7 Career & Job Options After Your BMM Degree
Mentoria
Last Updated: September 1, 2022
Ever found yourself diving deep into global events that may or may not directly impact you? Got opinions on the latest celebrity to be cancelled? Ever been guilty of actually keeping up with the Kardashians? Thanks to a boom in mass media, we can now live in one corner of the world and still remain connected with the rest of the world in real-time!
In just the last few decades, there has been a constant evolution in the media field. From radio broadcasts to satellite television and more recently, the worldwide web, the evolution of media knows no bounds.
This change has also brought along with it a demand for new talent and a larger workforce to keep the ball rolling. Today, mass media is one of the most competitive and rewarding fields in the business. There are more and more people pursuing a Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM) degree to go on and build a career in this promising field. However, with so many advancements, there are plenty of fields one can get into with BMM. Here are some of the most popular BMM jobs to pursue:
1. Journalism
One of the most popular fields in mass media, journalism, involves gathering information and presenting it to people in the written, spoken, or visual format. The stories you read in newspapers and magazines, the podcasts you listen to on the radio, or the reporters you watch on TV, are all forms of journalism.
You can pick a niche in journalism – politics, crime, local, national, international, economics, financial, sports, entertainment, etc. – and specialise in that area. However, before you do this, you must decide which field you want to get into – print, broadcast, digital. In your final year of BMM, you will be introduced to all three forms, which will help you decide which one suits you best.
Subject to choose in your third year: Journalism
A major in Journalism gives you the opportunity to experience diverse niches before you choose what you’re best at! Moreover, this subject helps you learn the art of gathering data and expressing it in a way that reaches your target audience effectively.
Short-term courses: Before you start applying for jobs as a journalist, look at taking some of these short courses to help you along the way:
- https://www.udemy.com/danrather/
- https://www.udemy.com/journalism-skills-for-beginners/
- https://www.coursera.org/specializations/become-a-journalist
Payscale
In India, a journalist earns an average salary of INR 3.8 lakhs per year as a fresher. Once you gain more experience, your CTA increases and you can earn way higher than the average journalist salary. Your salary may also vary depending on the agency you’re associated with.
Source: Glassdoor
Curious about the life of a Journalist? Get the scoop on Journalism as a career from Rajeshwari Adappa
2. Advertising
Advertisements have always been around, from announcements made on megaphones to flyers spread around for fascist propaganda. But, today, we are surrounded by advertisements – billboards, TVCs, a popup on your phone, jingles playing in a store, etc.
Simply put, advertising tells people about a product and how it can help them.
However, the process of advertising is much more complex. It involves, branding, identifying an audience, customising campaigns, creating content, etc. Today, we associate products with advertisements rather than advertisements with products. Some ads leave such a lasting impact that they change the existing norms, like the De Beers ad saying ‘A Diamond is Forever’, making diamonds seem more like a necessity than a style statement. Subjects like agency management, brand-building and consumer behaviour will help you here. Think you have it in you to create such campaigns to help companies make it this big? Then advertisement is the space for you.
Subject to choose in your third year: Advertising
When you choose a major in Advertising, it acts as a cherry on the top for your creative flair! You learn the core concepts of marketing, ad-creation, creative writing, copywriting, and a lot more.
Short-term courses: Before you start applying for jobs in advertising, look at taking some of these short courses to help you along the way:
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/role-of-advertising
- https://www.udemy.com/30-copywriting-secrets-from-the-best-ad- campaign-of-all-time/
Payscale
The average salary in advertising varies based on the role you work in. For instance, as a copywriter, you can earn around INR 3.34 lakhs p.a. whereas a creative director can earn close to INR 14 lakhs p.a.!
Source: Payscale
3. Event Management
If ‘The Wedding Planner’, ‘Made in Heaven’ and ‘Band Baaja Baarat’ are your go-to movies and shows, if the idea of working for college festivals like ‘Umang’ and ‘Malhar’ gets you all starry-eyed, if handling situations and people is what gets you going, then you’re already set for this role. Behind every successful event is an organiser, a sponsor, a team but most importantly, the event manager who pieces it all together. An event manager ensures that your ideas come alive before you, executing all those concepts you thought weren’t possible. They help you to manage your finances for the event and ensure that your event runs smoothly – be it a wedding, a fashion show, a musical, an awards function or birthday. Subjects like financial management and marketing will help you here.
Subject to choose in your third year: Advertising/Event Management Diploma
Choosing a major in a related field is crucial for you to learn the fundamentals of event planning like budget management, PR, networking, customer relationship management, etc.
