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OVERVIEW
Training
for careers
in journalism
India
needs a national council of professionals to
study the problems and
prospects of media training,
say Dr
B P MAHESH CHANDRA GURU and M S SAPNA
What is India News Service
10
March 2005
Media education has undergone substantial
change in terms of
institutional set-up, priorities, structure and content in
India and elsewhere. The
needs of the media industry and other societal goals are taken into account
while planning and executing training programmes in Mass Communication and
Journalism.
Noam
Chomsky, eminent media critic of our times, views the media as an
ideological system which serves powerful elites. He has called upon media owners,
academics, policy makers
and professionals to provide people–friendly and justice–friendly
services to humankind. He
argues that western media have neglected their questioning role and are accessible
only to intellectuals who defend the role of western
governments. Chomsky has
strongly advocated media social responsibility and opposes
media’s role in producing consensus amongst the public towards the
ruling elites in government and business.
Mass Communication and Journalism education institutions have
mushroomed in the university and non-university systems in the country. New nomenclatures such as media convergence, new media,
corporate communication and the like are coined in India with a view to
attract the young generation of learners and to make money in
the age of globalization, liberalization and privatization. Policy makers in educational institutions have not given serious thought to a fundamental question i.e., how well the current
training programmes fit into the requirements of the media industry in
particular and societal needs in general? This paper precisely deals with the existing Mass Communication and
Journalism training opportunities in India.
INSTITUTIONAL
SCENE
Mass
Communication and Journalism education at various levels -- such as
certificate, diploma, degree, masters and Ph.D -- are made available
in Indian universities and private coaching institutions in present
times. Prof P P Singh set up
a department of auspices of Punjab University at Lahore in 1941. The department functioned in Delhi for 15 years after the
country’s partition in 1947. Later
on it was shifted to the new campus of Punjab University at Chandigrah in
1962.
Presenting a
paper on Journalism Education at the Communication/Journalism
Teacher’s Seminar at Honolulu, Prof Singh observed: “Journalism
education met with strong opposition from working journalists. Few thought that journalists needed training or that they could be
trained”. Media owners
also believed that “Communicators are born, not made”.
They too did not encourage Mass Communication and Journalism
training wholeheartedly because of this wrong notion.
From
1947 – 1954, five more courses in Journalism were commenced at Madras,
Calcutta, Mysore, Nagpur and Osmania Universities.
During 1964–1985, 23 universities also launched journalism
courses in the country. They
include – Universities of Poona, Guwahati, Shivaji, Jabalpur, Punjab
Agricultural, Ravi Shankar, Marathwada, Banares Hindu, Saurashtra,
Bangalore, Berhampur, Punjabi, Madurai Kamaraj, Garhwal, Rajasthan,
Aligarh Muslim, Calicut, Kerala, Maharshi Dayanand, Dharwar, Sagar,
Allhabad and Indore. During
1985-2000 many more Universities such as Mahatma Gandhi, Bharatiar,
Mangalore, Central Univesity (Hyderabad), Kuvempu, Women’s (Tirupati),
Tejpur, Shimla, Guru Jambeshwar (Hissar), Kurukshetra, Annamalai, Assam,
Bharathi Dasan, Bhavanagar, Chowdhary Charan Singh (Meerat), Dr. Hari
Singh Ghaur (Sagar), Himachal Pradesh, Nagarjuna, Ranchi, Sri
Krishnadeveraya, Bardhwan, Kashmir (Srinagar), Lalitha Narayana Mithila,
Manipur, Swamy Ramananda Tirtha Maratwada, Goa, Indira Gandhi National
Open University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, etc., also started Mass
Communication and Journalism courses in tune with the needs of regional
media, government and non-governmental institutional needs.
The
Indian Institute of Mass Communication was set up at New Delhi in 1965 by
the Government of India with responsibilities for consultation, training,
research and development, particularly in the use of Mass Communication
for national developmental endeavors. The institute offers three whole–time courses of one academic
year namely -- Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism, Post-Graduate Diploma
in Advertising and Public Relations and Diploma in News Agency Journalism. Besides these, orientation programmes and refreshers courses
are also arranged from time to time for the benefit of government media
functionaries. The Press
Institute of India was established in 1963 with a view to provide training
facilities for journalists and other media professionals.
It organizes seminars, workshops and conferences.
A large number of private institutions are also offering courses in Mass
Communication and Journalism all over the country.
