How much do you really know about India Today Group? Ahhh…Sorry its Living Media Group!

Living Media (India Today Group) is an Indian media conglomerate based in New Delhi, India. It has interests in magazines, newspapers, books, radio, television, printing and the Internet.

LMI was founded in 1975 and its first publication was India Today International which was a fortnightly news magazine. Aroon Purie is the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief and Ashish Bagga is the CEO.

Lets now talk about the different verticles of this group in details-

India Today is an Indian English-language fortnightly news magazine and news television channel.India Today was established in 1975 by Vidya Vilas Purie (owner of Thompson Press), with his daughter Madhu Trehan as its editor and his son Shivani Gupta as its publisher. At present, India Today is also published in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu. The India Today news channel was launched on 22 May 2015.

Business Today is an Indian fortnightly business magazine published by Living Media India Limited, in publication since 1992. In August 2008 Rohit Saran became the editor of the magazine, replacing Sanjoy Narayan in the post. It had a second quarter 2010 readership of 338,000 per issue, ninth among English-language magazines surveyed in India.

TV Today Network is an English-Hindi news television network based in India. It is listed on the BSE and the NSE and consists of the several news channels namely, Aaj Tak(Hindi), India Today Television (English), Tez TV (Hindi), Business Today (English) and Delhi Aaj Tak (Hindi) news channel.

The network is largely owned by the Arun Purie controlled Living Media Inc which publishes India Today magazine.

AAJ TAK was launched in December 2000 as a 24-hour Hindi news channel, which covers India with insight, courage and plenty of local flavour. Within six months of its launch, AAJ TAK emerged as India’s number one news channel. And within eleven months, it was awarded the best news channel by the India Television Academy. Two years on, it bagged the Indian Television academy’s award for being “The Best News Channel” again, and added the RAPA award for “Best Advertising Campaign”. Beginning with an impressive connectivity of 5.2 million homes at the time of launch, AAJ TAK today boasts of a reach of over 30 million homes and a channel share of more than 55% among the news channels. Its unique style of passionate story telling and live coverage has become its hallmark.

Now lets talk about its few Other Subsidiaries, It has many other subsidiaries which includes the following-

•             Oye 104.8 FM

•             Lallantop.com (Digital platform)

•             iChowk

•             Thomson Press, printing business, which prints magazines for several contemporaries and      competition

•             Music Today, Music publishing business

•             BagItToday.com, Online Shopping Website

•             WonderWoman.in

•             Business Today

•             DailyO

LMI also has several joint ventures and licensing agreements with prominent brands for their Indian editions, including:

•             Cosmopolitan

•             Good Housekeeping

•             Golf Digest

•             Harvard Business Review

•             Mail Today, a joint venture with Daily Mail

•             Men's Health

•             Prevention

•             Reader's Digest

•             Scientific American

Now we hope, that you might have came across the enough knowledge about India’s one of the leading media group. Stay connected with IAAN’s this platform to get more such interesting content.

Graphic Design as a Career

We are all familiar with the fine artist and the cliché "starving artist." That no longer holds true. Today, the profession offers more opportunities than ever before.

The public is surrounded daily by art without realizing it: new products, signage, print material and, of course, TV, movies, video games - the list goes on and on. Along with this visual blitz there is a need, in the industry, for well-trained graphic designers to perform the various functions and to bring it all to fruition.

New products are constantly brought to the market, and the need to design packaging that will attract the consumer is a constant challenge. Then, there is the need to support that new product with ads, direct mail, billboards, and TV commercials so that the consumer is familiar with the look and the benefits the product offers.

In the entertainment business, artists have the opportunity to design video games, CDs, movie credits, special effects, and all the support material posters and displays.

As you look around, notice the designs evident in nature and how those are transformed, by the artist/designer, and introduced into his or her work. This is especially true in the cosmetic industry where nature designs dominate.

