KOTTAYAM: The two-day UGC National Media Seminar on “Mass Communication -- Challenges, Trends and Future” has begun at St Stephen’s College in Uzhavoor on Wednesday.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University J V Vilanilam inaugurated the seminar that was organised by the Department of Oriental Languages in association with Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and Kottayam Press Club.
Speaking on the occasion, Vilanilam said intrapersonal communication has the power to bring in transformation at the individual and social level. Referring to Attappady tribal issues and other such social maladies, and the failure to find a permanent solution to them, he said it showed lack of dedication in solving the same. “One has to see these people as human beings, rather than SCs/STs,” he said. The seminar would explore the confluence of journalism, new media and technology in mass communications, and the impact of convergence of technologies on individuals and society.
Resident Editor of The New Indian Express Vinod Mathew would deliver the keynote address on “Journalism in the time of Convergence” on Thursday.
St Stephen’s College principal Francis Cyriac E presided over the inaugural function, while former Public Relations Director (PMO, PIB) Raju Korah was the guest of honour.
Communication Officer of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) S Ajai Kumar delivered the keynote address. Drawing a comparison between grassroots-level communication and mass communication, he said only the former could bring in fruits of development. He noted that 80 per cent of skill set needed for development communication was absent in the universities’ mass communication syllabus. Special Officer at Indian Institute of Mass Communication K Ramakrishnan, senior journalist Gopal Misra, Mathew Pral and Mercy Philip also spoke on the occasion. Sr Deepa welcomed the gathering and Priyanka Babu proposed a vote of thanks. Deepu Joy, Prof V K Jyoteendra Kumar and Gopal Misra engaged the sessions on Wednesday.
The seminar would be attended by faculty members, professionals and research scholars. The proceedings of the seminar would be brought out as an edited volume book with ISBN.