Ralitza Vuycheva: From Journalism to Media Analysis

Being one of the most desired majors at AUBG, the Journalism and Mass Communications (JMC) degree opens the door for students to develop themselves in a wide range of fields. Television and radio stations, newspapers, and Public Relations (PR) are among the most popular ones. Few people know about media analysis although it provides a pleasant field for JMC students to thrive in.

“Media analysts answer research questions, find trends, make data-based conclusions, and even educated predictions. Media analysts slice and dice, dig and dive deep to answer the million-dollar question – ‘why?’,” said Ralitza Vuycheva, Account Director at Commetric, a company that provides media analytics solutions.

For Vuycheva, JMC students and graduates are prepared to do the tasks a media analyst does.

“Everyone with a JMC degree knows exactly how to do it – what to look for, where to search it, how to read between the lines to get the big picture, and how to combine the puzzle parts. And maybe the most important skill – the ability to navigate confidently and quickly through large information flows and to assess fast the importance of certain facts/news,” she said.

For Vuycheva, journalism was a dream. She studied Journalism at Sofia University, which helped her develop personally and professionally.

“A JMC degree helps natural-born journalists build solid self-esteem, providing them with tools and “weapons” they’d need in their journey to fulfill their internal urge and mission,” Vuycheva said. “While attending different classes and working on various projects, a JMC student inevitably learns more and more about the mechanisms that drive individual and social processes and gets knowledge about various spheres of social and economic life.”

Vuycheva is aware of what a JMC degree brings to a graduate student who has yet to jump into the professional environment.

“A JMC degree comes with a vast intellectual background, supported by upskilled know-how, which is always a solid starting point for becoming a successful and self-confident professional,” she said.

After graduation, Vuycheva worked at a TV station, women’s magazines, a morning block, an editorial team, and as a freelancer. Her experience in different journalistic fields helped her realize what advantages a JMC degree provides. It also aided her in her career path in Commetric, starting as a media analyst.

“I strongly believe that a JMC student or graduate would feel comfortable in the shoes of a media analyst,” Vuycheva said. “In Commetric, I’m not the only example that this is possible, we have many talented colleagues with JMC degrees who are constantly promoted by rights due to demonstrated skills and work ethics.”

The skills and knowledge she gained through her experience navigated her through the new job despite the initial uncertainty and difficulty.

“For me, it was hard to believe that a JMC graduate with no experience in media analysis could fit perfectly in the role of a media analyst as I literally had no idea what the media analysts were actually doing,” Vuycheva said. “My curiosity made me accept my first assignment with Commetric and very quickly afterward I realized that my background would indeed help me tremendously in my work as an analyst.”

The Journalistic and Media Analysis fields share common characteristics regarding what people take out of them. The skills acquired in both fields help Vuycheva and every other JMC-major student succeed since the two complement each other.

“Maybe the most important skill for both journalists and analysts is to be able to ask the right questions in order to receive meaningful answers, to comprehend. To think out of the box and to be creative. To believe that there’s always a smart way to get information,” Vuycheva said.

According to Vuycheva, the two fields also differ.

“The only difference is the perspective – in the focus of the media analysis are the questions of our corporate clients/NGOs/governmental bodies, while journalists are searching for answers on behalf of the society,” she said.

Working in the two different spheres provided her with important lessons for her self-improvement and professional development.

“While working in the Journalistic field I’ve learned how to think and make decisions fast, come up with different ideas, and have the courage and persistence to defend them. In my work in the Media Analysis sphere I’ve learned that a JMC degree can open many career doors – one can thrive as a journalist, a PR expert, or a media analyst.”

From her long and diverse experience in the Journalistic and Media Analysis fields, Vuycheva shared advice with all current, graduate, and future JMC students.

“Dream big and have no fear, at least not for your professional development – you’re (re)searchers in your blood, and you’ll be always welcome in the media analysis universe.”