Teachers’ Day 2023: My Principal Said My Voice Was Apt for News Broadcasting, Says Zakka Jacob

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In the podcast series ‘My Teacher, My Inspiration’, CNN-News18 anchors speak about their teachers, learnings and inspiration to become a journalist. Today’s guest: Zakka Jacob, Managing Editor, CNN-News18, on how he became one of India's top journalists

On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, Zakka Jacob, Managing Editor, CNN-News18, as part of podcast series ‘My Teacher, My Inspiration’, recounts how his school principal “Shanta miss" was the first to identify that his voice was apt for news broadcasting.

“In our daily school assembly, one student had to come and read out a news wrap. I used to do that quite often. After one such a session, I got a message from the principal’s office saying that Shanta miss wanted to meet me. I wondered if I was in trouble, but she said, “I wanted to tell you this personally. I think you should try for a career in news broadcasting. I think you’re good at it and you have a voice for it." I was in class 11, she was the first person who identified it. Later, when I got into this profession, I realised how prescient she was," says Jacob.

For Jacob, teaching runs in the family. “My mother was a teacher. She was teaching in the same school as me. And so was my grandfather…If your mother is a teacher, you can’t have too much masti in school. Also, because your mother is teaching you, the others think you’ll score well."

Jacob’s first break in journalism came through radio. “I was a radio jockey for a drive-in show, in which people driving back from work every evening called and requested songs. This was with the All India Radio in Chennai."

Elaborating on news stories that impacted him, Jacob said, “26/11 was a big moment… Covering any election is a big high. My first was 2004, the general election."

A word of advice for those aspiring for a career in journalism?

“Be curious. Be open to newer platforms. For my generation of journalists covering 26/11 was a big thing. But we didn’t expect it to happen. The high of breaking a story can’t be replaced. If you like that high, this is the best profession to be in. But it also involves long working hours, sometimes bad pay… Once people identify you with a story, it becomes easier. Sources want to talk to you, people want to be interviewed by you. It is a long game. I don’t think it is a five-year horizon."