Assistant Information Officer in Information and Public Relations Department - Main (Descriptive) Examination Kerala PSC Examination Syllabus

Submitted By Nimi M P on 28 February 2025

'Syllabus for the post of Assistant Information Officer in Information and Public Relations Department - Main (Descriptive) Examination, CAT: NO: 639/ 2023 - Total Marks : 100' are given below. You can refer our 'exam' section for previous and sample question papers. Exam details can be found in our news section or our youtube channel.

1. COMMUNICATION

Types of Communication, Functions and Scope, Early forms of Communication, Emergence of Mass media, Models of Communication, Aristotle, Claude E. Shanon & Warren Weaver, Wilbur Schramm, Harold D Lasswell, Charles E Osgood, Gerbner, New Comb, David Berlo, SMCR, Becker, Riley and Riley, De Fleur, Westely & Maclean, Concepts of Communication - Indian, Eastern, Western Concepts (Christian, Gandhian), Mass Media Effects - Violence, obscenity, attitude and behavioural changes, typology of audience & critical consumer - culture and communication - Roland Barthes, Herbert Schiller, Noam Choamsky & Manufacturing concent - typologies of mass culture - trends in semiotic studies, Normative Theories of Press - Authoritarian, Libertarian, Socialist - communist, Social Responsibility, Development Media & Democratic participant Press Theories, Globalisation - Features, Trends, Challenges, ICE - ICEET, Narrowcasting, Demassification, Convergence, Accessibility, Reach, International Information Order, Present Scenario of Mass Media, Development Communication - Origin, Meaning, concept, definition, philosophy, process, theories, trends, future. Role of Communication, Information, technology & mass media in development. (15 MARKS)

2. REPORTING

News - Concepts, elements, values. Sources of News, Techniques of news gathering and dissemination. News flow, Predictable & Unpredictable News; Soft news and hard news, anticipated news, follow ups, slanting / advocacy. News story - Structure of news, story inverted pyramid and other styles. Principles of News Writing. Intro, body, back grounding, conclusion and their variations; different kinds of lead; changing styles of news writing. Reporting Speeches, seminars, conferences, press conferences, meet and press, briefing, demonstrations, rallies, agitations, press releases, court proceedings, legislature, parliament, Govt. and Non Govt. Reporter - Qualities and Functions, social responsibility. Types of Correspondents, Development news; science & technical news, election news accident, death, crime, war disasters, conflicts, obituaries, weather and human interest stories, Cultural Reporting. Art of interviewing, techniques and strategies for interviews. Types of interviews - Investigative, interpretative, embedded, in-depth, cheque - book, Page Three & Local Page, Aggressive, yellow, paparazzi, tabloid, precision, intimate, public service, laid - back, citizen journalism and planting stories. (20 MARKS)

3. EDITING AND MEDIA LAW

Editing-Introduction, principles, need, functions. Line editing, creative editing and design editing. Style sheet / book, Editing. Process - Selecting, Examining, Checking, Correcting, Condensing, slanted stories, Editing News Agency copy, Bureau copy. Functions and trends in writing Headlines, Writing editorials and middle pieces. Principles of page Makeup & Design, Traditional, Contemporary and Computer Aided Design (CAD). Dummy preparation, Pagination. Layout & Design of pages. Photo editing and caption writing. News room set up - Editorial duties and functions. New trends in editing - Emergence of Special Editors, Page Editors, Spot Editors, Readers Editor, News Ombudsman, News casters.

Freedom of Press & Parliamentary Privileges. Press Legislations in India. Press Council Act of 1978 - Cable Television Networks (Regulations) Act of 1995. Information Technology Bill, Cable Television Act, Cyber Laws Censorship guidelines - Press Accreditation Rules. Legal Bodies & Commissions - Press Council of India - Advertising Standards Council of India - Press Ombudsman - Legal Bodies - Guidelines & Broadcast Codes. Right to Information Act 2005. (20 MARKS)

4. PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public Relations - Concepts, functions and characteristics. PR Propaganda, Publicity, Public Opinion, Advertising, Persuasion. PR - PR Professional Organization - IPRA, PRSI, PIB, DPR, DAVP Films Division, Directorate of Field Publicity, Song & Drama Division. Public Relations Tools, Instruments, Channels - Preparing & planning - House Journals, News letters Hand outs, Brochures, Meet the press. Press releases. Lobbying, Press conferences. Annual meetings, Open houses. Exhibitions, Speeches, Seminars, Symposia, Demonstrations, Information Dockets, Conducted Tours, Gossips, Rumours, Interviews, Publicity materials & Corporate Films. Public Relations Departments / Agencies - Publics, Internal, External - Organizational set up. Structure, Characteristics, role, functions. Public Relations in public and private sectors. Event management. PR and use of mass Media - Print, Radio, Film, Television, Video, Traditional Media, Photographs, Internet. PR & Corporate Communication. (15 MARKS)

5. ADVERTISING

Advertising - Definition, Functions and relevance, Classification of advertising. Role of advertising in Marketing, Marketing mix. Structure of an Advertisement/T.V. Commercial. Ad Campaign. Advertising Agency - Sytem, structure and functions. Indian ad agencies. International Ad agencies. Cannes & Ad festivals. Major Publications - A & M, 4Ps, USP Age, Pitch, Ad Age, Brand Equity, Catalyst. Advertising Media-Media Selection, Scheduling & Media Mix - print, Radio, Television, Film & Internet, Telephone, SMS, Out door. Direct mail & Web advertising. Infomercials, Webmercials, Advertorials. Advertising Research - Scope, objectives & methods. Professional Organizations. Code of ethics. ASCI and its code of condust advertising and Public Relations, Publicity. Economic and social aspects of advertising. Trends in contemporary Advertising. (15 MARKS)

6. NEW MEDIA

Internet as mass medium - New media and Networked society - Social Networks - New Media and Digital devide -Journalism in New media - New media communication - New Media for social change. Cyber journalism pioneers and media organizations of the field. New Media cyber journalists profession, practice, qualifications, trainings, qualities and skills. Introduction to online journalism - major news portals - online news papers, journals, periodicals - online editions of national and vernacular news papers - features, USP, advantages, limitations. Print editions - online editions. Concept of ICE, ICT, Virtual Reality, information super highway - information society - Technological advantages of New media. (15 MARKS)

NOTE: - It may be noted that apart from the topics detailed above, questions from other topics prescribed for the educational qualification of the post may also appear in the question paper. There is no undertaking that all the topics above may be covered in the question paper.