Short-term courses: Before you start applying for jobs in events, look at taking some of these short courses to help you along the way:
- https://www.udemy.com/event-marketing-how-to-create-a-successful-event-series/
- https://www.udemy.com/event-management-for-beginners/
Payscale
The average event manager salary in India is INR 4.38 lakh p.a. You can expect higher salaries as you bag roles like event head, creative director, project head, etc.
Source: Payscale
4. Radio Jockey
A lot of people today say that the radio is losing its charm. However, the millions of people tuning in to 93.5 FM every Monday morning for Malishka’s show say otherwise. Today, radio has branched out into internet radio where you can work on podcasts, do comedy sets, TedTalks and more!
If you love talking to people, have a persona that speaks volumes, can connect easily with people and keep them engaged through your wit and humour, this is it. As an RJ, you will have to conduct discussions and talk shows, keep the audience tuned in between songs, pick songs keeping in mind the likes and dislikes of your audience, conduct interviews and also provide news updates. Focus on broadcast journalism in your final year to get a broader understanding of what exactly the job involves.
Subject to choose in your third year: Journalism
A journalism major helps hone your creative skills and sets the perfect tone for your career as an RJ.
Short-term courses: Before you start applying for jobs in radio, look at taking some of these short courses to help you along the way:
Payscale
The average radio jockey salary in India ranges between INR 5-6 lakhs p.a. These numbers may vary depending on the channel or agency you work with. For instance, the average salary of a Radio Mirchi RJ is INR 6.09 lakhs p.a.
Source: Glassdoor
Take the Mentoria Assessment to find the right career fit in BMM for you. Talk to our career counsellors to get personalised step-by-step guidance for your future career path.
5. Public Relations
There is a stark difference between advertising and PR, one that most individuals do not get. While advertising refers to paid promotions and campaigns, PR brings in publicity for your brand, ideally without the use of money.
PR professionals represent companies and their ideologies. They act as the face of the company. As a PR person, you must maintain good relations with journalists and prepare press kits to enable media personnel to understand the company, their management and product better. You will also have to deal with bad publicity and come up with plans to avert any crisis.
Subject to choose in your third year: Advertising/PR
A major in PR or advertising is ideal for a career in Public Relations since the curriculum focuses on the tools and methodologies you need to network and manage a company’s promotions.
Short-term courses: Before you start applying for jobs in PR, look at taking some of these short courses to help you along the way:
- https://www.udemy.com/how-to-get-publicity-and-press-coverage-for-your-business/
- https://www.udemy.com/pr-secrets/
Payscale:
The average PR manager salary in India is INR 32,943 per month.
Source: Glassdoor
6. Digital Communication
The advancement of social media and digital communication has given us a plethora of additional options to choose from. Have an opinion on a number of topics and want a platform to express them better and spread the word? With the advent of WordPress, Medium and Tumblr, it has become extremely simple to express yourself on the internet through mediums apart from print and broadcast media. Topics like politics, economics, sports, fashion and entertainment are widely followed.
There are a number of blogging companies, and joining as a content writer/content strategist is also an option you could pursue if you have a way with words. Subjects like digital media, creative writing, and feature writing will help you form a strong foundation for this field.
Subject to choose in your third year: Journalism
A journalism major helps you learn the core concepts of communication and the manner in which you can use different distribution channels to express your ideas and showcase the content you create.
Short-term courses: Before you start applying for jobs in the digital space, look at taking some of these short courses to help you along the way:
- https://www.udemy.com/writing-tools-hacks/
- https://www.udemy.com/write-killer-web-content-that-sells-a-step-by-step-course/
Payscale
The average content writer salary in India depends on your experience and skillset. For instance, with an industry/freelancing experience of 0-2 years, you can expect a salary of INR 3.5-4 lakhs p.a. With 2-5 years of experience, content writers can expect a CTC of INR 5 to 8 lakhs p.a.
Source: Webdew
7. Filmmaking
We all enjoy films, tv shows and even certain advertisements. If you enjoy shooting, editing, or scripting videos, this is the field for you. Subjects like creative writing, understanding cinema and photography touch upon the basics of filmmaking. You can further polish your skills here with short-term specialised courses from Film and Television Institute of India, Whistling Woods, Zee Institute of Media Arts, Delhi Film Institute etc.
Subject to choose in your third year: Advertising
Choosing advertising as your major helps you understand the intricacies of the industry and gives you the skills you need to express yourself in the form of different media.
Short-term courses: Before you start your foray into the film world, look at taking some of these short courses to help you along the way:
Payscale
The average filmmaker salary in India is INR 4.6 lakhs per year. As you gain industry experience, you can expect a higher pay package.
Source: Glassdoor
Discover Your Future Path
We hope our article has helped you discover the variety of options available to you post Bachelors in Mass Media. We’d recommend doing an internship while you’re in college as there’s nothing better than on-the-job training in this field. Good luck with your career selection!
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