Prominent among them include Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Horniman
College of Journalism (Mumbai), St. Xaviers institute of Communication
(Mumbai), Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication (Pune), Asian College
of Journalism (Chennai), Manipal Institute of Communication (Manipal),
Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media (Bangalore), Sri Sri Centre
for Media Studies, and so on.
In
India at present some 60 universities, 25 agricultural universities and
100 private institutions annually train about 2000 students in various
aspects of Mass Communication and Journalism including reporting, editing,
photography, videography, printing, designing, advertising, public
relations and so on. Agricultural universities are imparting training
on farm communication, extension education and development communication.
Most of the universities and colleges have provided infrastructural
facilities and manpower in audio-visual communication field also to some
extent.
TRAINERS
Mass Communication and
Journalism training in India has not progressed as much as in the western
countries. The media
structures and training institutional structures are different from their
counterparts in the western countries.
At present training programmes in this sector vary from certificate
to doctoral level research. Many
surveys revealed inadequate trained manpower, infrastructural facilities
(laboratories, libraries, equipments etc.) and other basic amenities.
A large number of departments remain ill-equipped in terms of
manpower mainly due to lack of political will, and policy, financial and other constraints.
There
are university departments set up which offer training
programmes with one or two full timers and couple of part timers.
There are a sizeable number of full time teachers who lack first hand
experience and allied training benefits especially in subjects like
advertising, public relations, satellite communications, cyber journalism,
photo journalism, media laws, videography, newspaper design and printing
technologies, information technology and so on.
There is no provision to include media professionals in training
programmes. The gap between
lab and land still remains in the field of Mass Communication and
Journalism training. The
faculty members are not given adequate opportunities to develop higher
specialization, skill and competence.
In reality, fellowships, scholarships and other facilities are not
extended to the faculty members adequately in order to ensure advanced
studies, research and professional growth.
The
UGC directive of ensuring a minimum staff pattern of 1 Professor, 2
Readers and 4 Lecturers is not implemented by most of the departments in
the university. The rigid
rules and regulations of state governments and universities have hampered
training in this field very badly. These
institutions are yet to create an environment of professionalism on a par
with developed countries in regard to manpower development.
Educational electronic communication and journalism remains
absolutely malnourished in most of the universities and private colleges.
Educational print journalism has been over emphasized all these
years.
The
training opportunities which are made available to the teaching community
are inadequate. The
fundamentals of Mass Communication and Journalism are taught more
prominently rather than applied Mass Communication and Journalism.
The students are taught history, theory, research, extension and a
broad array of other aspects of Mass Communication and Journalism.
Educators with advanced degrees and diplomas are not available in
plenty. Those who have not
experienced the real practical problems, challenges and opportunities are
not in a position handle the subjects judiciously.
The private managements have taken the teachers for granted. They are not encouraged by these private managements to
acquire specialized knowledge and experience.
Those who are qualified and competent professionally and otherwise
are not encouraged with judicious pay, allowances, promotions and other
benefits.
Media
practitioners and scholars often found themselves on different paths.
There are very few centers of learning where the citadel of Mass
Communication education is directed at professional competence.
Even now there is no agreement on what Mass Communication education
should be in India. The
question of whether universities should teach Mass Communication and
Journalism has not been answered decisively.
Especially the private coaching institutions are not conducting the
courses on sound agenda and grounds.
In particular, the implications of new media technologies for Mass
Communication and Journalism training have not been seriously discussed
especially in the government and media sectors even though the new media
developments are enabling the transformation for Mass Communication and
Journalism education. The
teachers are not enabled to use new media for the purpose of promoting
understanding, communication and learning. New media applications enable the trainers to create more
dynamic multi-media contents which could help the trainees understand
complex concepts and processes precisely and perfectly.
Most of the trainers are not in a position to supplement their
programmes by utilizing new media technologies and techniques.
TRAINEES
The policy makers in
the government, UGC, universities and other bodies have not accorded a
place of pride to Mass Communication and Journalism education even though
there are gainful employment opportunities to the students in the modern
society. Lot of funds are
made available to medical, engineering, management and other professional
courses in universities and private institutions.
Unfortunately Mass Communication and Journalism departments are
hunting for funds from several quarters.
These factors are largely responsible for the sorry state of
affairs which exist in regard to Mass Communication training in India.
Even
now universities, governments, UGC and media organizations have not come
forward to work in unison in this venture.
