Tuesday, 31 January 2017

New Book on Media


Seminar on Social Media and Governance at Delhi

Citizens have used social media to communicate report and map issues in society, which increases pressure on governments to respond. Often social media has been used for peace building and to monitor violence and on the other hand social media if used wrongly can be used to incite violence.Thus, with social media becoming the need of the hour, our topic “Social Media and Governance: Prospects and Challenges” would be an interesting topic to debate and discuss.The conference is being organized by Department of Journalism & Mass Communication, Faculty of Media Studies & Humanities, Manav Rachan International University in Association with Central Institute of Hindi,Agra (A body under MHRD).

The above conference aims at sharing research and experience based knowledge among researchers, academicians, industry professionals, consultants, students and practitioners on contemporary field.The scholarly discourses will definitely help in explaining various issues confronted by the public in the modern age.

Original full length research papers/articles covering theme and sub themes as highlighted in attached brochure, are invited for submission and presentation in the conference.

Contact: Dr. Suresh Chandra Nayak
MA.M.Phil(English),PGDRL,LLB,M AMC,Ph.D,D.Litt(Pursuing)
Conference Convener
Associate Professor & HoD
Department of Journalism & Mass Communication
Faculty of Media Studies & Humanities
Manav Rachna International University
'F'Block
Mob.No:8010235517,8800495756

Seminar at Tirupati


Monday, 30 January 2017

Information | Some Fellowship Programmes in India in Social Service Sector

Teach For India

 (https://apply.teachforindia.org/): Last Date to Apply: February 7th, 2017
Teach for India Fellowship program provides an opportunity for India’s brightest and most promising individuals to serve as full-time teachers to children from low-income communities in under-resourced schools in the country. For two years, Fellows gain experience teaching in classrooms and working with key education stakeholders like students, principals, parents and local government leaders. They get unparalleled exposure to the grassroots realities of the education system and cultivate the knowledge, skills, and mindsets necessary to attain positions of leadership while identifying their role in building a larger movement for equity in education.

Young India Fellowship

 (http://www.youngindiafellowship.com/Apply.aspx) : Last date to apply: 28th Feb 2017
The Young India Fellowship (YIF) is a one year multidisciplinary postgraduate diploma programme in Liberal Studies. The Fellowship brings together a group of 215 bright young individuals who show exceptional intellectual ability and leadership potential from across the country, and trains them to become socially committed agents of change. YIF exposes them to a diverse set of subjects and perspectives, delivered by some of the finest teachers and practitioners from India and around the world.

Gandhi Fellowship

 (http://www.gandhifellowship.org/fellowship-programming.php) :
The Gandhi Fellowship Program is a two-year Fellowship program for talented youngsters from India's top colleges
The program is rooted in the belief that as a nation it is important to develop a cadre of leaders exposed to the complexities of bringing change in social and public systems. The Gandhi Fellowship Program is designed to provide youth with the opportunity for personal transformation through self-discovery and thereby, contribute to the causes surrounding them. It creates a legitimate space for young people to engage with social issues in a real manner and devote their energies to bring about school change through their tenure and effectively lead complex public systems in the future.
2 Years, 5 Schools, 1,000 Children and the Gandhi Fellow
As a catalyst for school change, each fellow brings change in 5 schools by being a resource person for the school principals and by potentially impacting the lives of 1,000 children. Fellows assist teachers and identify when and where Headmasters (Principals) need extra support. Fellows interact and work with teachers, community members and education officials towards the goal of creating model schools.

India Fellows

 (http://www.indiafellow.org/about-the-fellowship/apply-now/)
India Fellow Social Leadership program helps young people become socially conscious leaders of tomorrow and in the process helps them discover what they are truly meant to accomplish in life … This however is easier said than done. In the 13 months that follow, the India Fellows spend 12 months working full time on demanding projects, write blogs, complete training assignments and at the same time engage deeply with their cohort and fellowship team. Just like “Samundra Manthan” it takes grit, courage and determination to go through India Fellows program. But in the end these will be the most memorable 13 months of their lives”.

Azim Premji Foundation Fellowship

: (http://www.azimpremjifoundation.org/fellowship)
The 2 year Fellowship Programme of Azim Premji Foundation aims to give a hands on, enriching experience of the school education system to people coming from diverse domains and professions.