You can expect salaries to relate to talent and dedication. Entry level wages may begin low but will accelerate as the artist/designer has proven his or her skill and is productive. Surprisingly, the larger and more famous studios, agencies, and companies will often offer the lower salary. They know that having their name on a resume is a plus, and they feel it is a privilege for you to work for them, which in many ways is true. However, lesser known or smaller firms may offer an artist/designer more variety. There is something to be said for working with a "start up" company where you have the ability to grow together.

The opportunities are endless and the range is wide and diversified. For example, they include: corporate designer, fashion artist, package designer, air brush artist, cartoonist, computer animator, video producer, creative director for a firm, wild-life artist, sports illustrator, needle art designer, working in healthcare, artist for a printing company, pre-press, museum artist, furniture design, designer for a paper company, medical illustrator, calligraphy, technical illustrator, jewelry designer, artist for music company, sign or mural painter, owning your own business, story-board artist, creator of special effects, multi-media director, movie industry, video game designer, web page designer, art director at a TV station, sculpture artist for toys, set designer for theme parks, fabric/textile designer, children's book illustrator, specialty gift designer, greeting card illustrator, creating TV commercials, novelty advertising, display artist, ad agencies, t-shirt/tie designer, toy designer, newspaper layout artist, illustrator for paper backs, comic book artist, creator of funky magazine, or art director in a publishing house. And there are, of course, many more.

Don't ever think that art is an easy career. Today's employer looks for the person who is able to think as well as draw. An employee who is dedicated, responsible, punctual, and talented is a rare gem.

Work ethic all begins during one's education. It is impossible to expect anyone to be creative 100% of the time, but there are methods taught that assist a person in that process of thinking creatively. The students who make good use of their time, have excellent attendance (which ultimately is reflected in their work) and give that extra effort, will be rewarded many times over during their career. It is a career where "what you put in is what you get out" and begins with a passion in your "gut".

If you are one of those  talented designers and art is your passion, you will find a wealth of opportunity in the business of graphic design. You will also find a satisfaction that few occupations offer. Perhaps it is because you give so much of yourself to others.

Event Management : An emerging field in the list of best career choices!

Do you feel you are creative and are hounded by innumerous career choices?

Want to take up an off-beat career and grow your way up the ladder?

Tired of serving others and want to become your own boss?

The answer to all the questions can be found in the emerging need of Event Management professionals in the industry. The field of Event Management is seeing a successful growth by at least 20% annually. Today, events have become an integral part of an individual’s life. From college fests to movie promotions; from exhibitions to store inaugurations; all are curated and executed by the event managers who work relentlessly behind-the-scenes of each and every event. Apart from theoretical knowledge and understanding of case studies, an event manager needs to have the qualities of thinking-out-of –the –box ideas, practical planning of the events, resource and finance management, communication and leadership skills.

If you have some of these skills in you which can be honed further in the right direction; then here are 4 reasons why event management is an upcoming career option in your life and how IAAN can help you in this journey of your dreams.

1. It is competitive yet rewarding

As one of the emerging off -beat careers, it is extremely rewarding; provided you know the tricks and trade of surviving in the competitive market. Due to the sheer number of events which occur every year all over the country, basic public relation firms have encroached in this territory. However, the agenda of event management and public relations are different from each other. IAAN enhances event managerial skills through the various courses that it offers and provides extensive hands-on training so that you learn directly through practical assignments and experiments on the job throughout your course curriculum with the organisation. This helps in producing professionals who are especially skilled to take on any challenges thrown in their way, in this field.

2. The job market is less saturated.

Usually after having appeared for your school leaving examinations, you often opt for various courses like engineering, medical, law, humanities and some non –traditional courses like fashion, interiors etc. But these courses have a saturated market in India, making it extremely difficult and competitive to find employment in these avenues. Event management, apart from being a non- traditional career option, also has demands in the market for qualified personnel’s to enter the field. IAAN School of Mass Communication takes the advantage of the skilled personnel vacuum in the industry and trains its candidates to live up to the industrial demands of their job.