Many scholars have also criticized the utter callousness and
hostility on the part of media organizations in regard to Mass
Communication and Journalism education in our country.
The purpose of Mass Communication education is more than
understanding theory and practice of Mass Communication though
Communication skill development and communicator’s capacity building are
very essential. Its purpose
should go beyond these things. The
great task for Mass Communication educators is to equip their students
with a firm sense of professionalism.
The teachers and trainees cannot confine themselves to the
classroom. The best foundation for a career in Mass Communication is in
the field setting (newsroom in print media, studio in electronic media,
film making settings in film media, computer room in software setting
etc,). The programmes lack
professional depth, seriousness and quality.
The students do not get opportunities frequently to gain
familiarity with the diverse media systems and operations.
They do not personally understand the media environment along with
social, economic, political and cultural needs and aspirations due to lack
of frequent interactions. The
students are not enabled to acquire practical skills and operational
competence on regular basis during their study period.
The trainees remain malnourished practically and otherwise mainly
due to lack of practical exposure.
SYLLABI
The purpose of Mass
Communication education is more than understanding theory and practice of
Mass Communication though Communication skill development and
communicator’s capacity building are very essential.
Its purpose should go beyond these things. Media practitioners and scholars often found themselves on
different paths. There are very few centers of learning where the citadel
of Mass Communication education is directed at professional competence.
Even now there is no agreement on what Mass Communication education
should be in India. The
question of whether universities should teach Mass Communication and
Journalism has not been answered decisively.
The
Mass Communication and Journalism training programmes in India are not
planned as an integrated development programme.
There is no consensus with respect to syllabi in this age of
communication revolution. Many
scholars have rightly felt that general instructions and classroom
lectures particularly in universities and colleges are bookish, bereft of
practical demonstration or explanation on the part of faculty.
Media institutions have become industrial centers.
We come across information industry, knowledge industry,
entertainment industry, advertising industry and other kinds of media
industries. The expectations
of these media industries are not properly understood by our policy makers
and educationists.
What
is Mass Communication and Journalism?
What are the expectations of the media industry?
How to train our students? What
these students should do in the media organizations?
These questions have to be answered by our policy makers and
teachers in order to facilitate need based training and make the students
worthy communicators of our times. Mass
Communication training programmes are not designed in tune with the
changing media trends and expectations.
The programmes lack professional depth, seriousness and quality.
The students do not get opportunities frequently to gain
familiarity with the diverse media systems and operations.
They do not personally understand the media environment along with
social, economic, political and cultural needs and aspirations due to lack
of frequent interactions. The
students are not enabled to acquire practical skills and operational
competence on regular basis during their study period.
The standard of teaching, research, extension and publication
activities is not periodically assessed in order to make necessary changes
and improvements. The critics have termed Mass Communication training
programmes as ‘hog-wash’.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Lack of trained
teachers, infrastructural facilities and upgraded syllabi are the major
hurdles in the way of sound Mass Communication teaching.
Most of the departments are not getting latest books and
professional journals due to financial constraints.
They do not have well equipped audio-visual lab, computer lab,
photo lab, close circuit television, Internet facility, departmental
library and allied facilities. A
major drawback of Mass Communication and Journalism education in India is
the lack of locally relevant textbooks, professional journals and advanced
reading materials. The latest
techniques such as desktop printing, video display terminals, facsimile
editions, videography, photography and so on are not fully and properly
understood by the trainers and trainees mainly due to lack of
infrastructural and training facilities.
MEDIA
INDUSTRY NEEDS AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES
The
Mass
Communication and Journalism sector is growing rapidly mainly due to
changing global economic scenario. Revolutionary
changes are taking place in the field of communication technologies.
The dream of Marshal Mc Luhan has become a reality.
Today the whole world has become a single ‘global village’
thanks to the revolutionary communication technological innovations and
their applications. There are five major areas which offer umpteen number of
employment opportunities to the young generation of graduates in Mass
Communication and Journalism. They
include: Print Media, Electronic Media, Advertising, Public Relations and
New Media.
Print Media have provided lot of employment opportunities uptil
now. Dailies, Periodicals,
Professional Journals, Institutional Publications etc., provide adequate
job opportunities in various sectors such as reporting, editing,
designing, press photography, advertising, marketing etc.
Mass Communication and Journalism departments have been able to
train the students in the art and craft of print media production.
They also bring out lab journals periodically.