Youth Ki Awaaz Internship and Training Program

 (https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/internships/)
Youth Ki Awaaz’s award-winning, work-from-home online journalism internship program has till date coached over 2500 young participants, since 2010, and has become one of the most coveted internships in the country. The 8-week internship enables young people to become change-makers by disseminating information about vital issues and articulating themselves through a week by week process – and the best part is that the participants can join the program from anywhere – all they need is a computer and an internet connection. The internship program assists the participants in becoming responsible citizens while preparing them for the most exciting career options. It has been recognised by the International Center For New Media and numerous interns have attained an opportunity to work with esteemed media organisations like The Times Of India and NDTV. The program is free of cost and there is no fees involved. All interns receive a certificate of work experience after the successful completion of their internship. Rigorous training and feedback is provided to help them improve. If you perform exceptionally well, you might just be considered for a higher position at Youth Ki Awaaz.

Shiksharth Rural Fellowship:


 (https://shiksharth.in/)
1 year residential fellowship in tribal and rural education located in Sukma, Chhattisgarh. The applications for fellowship will be open by 10th Feb 2017

Information | Certificate Program in Development Communication

 Certificate Program in Development Communication 

(4 days + 2 half day electives)

Date and time: April 11, 2017 9:00AM - April 15, 2017 5:00PM
TISS and The Communiqué initiative to provide development sector professionals a work-based, results-oriented skill-set in communication
Format
Workshop on Writing Skills for Development Communicators; Biannual, to be held twice a year; The inaugural program will be held on 11 - 15 April, 2017
Context
Development Communication is distinct from communication used by corporates and for-profit organizations. Whether it is advocacy, research communication, or fund-raising, the underlying principle in development communication is social good and sustainability which needs to be factored into all communication. This creates a whole new language, syntax, style, and outputs that are used only by this sector. The program will unpack development communication, and in the process provide participants with guidelines, frameworks, tips, and tools which could be put to use straightaway.
Objectives
Participants learn the art of writing clearly, concisely and cohesively, including referencing.
Participants become familiar with globally accepted templates for development communication outputs: Reports, policy briefs, policy memos, concept notes, and proposal writing.
Participants learn how to turn case studies into human interest stories for the media to increase their reach and impact on civil society.
Participants discover the fundamentals of effective blogging and social media, along with an introduction to photography.
Participants learn how to brand a non-profit organization so that it stands out from its competitors and how to co-brand when working with partners to enhance funding and advocacy.
Participants understand the principles and processes in communication strategy and campaign planning, and how to develop a successful format.
Contents
4 Day Writing Workshop
Writing Skills - Conciseness
Writing Skills - Cohesiveness and consistency
Paragraphing, introductions, conclusions, essential style guide, referencing
Writing Outputs - Policy-influencing and fund-raising outputs
Reports, policy briefs, policy memos, proposals, concept notes: Templates and drafting
Writing Outputs - Civil society advocacy outputs
Media stories, blogging, social media, generating content from the field, turning case studies into human interest stories, personal narratives
2 Half Day Electives
Communication and campaign strategy design
Developing and managing a brand
Methodology
Learning is through a variety of interactive and participative techniques including exercises, worksheets, discussions, group work, and role play. The crux of the methodology used is an emphasis on learning through doing. These are supported with presentations on related theoretical frameworks.
Target Audience
Development sector professionals whose jobs demand effective writing skills and production of writing outputs to communicate with stakeholder groups.
The program will also be useful for journalists and content writers writing on the social sector to refine their writing skills, and TISS PhD students in preparation for their careers.
Maximum number of participants: 25 per program.
Fees
Rs. 20,000 per participant for the 4 day workshop.
Rs. 2,500 per participant for each additional half day elective.
Includes workshop material, lunch and coffee, and 15% government service tax; does not include participant’s accommodation and transport.
25% discount for TISS Doctoral Scholars and Project Staff.
Faculty Bio
Rama Arya is the Founder and Executive Director of The Communiqué, a consultancy passionate about capacity building in communication. Rama designs and runs communication training programs and workshops (both onsite and webinars) building on her 20 years of experience in development communication, PR and external relations with inter-governmental organizations, think-tanks and the private sector. Organizations she has held programs for include the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA), New Delhi, and Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD), Bhubaneswar, amongst others. An MA in PR, Rama has lived and worked in nine different countries giving her a vast global exposure.
How to Apply:
Download and fill the application form http://www.tiss.edu/…/AdmissionFormCertificateProgramDevelo… and send it to devcomm@tiss.edu by 1st April, 2017.
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
V.N. Purav Marg
Deonar
Mumbai-400088
+91(22)25525000

Column | Window Seat

Hoisting the National Flag

 As Head of an educational institution I unfurl National flag twice every year- on 15 August Independence Day and 26 January Republic Day. I have been doing this for quite some time now- 15 years, to be precise. Every time I do it, I feel goose bumps all over my body. Looking at the tri-colour flying against the blue sky (at times cloudy- particularly in August), my heart swells with pride. As I sing the national anthem with others I feel happy and content. Long after the song is over, the refrain reverberates within me.. jai he, jai he which means victory to thee, victory to thee. I can understand the need of obliterating the boundaries between the countries and make the world one. Our scriptures have so vividly pronounced the philosophy of : Basudheyiba Kutumbakam (The world is our family) But on the day, as I unfurl the tri-colour I feel a strange kind of pride to belong to this land: my country. 

