2ND MEDIA WORKSHOP by SAFAR (in association with Sarai-CSDS)

Date:1-3 December2009
Venue: Seminar Room, CSDS
Time: 9:30 to 17:30

Media is everybody’s cup of tea today and at the same time it has become a hot cake which attracts a sizable number of youth as a glamorous carrier. This is why every second day a new media institute/course is coming into being. These media institutes are promising a sure and lucrative journalistic career and charging heavy fees from students. On the other hand universities and colleges have started teaching media in the name of employment oriented course. The private media institutes aim to prepare an army of media walkers and managers while the government institutions are teaching media to make ideals. Those who study in colleges/universities may be acquainted with theory but lack practical skills, especially the use of new technology; whereas students coming from private institutions are trained to become pawns of market and the corporate world only.

The question of social commitment remains far behind in both the situations. While the fact is that when media loses social concern and neglects the issue of social development and transformation, it becomes meaningless. And this kind of ‘media’ can be management, can be a lucrative profession or anything else but not media. Therefore, This is high time to look at the media scenario, and include all those socially relevant issues which will help the students and media-personals in developing a social approach, so that they could think and work towards a better and just society.

It is not always necessary to start with a big capital and heavy paraphernalia in terms of machinery. In fact, many a times it forbids genuine initiatives and creates havoc in the process of learning. Now, several examples have been set all over the world, where a meager technological assistance has boosted the proliferation process of alternative media. The pertinent thing is how open your eyes are, how you see your everyday life and what is your understanding of the space and time, you are a part of.

The media programme of SAFAR is constantly searching and exploring opportunities to establish an alternative media, a media which will go beyond the academic barriers and market preconditions. It also intends to do experimental media activities of different kinds, especially low cost media with not only prevalent forms and technologies but also with emerging ones.

In order to honor its commitment towards real media, SAFAR in association with SARAI-CSDS is organizing a three day Media Workshop for students, media enthusiasts, development professionals and grass root activists, which is the second in the series. This will include bi-lingual sessions on print, radio, television and web journalism by experts like Khadeeja Arif (correspondent , BBC Radio), Piya Kochhar (radio journalist & media entrepreneur), Prof. Abhay Kumar Dubey (CSDS), Dilip Mandal (economicstimes.com), Rahul Pandita (senior correspondent, Open), Rakesh Kumar Singh (digi-activist & media researcher), Shailesh Bharatwasi (hindyugm.com) and Vineet Kumar (television critic).

Since SAFAR is a self funded initiative, we are charging a meager amount of Rs. 600/- from students, Rs. 900 from development professionals and Rs. 1200 from corporate professionals, which will include registration & course fee, lunch, tea and stationeries.

Outstation participants should manage their stay on their own. Participants will be given certificates.

Last date of registration is November 20th 2009. No requests will be entertained after that.

For registration please click below:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dEtSODBpczFmS1B6cXFUNC1VWGIzN0E6MA