3. Not many institutions offer a holistic event management course.

One of the reasons why event management is a less explored field of study, is because of the lack of institutions that offer suitable courses to the candidates, meeting the needs of the industry .IAAN is one of the few institutions which offers full-time Courses relating with Event Management with detailed, wholesome learning & encourages its students to be a thinker, be brand solutions manager and be able to create their own event properties.

This includes courses like – BAMC, BMEFT, MAMC, UGD, PGD & Other specialized Diplomas etc. The training is designed in such details that students, while pursuing their course, curate their own events and social initiatives.

4. You can put to use your learning and experience and establish your own start-up or get placed.

Entrepreneurship and establishing your own start-ups is on the rise in contemporary India. Most of these start-ups are owned by college –goers or those who have recently graduated. Working in your own firm and laying down the rules of work is now being considered as one of the best application of the knowledge acquired by you through studies. Thus, setting up your own event management firms is also an emerging trend in this industry.

With the holistic approach of the course curriculum that IAAN provides to its students, they produce successful batches of graduating students. Further, with industry experts coming in to take your classes, you are not only getting exposure to the real scenario but also building contacts in the field. Event Management is one of those fields where you need to have a strong contact base. This would eventually help you to learn more and rise up the ladder. IAAN not only makes you academically and practically fit to take on any challenges in the field but also counsels you to take the right decisions for yourself so as to have a successful career in the future.One of the game changers and a gateway to the event management market is IAAN School of Mass Communication, New Delhi. IAAN has been training students directly under the industry heads to give them maximum exposure in this field. It offers Graduation, Post Graduation, diploma and advanced certificate courses in the relative field. Its integrated curriculum not only includes lectures and internships but also gives ample scope to the students to brainstorm ideas and come up with creative events that are designed and executed by the batch under the mentorship of the Academy guides and industry experts.

What if I tell you that even in media you can have a secured officer class life! Read this…

Students aspiring for a media career usually have a great fear of job! These student always stay behind a bar of thousands of fears & questions which includes the factors like job security, financial aspects of life and much more questions like these. To resolve this “great problem” there is a “great option” called- The Indian Information Services (IIS) .

The Indian Information Services (IIS) Officers are controlled by the Ministry of Defence (Directorate of Public Relations). The their tasks includes-

• Managing government’s print media, electronic media, advertising agency, Union Ministeries (news desk),act as press advisors etc.
• Constitute a press party
• Organise press conferences
• Control official media
• Organise festivals (national and international), etc

The work is interesting as it uses the flare for journalism, public relations and administration all together. There is a special requirement to enter this service. The officer needs to have some previous experience of work in a newspaper or news agency or ad agency. The promotional channel is more or less the same as that of other Services.

The training for Indian Information Service is of two sorts; one is the trough the Civil Service Exam which is conducted by UPSC every year (50%) and the other is upgrading the officers already working at senior position of IIS of Group B (50%).

After the distribution by Department of Personnel & Training, the newly appointed officers have to pursue three months basic training in any of the recognized national academies.The other part of training includes nine months certified training in Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and further one year being part of media in several outlets like PIB, DPD, NSD, RNI, AIR, DFP, DDN and NMW under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The scales in this service are exactly the same as in the other services, till the Senior Administrative Grade (SAG). At the top is a grade which is called Selection Grade (not to be confused with the Selection Grade which most services give their officers in their 14th year) and has a fixed salary, equal to what the senior most Additional Secretary would get.Training during probation is at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi.

An IIS Officer can be posted in organizations dealing with print media (e.g. Employment News) in the electronic media (e.g. AIR, Doordarshan, Films Division) or in an advertising agency (the Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity is the Country’s biggest advertisement agency).In short, IIS Officers can be posted to any of the several organizations that are controlled by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting or the Ministry of Defence (Directorate of Public Relations).

So, now the people out there getting frustrating, depressed and god knows what, wake up!! Here is the golden option for you all, go run and achieve that, All the best!!!