worked as chief commentator for the North American service of the Radio Moscow network.

In 1997, Posner founded the School for Television Excellence in Moscow to educate and promote young journalists. He is president of the Russian Television Academy, which annually distributes the country's most prestigious TV awards.

For many years during the Cold War, Vladimir Posner delivered the nightly "Radio Moscow News and Commentary" program.

He was host of several shows, among them the US-Soviet Space Bridge "Mi", (translated "Us"); "Chelovek v maske", ("A Man in the Mask"). Today Posner hosts a political talk show on Russia's Channel One, the show named "Vremena", ("Times").

Types of edition (history of newspaper, classification of press)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The early evidence of an official means of spreading news dates from 59 BC in Rome, where a daily gazette called Acta Diurna was published. The Acta Diurna was written in manuscript and displayed in prominent places in Rome. A similar approach to publishing news was undertaken in China from the 6th to the 20th century.

During the Middle Ages manuscript newsletters containing political and commercial information. There were also occasional newsbooks, or pamphlets, detailing an unusual event such as a battle.

In the 16th century an official newspaper was issued in Venice, with accounts of battles and other matters of public interest. This paper was circulated throughout Europe, and originally was called "gazetta" or "gazette", a name, which is still used.

The first true newspapers were derived from commercial bulletins early in the 17th century. They appeared first in Holland and shortly after in England and France. Other countries also soon had their rudimentary newspapers: Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, and Poland.

In the United States the principle of a free press was established in 1735, when publisher John Peter Zenger was acquitted of libel charges. The principle was defined as a civil right by the first article of the Bill of Rights in 1791. Sweden preceded the United States with a law guaranteeing freedom of the press in 1766. Denmark gained the same freedom in its Constitution of 1849. Other European nations were slower to allow a free press because of the ever-present fear of revolution.

And I also should say that the first Belarusian Newspaper was founded in 1906, which was called «Наша доля».

Types of newspaper:

- Daily / weekly

- National / local

-Quality = serious = broadsheet / Tabloid = popular = red-top

- With suplements or without it.