By Kumari Swati
Media is said to be the fourth Pillar of democracy .Media ensures that whether the democracy is maintained in our country or not. The young aspiring youth who enters in the field of media needs a proper guidance and training so that they can deliver their best to the field of media . We spoke to the Director General of Prestigious Media Institution IIMC(Indian Institute of Mass communication) “Sanjay Dwivedi” on the various aspects of media.
- What are your further plans for IIMC?
We have so many Indian languages, my motive is to promote that .we will be starting Journalism courses in Oriya, Marathi, Malyalam and Urdu. To prepare good journalists we are also looking forward to launch courses based on Research and the documentation of the researches that are happening in the field of media. My main purpose is to promote Hindi , English journalism along with other Indian regional languanges Journalism . - Are there any Plans to start a course on New Media in IIMC in near future?
Whatever courses we have in IIMC, we will put certain inputs related to New Media in them. Since the session is starting late this year due to covid Pandemic, we don’t have any courses related to New media. But In future ,we are definitely going to start courses on New Media, Media management and many more.
3 . what changes we will get to see in Journalism Post covid ?
We are witnessing altogether a different scenario in Journalism from now only. Everything is shifted to digital Post covid. So Mobile journalism and Digital Journalism will be promoted . There will be focus on Media convergence . People will move to media convergence where they can easily perform different tasks from a single medium. We will prepare students and make them ready in such a way that they are able to work on different mediums from a single device. Nowadays,videos are getting more popular the entire dynamics of media is changing .Thus the young budding journalists who will be coming in the field of media in near future will have to develop an aptitude that make them able to meet the upcoming challenges of media.They are required to develop a good understanding on Media convergence and social media.
4 .What lessons can English Journalism take from the journey of Hindi Journalism in India and vice versa?
The strength of Hindi Journalism in India are its strong base of readership and the reach it has among the masses.The benefit of Hindi and other Indian languages Journalism gets in India is its large coverage. In India the actual texts are read in the native languanges .when we look on the Journey of English Journalism in India,We see there is a quality content and in-depth research on different issues .The Hindu, The Indian Express have maintained its credibility in terms of quality among the masses.The English newspapers are able to articulate the knowledge and they provide a different information aspect to the news and issues concerning our society in a right and accurate manner which Hindi newspapers lack in India. Hindi Journalism have to learn this from the journey of English journalism as how to provide quality content. As compare to Hindi newspapers , regional newspapers are doing well researched stories like Eenadu and Sakshi in Telgue, Malyalam Manorma and Mathrubhumi in Malyalam and Anand Bazar Patrika in Bangla are doing good. The English journalism have to learn how to represent the entire India in their journalism and how to increase the coverage area from Hindi Journalism.
5. India does not have a proper formulated media policy ? What media policies should be made in our country according to you.
India has a democratic setup and even if in further future the government come up with Censorship or dictate any policy, People will not like it. The approach of government in this regard is to ensure that the media organisations make their own code of conduct and follow that .In India, we need to work on media ethics, so it should be a responsibility of media organisation to exercise media ethics in their functioning.
6.What is your veiw on Media Freedom in India?
The freedoms that a Citizen of our country enjoys , same freedom is exercised by the media of our country. They are free to write and express themselves but with certain limitations that does not intervene in the governance and freedom of any individual.
7 .What steps can be taken to promote literary Journalism in India?
The problem that is faced by literary Journalism or any other print media in India is the lack of readership. With coming up of mobile phones and other mediums of information ,people are busy scrolling the screens of their smart phones and spending more time on social and digital media platforms. So the tendency of reading has been decreased among the masses. The steps has to be taken from initial stages only .The schools should include literary content in the curriculum and inculcate activities like reading ,to promote literature .The colleges and universities should also initiate in this regard to held regular seminars and competitions related to literature then only the literary Journalism will be promoted .
8.In your opinion how media have changed over the years?
Media in India have developed in different aspects.With the advent in technology ,we have witnessed a series of changes .New media is not only limited to educate and inform the masses but have became an important part of the lives of the people.Now everyone have became a media consumer , and it has become the prominent part of Everyone’s lives. No one can deny the fact that they are away from media.
9.what are the limitations of media institutions in India and what steps need to be taken to better its performance?
We need such media Institutions in India which makes the youth ready and prepare them to face the challenges that media will pose in near future. We need to focus on the experiments happening globally in the field of media to understand the upcoming dynamics of media in our near future. Apart from that somewhere Today’s media is distancing itself from the Ground reporting , which is the core of journalism. So Media Institutions in our country need to take deliberate steps in this regard.
10. Why you chose journalism?
When I came into journalism ,I had a different mindset and energy, which is still continuing with me.There was a passion to do something for the society ,to make society great. To create a society where social justice is delivered and people dreams are made true through the medium of journalism.
11. What qualities you imbibed from your parents?
My Father was a professor of Hindi Literature and at home I got the atmosphere ,where I got to learn how to use Languange,how to behave with Languange .I got the opportunity to read some great books of great writers .I got an inspiration from my father to do something constructive with Languange and give back to society through my Languange and writing.
12.who are your favourite writers?
I read different writers for different subjects . In sociology, my favourite writer is Shyama Charan Dubey. In Bangla I have read the work of Mahasweta Devi. In Kannada,I have read S.L.Bhyrappa. In literature of Hindi my favourite writers are Dharamveer Bharti and Ashok Vajpayi and Nirmal varma.
13. What you have learnt from life ?
I have learnt in my life that one should perform their duties and work honestly with a positive attitude . One should also help others as nature always give rewards to the one who help others and themselves.