The students are also enabled to work in print media organizations
as internees. The teachers
also have practical training in newspaper production to some extent.
However, most of the departments do not have well developed
computer labs, DTP, VDT and allied facilities.
Advanced designing and printing facilities are not available in
most of the UG and PG departments. There
are very few departments in the country which have state of the art
newspaper production facilities.
Electronic media today provide plenty of employment opportunities
when compared to print media. Especially,
the TV has become the massest of all mass media.
Script writing, acting, sound recording, lighting, photography,
directing etc., have become thrust areas of electronic media.
Most of the departments do not have specialized programmes,
specialists, state of the art facilities etc., in order to do justice to
the role of teaching broadcasting journalism.
Hence, the students lack practical exposure especially in
broadcasting journalism.
Advertising has become a promising profession as well as industry
in the present times. There
are many employment opportunities in this field.
The students are familiarized with the theoretical aspects of
advertising. The trainers and
trainees do not have the benefit of practical association with advertising
industry. Both the parties
awfully lack practical training especially in advertising management.
This field demands highly skilled, creative and competent
professionals who can race against the time and bring rich dividends to
the owners. Copywriters,
artists, field executives, media managers and other personnel are in great
demand in advertising industry. Most
of the Mass Communication and Journalism departments have utterly failed
to provide highly resourceful professionals mainly due to lack of trained
teachers, infrastructural facilities, training opportunities, field
experience and so on.
Public Relations has become an important organizational management
function of our times. In
this age of competitiveness, there is increasing need for establishing
mutually beneficial relationship between the organization and various
publics (Investors, suppliers, distributors, employees, consumers, local
citizens, government personnel, media professionals etc.).
Today, people have become a force to be reckoned with.
No organization can afford to grow further in the absence of public
patronage. Hence, all
organizations are practicing Public Relations vigoursly.
This field also offers challenging employment opportunities in
plenty especially to the young generation of graduates in Mass
Communication and Journalism. Many
teachers teach predominantly theoretical aspects based on the information
which they receive from books and journals.
Neither the teachers nor the students can boast of practical
training in this subject.
The New Media, which include computer communication,
telecommunication, satellite communication etc., have emerged as highly
resourceful tools of communication especially in the present age of
information revolution. Most
of the departments do not have trained teachers, necessary infrastuctural
facilities, technologies, laboratories and the like in order to provide
need based training facilities to the students especially in the field of
New Media application and management.
There are plenty of employment opportunities in the age of e –
governance and e – commerce. However,
the departments are not in a position to provide highly resourceful
graduates in this field.
CONCLUSION
The
active involvement of HRD Ministry, State Ministries of higher education,
professional organizations, media institutions and universities in Mass
Communication and Journalism education in the country is not fully felt by
us. Some committees and working groups have looked into Mass
Communication and Journalism training and offered some suggestions toward
improving the state of affairs. Some
seminars and workshops have also provided some insights and remedies.
The subject panels for Mass Communication and Journalism have also
provided useful suggestions and guidelines.
The media institutions continue to hover around the argument that
mass communicators are born and not made.
The universities continued the teaching methodology which was by
and large theoretical. Even now many departments and other centers of learning are
struggling for identity.
A national body called Indian Council for Mass Communication and
Journalism training needs to be set up to look into the status, problems,
and prospects of training in this field.
Media policy makers, professionals, scholars and researchers should
be actively involved in redesigning training programmes in tune with
changing media industrial needs and societal demands.
All training programmes should be standardized and accredited with
the national agency. The
course pattern, faculty, students, training programmes, evaluation
methods, infrastructural facilities etc., should be systematically
evaluated in order to check the growth of ill-conceived courses and
mushrooming institutions. A National Media Commission is also required to put forth
meaningful checks and balances in respect of the teaching and practice of
Mass Communication and Journalism in India.
Adequate opportunities are also required to provide the benefit of
specialization especially to the trainers and trainees.
Locally relevant training programmes, publications, facilities and
allied resources are required to make Mass Communication and Journalism
training absolutely timely, relevant and purposeful.
Emphasis should be laid on co-ordination among media policy makers,
professionals, scholars and others interested in developing Mass
Communication and Journalism training programmes.
Media watchdogs are also required in large number to monitor
deviations from professed professional ethics and standards in the
national setting.
Dr
Mahesh Chandra Guru is
Professor & Chairman, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of
Mysore. Sapna M.S
is a lecturer in the same department
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