Work to expand language skills, young journalists told

The former Professor of Karnatak University A.S. Balasubramanya has said that a strong vocabulary is the real asset of a journalist and with modern tools readily available now, young journalists should constantly work to expand their vocabulary and language skills.

He was delivering a special talk at Media Fest 2026 organised by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Karnatak University, in Dharwad on Tuesday.

Prof. Balasubramanya told journalism students that while the use of chatbots for all productive purposes by journalism students is advisable, one should not rely on them completely.

“Use them to slowly learn the formation of words from it but don’t totally depend on it,” he told them.

He said that AI helps in framing better questions which, in turn, will help one ask better questions and hence, become a better journalist. He said that skills such as voice over and subtitle writing are often overlooked despite having strong market demand. He encouraged students with good voices to explore these fields.

He advised aspiring journalists to develop specialised knowledge and skills in specific subjects. Referring to developments in the industry, he said that many newspapers are now building digital libraries, as archived data has become extremely valuable.

In the second session, senior journalist Shubash Hugar said that journalists must constantly update themselves with technological developments to remain relevant in the rapidly evolving media world and those who fail to adapt are at the risk of becoming irrelevant.

Mr. Hugar said that the nature of journalism has changed significantly over time. Earlier, reporters travelled to gather news and faced difficulties sending reports to offices, whereas technological advancements have now made the process much faster and easier.

Mr. Hugar noted that with many people consuming news on mobile phones, algorithms tend to show users content aligned with their preferences. This can gradually create echo chambers where individuals believe only information that supports their views, leading to polarisation in society.

He also cautioned that news generated through artificial intelligence can lack credibility if not handled carefully and advised aspiring journalists to keep themselves updated with advancements taking place in other countries as well.

Mr. Hugar pointed out that regional level fact checking initiatives are limited. While a few Kannada newspapers verify certain news items, he said, most did not have dedicated fact checking departments. Referring to national platforms, he said that there is scope for similar fact checking agencies at the regional level and advised students to tap the potential.