Lit-Fest

 Across the country the numbers of lit-fests are growing almost in geometric progression. Ironically, book shops, across the country are closing down, including in the mecca of book-lovers - Bengal. Most the teachers I meet complain that the young students are not reading books other than their text books. Serious academicians warn me that in India ‘aliteracy’ is growing. ‘Aliteracy’ is a new term they have coined to denote people who can read (as opposed to illiterate, who can nor read) but they do not read. But number lit-fests are growing; footfalls at these fests are also increasing. I really fail to reconcile these two seemingly contradictory facts. Or probably I can understand the connection- but it is so uncomfortable and scary that I do not want to spell it out. 

The Big Bag carriers


 I find it terribly irritating: people carrying big bags on their back which obstructs your way, nudges you at the wrong places and blocks narrow passages. Often if you ask the bag bearers to remove their bag and keep it down, they oppose so vehemently as if you are asking to remove their body parts. I thought only I have problems with hunchback bag-bearers. But I found a poster campaign on web to that effect, which means others also do suffer these idiots. 

Tailpiece: If You are not.. 

If you are not listening to your dad You are an Akhilesh If you are still listening to your mom You are a Rahul If you are not listening to anybody You are Narendra Mody And if nobody  is listening to  You are… Kejriwal (Courtesy: Social Media forward)
 ***
 Mrinal Chatterjee, a journalist-turned- media academician works and lives in Dhenkanal, Odisha. He can be contacted at mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com

This column appears in www.orissadiary.com and Sikkim Express

Sunday, 22 January 2017

Column | Window Seat

Window Seat
Mrinal Chatterjee 

Winter in Jaipur
I live in Dhenkanal, Central Odisha, where we look forward to winter. Winter here is mild and it brings with it loads of fresh vegetables in the local market and flowers in our gardens. 
Now that I was required to go to Jaipur, Rajasthan and live there for four days, the thought of braving harsh North Indian winter unnerved me. News on television giving us scary figures of bone chilling winter and visuals of people herded around fire unnerved me further. 
So I took layers of heavy woollens, which might ward off cold in Siberia. And I landed at Jaipur airport at midnight, fearing the worst.
But, I found the cold quite agreeable. 
In life, things we fear the worst, at times do not turn out to be that scary. 

Narcissism
There are people who like to hear their own voices. I have seen and heard such people in umpteen number of meetings and conferences. There is a word in English- narcissism, which refers to loving oneself.
But this is slightly different. Here people necessarily do not love themselves. They probably love to hear their voices. Probably they suffer from some kind of insecurity. Or probably they want to project themselves as knowledgeable person.
Every time a person like this pops up in a meeting/ conference , I shut myself to my little private world of musing. But I keep my eyes open so that he/she thinks I am listening.

Perils of staying in posh hotels
Staying in posh hotels has  its own problems, as I am facing now. The bathroom has so many switches and bottoms and knobs and levers that it almost resembles the cockpit of an aircraft. Every morning taking a bath is an ordeal.And I do not know why they do not provide a balti and a mug. There are so many tubes and bottles with liquid and semiliquid substances, that I am thoroughly confused what to do with what.
On the bed there are six pillows. I use one and do not what to do with the rest five. 
In the mini bar there are bottles of beer- with intimidating price tags. It takes the will of a Buddha or the soul of a Shylok to resist oneself.
And then there are dozens of switches in the room, whose function I do not know. 
The lift does not work for you unless you have the key to touch a particular pad. 
Thrice I have locked my self out of my own room.
The ordeal will continue for two more days, before I return to my known territory.

Getting Photographed 
Went to Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur this evening with Prof Neeraj Khattr, who teaches journalism in a local university.
 Indian armed forces have put up a series of permanent tableau with light and sound and av devices. Impeccably maintained ( OK, probably little more light and detailed signage we're needed) with clean environment, it is a good hangout zone. And there are no vendors or roadside thelas. We found young girls, accompanied by their mothers seriously practising badminton. We asked one such girl to click our photograph. She completely messed it up. Lesson learnt: don't ask a girl, who is hurrying home to take your photograph. Take a selfie instead.

Mrinal Chatterjee, a journalist turned media academician presently heads the Eastern India campus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication, located at Dhenkanal, Odisha. He can be contacted at mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com

Published in Sikkim Express, 22 Jan. 2017